Blepharoplasty

There are many changes that come with aging. Wrinkles, fine lines, and of course, droopy eyes are all essentially guaranteed. When it comes to drooping or sagging eyes, you may consider a blepharoplasty.
What is a Blepharoplasty?

Blepharoplasty, also known as eyelid surgery, is often performed to offset the symptoms of aging and to cultivate a younger appearance. Blepharoplasty can also be performed to improve vision, which can happen when eyelids droop and obstruct the line of vision.

Depending on your needs, blepharoplasty can remove excess muscles, fat, and skin from either the lower or upper eyelids. Some patients only require skin removed, while others may need the procedure performed on both their upper and lower eyelids. How the procedure is performed is individually assessed for each patient’s needs.

The Procedure

Before undergoing cosmetic or functional blepharoplasty, it’s important to prepare properly. Your doctor will discuss with you whether you’ll be undergoing local anesthesia or general anesthesia. Patients who are having multiple surgeries performed will usually require general anesthesia. Blepharoplasty lasts anywhere from twenty minutes to two hours, and fully depends on the intricacies of the procedure.

During blepharoplasty, incisions are made in the natural fold of the eyelid, as well as in the crease of the upper eyelid and behind the lower eyelid. Making incisions like these means that the scars are almost invisible.

Your doctor will make markings on your skin, which helps them remove only the skin and muscles necessary. After creating the markings, your doctor will then remove the excess skin and tissues using a scalpel, cutting lasers, or surgical scissors. When the cutting has been completed, sutures are made to smooth and reshape the areas that are located nearby your eyebrows and eyelids.

If you suffer from dry eye, your doctor will leave more skin. Dry eye patients often find that removing too much of the tissues or muscles can expose the affected eye to more air, which exacerbates the problem.

The Recovery

When your blepharoplasty procedure is finished, a topical antibiotic ointment will be applied to your eyes. The first day of recovery, cold packs should be applied to your eyes for each hour that you are up and awake. These cold packs should only be placed on your eyes in 10-15 minute increments. On the second day, only apply the cold packs every few hours. After the first two days of recovery, the cold packs should be switched out to warm compresses.

Painkillers will be prescribed by your doctor depending on your pain level. While in the stages of recovery, your eyes will appear swollen and red, as well as bruised. This will pass, but it will take a few weeks for the symptoms to die down. Wearing makeup is strongly discouraged during recovery, as it can impede recovery. It’s also important to refrain from wearing contact lenses, at least until any eyelid swelling has subsided and your doctor says it is fine.

If you’re suffering from vision loss due to drooping eyelids or just want a fresher look, blepharoplasty may be the right choice for you. To learn more about the procedure, please contact Laurel Cosmetics for a consultation.