Type of Surgery
Information
Last updated: 11/24/2009
When performed by a skilled and experienced surgeon, eyelid surgery can make you look younger, more rested and more alert. The changes will take some time to appear and full benefit may not be seen for a few weeks after the procedure. As the...
skin around the eye heals, puffiness and bruising should fade and the permanent results from the surgery will become apparent. Depending on which procedures were performed, the upper eyelids will look tight and lifted while “bags” under the eyes will be gone. This will make the eyes look brighter and younger in just a few weeks. Wrinkles around the skin will not be changed after eyelid surgery, unfortunately. In order to smooth wrinkles a separate procedure will need to be done such as BOTOX® injections or skin resurfacing. Ask your doctor if these procedures can be done at the same time as your eyelid surgery.
skin around the eye heals, puffiness and bruising should fade and the permanent results from the surgery will become apparent. Depending on which procedures were performed, the upper eyelids will look tight and lifted while “bags” under the eyes will be gone. This will make the eyes look brighter and younger in just a few weeks. Wrinkles around the skin will not be changed after eyelid surgery, unfortunately. In order to smooth wrinkles a separate procedure will need to be done such as BOTOX® injections or skin resurfacing. Ask your doctor if these procedures can be done at the same time as your eyelid surgery.
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Unlike fat in other areas of the body, once the fat pockets (“bags”) under the eye are removed, they should not return. If they do, it usually takes many, many years to recur. Other results from the surgery may not be as long lasting. For example, within a month after surgery you will notice a decrease in skin laxity and areas that used to sag no longer do. But, as the aging process continues, this loose skin may reappear. Also, the forehead may sag which gives the impression that the upper eyelids are sagging. Additional surgeries may be needed according to the aesthetic goals of the patient.
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A graphic animation of what causes fat and sagging eyelids. The video describes what takes place during eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty).
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Blepharoplasty can be both a functional and cosmetic surgical procedure intended to reshape the upper eyelid or lower eyelid by the removal or repositioning of excess tissue as well as by reinforcement of surrounding muscles and tendons. When an advanced amount of upper eyelid skin is present, the skin may hang over the eyelashes and cause a loss of peripheral vision. The outer and upper parts of the visual field are most commonly affected and the condition may cause difficulty with activities such as driving or reading. In this circumstance, upper eyelid blepharoplasty is performed to improve peripheral vision. Patients with a less severe amount of excess skin may have a similar procedure performed for cosmetic reasons. Lower eyelid blepharoplasty is almost always done for cosmetic reasons, to improve puffy lower eyelid "bags" and reduce the wrinkling of skin.
Blepharoplasty is performed through external incisions made along the natural skin lines of the eyelids, such as the creases of the upper lids and below the lashes of the lower lids, or from the inside surface of the lower eyelid. Initial swelling and bruising take one to two weeks to resolve but at least several months are needed until the final result becomes stable. Depending upon the scope of the procedure, the operation takes one to three hours to complete.
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