EYELID SURGERY

OVERVIEW

Once performed, the results of eyelid surgery by either of our plastic surgeons, Drs. Torabi at Elite Plastic Surgery, can go on for decades. Though the upper eyelid may change after years with the aging process, the lower eyelid surgery results usually endure for good. Eyelid surgery, or blepharoplasty, removes the loose skin and pockets of fat from the upper and lower eyelids to smooth fine lines and wrinkles, and improve the patient’s overall appearance.

If you have eyelids that are droopy (and making you look older and tired), and extra skin and wrinkles that make you look less attractive, you would benefit from an eyelid surgery consultation with our plastic surgeons. Because every patient is different and results and surgical techniques may vary from patient to patient, Drs. Torabi can discuss what surgery would best fit your situation. Eyelid surgery can help to improve your eyes by making you look more attractive and improve your vision limited by drooping skin. Eyelid surgery with our Scottsdale, AZ plastic surgeons involves a surgical correction of skin deformities in the eyelid, and they can restore this area of your face with rejuvenating solutions.

UPPER EYELID SURGERY

Rest assured, incisions are made in such a way that scars remain invisible. For surgery on the upper eyelid, incisions are made into the natural creases of the lids, and the expression lines at the corner of the eyes so that there will be no visible scarring in the area.

LOWER EYELID SURGERY

For lower eyelid surgery, the incisions are made just below the eyelash line with the scar running along the natural folds of the eye. This will make the scars invisible as the incision placement will hide the marks. If only fat is to be removed, the incisions are made on the inner side of the lower eyelid.

DO I QUALIFY?

Patients should be in good health and without any serious medical condition to become a candidate for upper or lower eyelid surgery. He or she must have specific conditions, such as sagging skin, excess fat, upper eyelid deformities, eye bags, puffy eyes, etc., to qualify for the cosmetic procedure. Good candidates for eyelid surgery are men and women who experience:

• Drooping eyelids
• Bags or fat deposits under the eyes
• Loose skin and wrinkles on the upper eyelid
• Impaired vision due to hanging skin on the upper eyelid
• Deformities or defects of the eyelid
• A need to reinforce periorbital tendons

WHAT TO EXPECT

Blepharoplasty can be performed on the upper eyelid, lower eyelid, or both. This procedure is most commonly used to treat excess, loose, and sagging skin around the eyes that can impair vision and make a patient look and feel uncomfortable. This procedure also corrects minor wrinkles and folds around the eyes to improve your appearance. A local anesthesia is injected to both upper and lower eyelids. Your plastic surgeon may advise intravenous sedation considering patient-specific cases. The surgery can last 1– 2 hours depending on the extent of changes the plastic surgeon is making to the eyelids. Patients are discharged after a few hours of observation to recover at home.

IN RECOVERY

The duration of recovery from eyelid surgery depends on the overall medical health of a patient and precautions needed for optimal results. Your plastic surgeon will remove sutures in 4 – 5 days. However, swelling and bruising can last up to 2 weeks. It is advised not to wear eye makeup, allow direct sunlight and dust to the eye area, or engage in intense activities for 3 – 4 weeks. You will also need to wear sunglasses regularly for 4 weeks. Apply your eye drops, use ice, and take all medication as prescribed by your plastic surgeon.

Minor eyelid pain and swelling are felt immediately after the surgery, and it is tackled with medication. There will be stitches that remain in place for 4 – 5 days. Abnormal tears, numbness, photosensitivity, double vision and black eye are other temporary complications felt for about a week. The complete healing takes about 4 weeks. You may return to work in a week, swimming and abrupt eye movements must be avoided for 3 – 4 weeks.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Following eyelid surgery, patients should also keep their heads elevated for the first several days. Bruising and swelling should be expected and may last up to 3 – 4 weeks. It also takes about this same amount of time for results to be noticeable. Patients should expect minimal scarring at incision points that will be almost invisible to the naked eye.

AWAKE AND ALERT AGAIN

Many patients, both men and women, undergo blepharoplasty to rejuvenate their appearance and improve the physical ailments that come from loose, sagging skin around the eyes. For women, this loose skin can make putting on makeup a burden, and may prevent them from achieving the look they desire. If you are considering eyelid surgery, schedule a consultation at Elite Plastic Surgery to begin the journey toward your rejuvenated youth.