Eyelid Surgery
Eyelid surgery (also called an eye lift or blepharoplasty), reduces bagginess from lower eyelids and removes excess skin from the upper eyelids.
This surgery is usually done for cosmetic reasons. It’s also an effective way to improve sight in older people whose sagging upper eyelids get in the way of their vision.
An eye lift will not eliminate dark circles under the eyes, crow’s feet, or other facial wrinkles. It is often done along with other procedures such as laser resurfacing, filler injections, or forehead lifts.
The Eyelid Aging Process
As skin ages, it gradually loses its elasticity. A lack of elasticity plus the constant pull from gravity causes the excessive skin to collect on the upper and lower eyelids.
Excess skin on the lower eyelid causes wrinkles and bulges. On the upper eyelids, an extra fold of skin can hang over the eyelashes and get in the way of seeing.
The fat that cushions the eyeball from the skull can also cause bulges in the upper and lower eyelids. The thin membrane that holds the fat in place weakens with age, letting the fat out into the lids.
Who Is a Good Candidate For Eyelid Surgery?
The best candidates for an eye lift are people who are in good health and who have realistic expectations. Most are 35 years or older, but if baggy eyelids or droopy eyelids run in your family, you may decide to have the surgery done sooner.
Eyelid surgery can enhance your appearance and help build your confidence. However, it may not result in your ideal look or alter your facial structure. Before you decide to have surgery, think about your goals and ask us any questions you may have.
Will the Results of Eyelid Surgery Be Permanent?
Upper eyelid surgery can last at least five to seven years. Lower eyelid surgery rarely needs to be repeated. Of course, your eyes will still age after the procedure.
If your lids sag again, a forehead lift rather than another eye lift is often the proper procedure.
How Should I Prepare for Eyelid Surgery?
You will need to arrange for another person to drive you home after your surgery. You should also have someone stay with you the night of the procedure if at all possible.
Expect and plan to stay home from work and limit your activities for several days after surgery while your eyelids heal. Since you will be here in Puerto Vallarta or Guadalajara, you will basically stay at the hotel and relax. Some people have dry eyes after surgery, but that rarely lasts more than two weeks. If you have dry eyes lasting more than two weeks, please contact us.
Once you get back home
At home, you should have the following items ready:
Small gauze pads
Eye drops or artificial tears
Clean washcloths and towels
Over-the-counter painkillers
Advil, Motrin, Naproxen, Aleve, and aspirin should not be used due to the increased risk of bleeding.
How Is Eyelid Surgery Performed?
An eye lift usually takes about two hours if both upper and lower eyelids are done together. Local anesthesia (a painkiller injected around the eye) with oral sedation will be administered.
You will receive IV sedation.
If you’re having all four eyelids done, the surgeon will probably work on the upper lids first. The surgeon will usually cut following the natural lines of your eyelids. Through these cuts, your surgeon will separate the skin from the underlying tissue and remove the excess fat, skin, and muscle. Next, the surgeon will close those cuts with very small stitches. The stitches in the upper lids will stay for three to six days. The lower lids may or may not require stitches, depending on the technique used.
Surgery on the lower eyelids may be done using one of the several techniques. In one method, the doctor makes a cut inside your lower eyelid to remove fat. That cut won’t be visible. The doctor can then soften fine lines in the skin using a C02 or erbium laser.
Another method involves making a cut along the eyelash margin. Through that cut, the doctor can remove excess skin, loose muscle, and fat. The cut line fades after a short time.
After either of these procedures, the doctor may recommend laser resurfacing.
What Is Recovery Like After Eyelid Surgery?
After eyelid surgery, you will have stitches in both lids that will remain for as long as a week. It is common to have swelling and, occasionally, bruising, but your eyelids should look normal within a week or two.
What Are the Possible Complications From Eyelid Surgery?
Complications and unwanted results from an eye lift are rare, but sometimes they do occur. They can include:
Bleeding
Infection
Dry eyes
Abnormal coloring of the eyelids
Eyelid skin that folds in or out abnormally
Not being able to fully close your eyes
A pulled-down lower lid lash line
A possible loss of vision
Please send us any questions you may have via email or feel free to call us with additional questions. To get you an exact quote for what needs to be done, we will need you to email us at info@plasticsurgerypv.com digital images of the area you want worked on and the doctor will get back to you with exactly what needs to be done as well as the costs and time frame involved with the surgical procedure.
You may call us toll-free 866.509.0571 or feel free to email us if you have any questions @ info@plasticsurgerypv.com