The eyes and the eyelids form one of the most expressive features of the face. Excess or lax skin on the upper eyelids and under-eye circles that come with age can be common concerns. Blepharoplasty may be an option for people who are concerned about these cosmetic issues, or who suffer from vision loss due to excess eye skin.
Not everyone is a suitable candidate for blepharoplasty surgery. A good candidate needs to know that this procedure is administered to remove excess tissue in both the lower and upper eyelids.
Suitable candidates include individuals who are concerned about:
Candidates should be:
Eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) may involve either the lower or upper lids or both. In the upper eyelid, a crescent of skin and underlying muscle is removed from the region of the eyelid fold. It may also be necessary to remove some of the fat behind the upper eyelid. This may be combined with a procedure to raise the height of the eyelid or recreate the fold of the upper eyelid.
In the lower eyelid, an approach may be made from the inside of the eyelid to remove fat. This procedure is used if there is only a small amount of loose skin present.
If the lower eyelid margin has lost some of its elasticity, a correction can be achieved by tightening the eyelid margin. Excision of lower eyelid skin is undertaken only if there is obvious, redundant skin once the outer corner of the eyelids has been replaced in its correct position. In these cases, an incision is placed just beneath the eyelid margin and eyelashes.
The procedure may be performed under local or general anaesthetic. A stay in hospital is not required but may be arranged if preferred.
The eyes need to be rested following the operation and will need cool packs to be applied for the next one to two days. The operation will involve anaesthetic and paracetamol tablets should be all that is required to maintain a satisfactory level of comfort. The majority of swelling should disappear after the first seven to ten days, but it may take up to two to three months for complete healing.
There are risks involved in every surgery. Blepharoplasty comes with the risk of infection, bleeding, poor scarring, numbness, and impaired vision. Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Find more information here.
With any surgery, some amount of scarring should be expected. Nonetheless, scarring from the blepharoplasty procedure is minimal, especially following months of healing.
The loose skin and fat around the eyes typically materialise as we age, however, some people are naturally prone to developing it much earlier than others, therefore there is no age limit to when an eyelid lift (blepharoplasty) is administered.
An eyelid lift (blepharoplasty) is not meant to eliminate the wrinkles around your eyes or to correct the lowering of the eyebrows. Other procedures may be available to help you get rid of wrinkles near the eyes, such as IPL and laser resurfacing treatments.
Results are not guaranteed and will vary depending on the personalised plan discussed with Dr Quinn during your consultation. Generally, you should start to see a definite difference when the swelling subsides.
Following surgery, it is normal to experience sore, swollen and tenderness as well as some bruising around the treated area. These will generally settle within a few days after the procedure.