What is eyelid lift surgery?
Eyelid lift surgery or blepharoplasty is a cosmetic surgery treatment for improving the imperfect or heavy eyelids. It treats sagginess or droopiness in eyelids and sometimes termed as functional surgery. The surgeon removes excess skin and fat cells from the eyelid(s) and reinforces surrounding muscles and tendons.
How is it performed?
The surgery is performed under local anesthesia and oral sedation. An incision is made along the natural skin lines of the eyelids and the surgeon either removes or repositions excess skin and fat tissues. Skin is then sutured back with fine and small stitches. The surgery takes one to three hours.
The surgeon can made an incision on the inside surface of the lower eyelid for the removal of excess fats from the lower eyelid as it does not leave a visible scar, however, it does not allow removal of excess skin either.
Can the surgery be performed on both the eyelids simultaneously?
Yes, it is upon the surgeon’s discretion and the patient’s choice. A surgeon can perform the surgery on upper and lower eyelids at the same time given that the patient is a suitable candidate for both the procedures.
Who can benefit from eyelid lift surgery?
Anyone having droopiness in eyelid(s) and above 18 years of age can benefit from the blepharoplasty. The patient must have realistic expectations from the surgery and should understand the potential risks and complications. Anyone deciding for the surgery should discuss his/her medical history with the surgeon because there are some diseases that blepharoplasty can aggravate.
Can blepharoplasty be coupled with other cosmetic treatments?
Yes, it can be coupled with any of the following treatment.
- Face lift
- Brow lift
- Forehead lift
- Botox
- Dermal and fat fillers
- Laser skin resurfacing
- Skin tightening
Usually eyelid lift surgeries are performed in conjunction with chemical peels and carbon dioxide lasers. They speed up the recovery process.
Will the surgery leave a scar?
A carefully done blepharoplasty does not leave a visible scar. The linear incision is often hidden in the natural skin line.
What are the risks and complications associated with eyelid lift surgery?
Like all other surgical treatments eyelid lift surgery also contains some risks and complications like swelling, bruising, bleeding, infection and reaction to anesthesia. Other risks include asymmetry in the shape of eyelids and a linear scar at the incision site.
Does blepharoplasty show long-lasting results?
It varies from person to person. A properly done surgery on a person with slow aging process the results last for 10 to 15 years. Factors that decide the duration of the results are aging/genetics, anatomy of the eyelids, adjacent tissues and age of the patient.
Are there any substitutes of eyelid lift surgery?
There are some so-called non-surgical blepheroplasty treatments that can treat early signs of facial aging and puffy eyes. These treatments include chemical peels, botox and dermal fillers. Sometimes acids are also applied to remove skin volume in eyelids. However, these treatments do not produce results as good as blepharoplasty or eyelid lift surgery produces.