Even though you’re still happy, young, and full of energy, you’ve noticed that your eyes are starting to show signs of aging. You’ve been looking in the mirror a lot lately and pulling back the loose, sagging skin around your eyes.
You wish your appearance matched how you feel on the inside. On top of that, people always ask you if you’re tired, even after a whole night’s sleep.
Does this sound too familiar? The good news is that several cosmetic procedures can make the eyes look better and work better. And eyelid surgery is one of the best and most helpful procedures.
Today, Kay Dermatology will tell you everything you must know about eyelid surgery, from what the procedure involves to what you can expect in terms of recovery and results.
Eyelid surgery, or blepharoplasty, is a combination procedure that tightens and lifts loose skin around the upper and lower eyelids. These procedures significantly improve droopy upper eyelids and under-eye bags by repositioning fat, tightening muscles, supporting tendons, and removing extra skin around the eyes.
For instance, one of the most popular procedures is eyelid surgery, which was done more than 206,000 times in the US alone in 2018. Blepharoplasty is so popular because the first signs of aging that can be seen are often in the eyes.
As we age, our eyelid muscles start to get weaker, and our eyelids start to get bigger. The truth is, it’s normal to start showing signs of being tired or worn out as early as your thirties. This factor can sometimes cause this in your family, but if caught early, it can be treated.
Depending on your situation and needs, blepharoplasty can be done either with local anesthesia and sedation or with general anesthesia. Some people choose only to have one procedure done. In contrast, others simultaneously have surgery on both the upper and lower eyelids.
During upper eyelid surgery, the facial plastic surgeon makes a small cut along the eyelid’s natural crease to remove any extra fat, skin, muscle, or tissue that makes the person look sad or tired all the time.
During lower eyelid surgery, an invisible cut is made inside the lower eyelid to remove extra fat and tighten sagging skin. Eyelid surgery usually takes about an hour, but it depends on the situation and whether or not any other procedures are being done simultaneously.
If you decide to have blepharoplasty, ensure the procedure is done in a state-licensed, fully accredited clinic and provider to ensure you are safe and comfortable.
People who know what they want from an eye lift are the best candidates. Most people have the surgery when they are 35 or older. Still, if your family has a history of sagging or baggy eyelids, you may decide to have it done sooner.
Eyelid surgery can make you look better and help you feel better. But it might not give you the look you want or change the shape of your face. Think about your goals and talk to your surgeon about them before you decide to have surgery.
After your surgery, you’ll need to plan for someone else to drive you home. The night before the procedure, you should have someone stay with you. Expect and plan to stay home from work and do less for a few days while your eyelids heal after surgery.
Some people have dry eyes, but it rarely lasts longer than two weeks. Note that you should see a doctor if your eyes are dry for more than two weeks.
It would help if you had the following things ready at home:
Again if the upper and lower eyelids are done simultaneously, it usually takes about 2 hours. Your doctor will probably use a combination of oral sedation and local anesthesia, a painkiller injected around the eye.
You will most likely be sedated if the procedure is done in a hospital or surgical center. If you have work done on all four eyelids, the surgeon will likely start with the upper lids.
Most of the time, the doctors will cut along the lines of your eyelids. By making these cuts, your doctor will separate the skin from the tissue underneath and eliminate the fat and skin that are too much.
Next, they will use tiny stitches to close the cuts. The stitches in the upper eyelids will be there for three to six days. Depending on the method, the lower lids may or may not need stitches.
In one method, the fat is taken out by cutting your lower eyelid. Don’t worry because you won’t be able to see that cut. Then, your doctor can use a C02 or erbium laser to soften fine lines in your skin.
One other way is to cut along the edge of the eyelash. Your doctor can eliminate fat and lose muscle and extra skin through that cut. After a short time, the cut line disappears.
Eyelid surgery makes the eyes look younger and more refreshed. Most people are happy with the results of their recovery process as long as they know what to expect before they start.
Experienced doctors can give you results that look very natural. This is because they can make incisions in places like a natural crease in your skin, making it easy to hide scars.
Results should last at least 10 to 15 years. Still, it’s important to remember that blepharoplasty doesn’t stop the aging process—it just slows it down. People often combine upper and lower blepharoplasty with other cosmetic procedures to get the best results that will last.
For instance, eyelid surgery is often done with a facelift, brow lift, forehead lift, or laser skin resurfacing to make the skin look younger and eliminate wrinkles.
If you want to get blepharoplasty in Burbank, CA, to make your face look younger and fresher, make an appointment with Kay Dermatology, so you can ask any questions you have, find out if you’re a good candidate, and find out what kind of results you can expect.
