The Many Reasons to Consider Eyelid Surgery (also known as Blepharoplasty)
The eyes are the window to your soul, or so they say. Your eyes tell a lot about you, but as you age, they may give an appearance to others that just doesn’t ring true as to who you really are. Your eyes may leave you appearing tired, grumpy, or sad, when in fact you may be vibrant, happy and fun-loving.
The eyes are one of the main focal points between people when communicating. In fact, many of us teach our children to look people in the eyes when they speak. It teaches confidence and it also portrays confidence. Knowing that your eyes are the center of your face and the window to your soul might make you feel a bit self-conscious as you begin to go through the aging process and as you visually see your eyes begin to change when you look at yourself in the mirror.
You may no longer recognize yourself when you look in the mirror and these aging effects can greatly diminish the appearance of a beautiful face. But there’s good news…blepharoplasty can restore a more youthful appearance, while also reducing the appearance of tiredness and making you look more alert and energetic.
How do I know if I need an eyelid lift?
You should consider blepharoplasty if you experience any of these eye lid aging signs:
- Puffy upper eyelids due to excess fatty deposits.
- Sagging skin and/or loose skin folds that interfere with the natural contour of your upper eyelid and also impairs your vision.
- Excess skin and/or fine lines on the lower eye lid.
- The appearance of “bags” under the eyes.
- Droopy lower eye lids.
Other aging signs of the eye lids include brown spots, grooves under the eyes and dynamic wrinkles (these are deeper than fine lines). Brown spots are the result of long-time sun exposure. Skin lightening creams and special lasers can visibly reduce the appearance of brown spots.
Dynamic wrinkles include the appearance of “crow’s feet,” etc. and are treatable with Botox injections, deep laser treatments and/or deep chemical peels performed by a physician. Under eye grooves give the appearance of dark shadows and hollow-looking eyes. Grooves under the eyes are treatable with the eye lid lift surgery.
Who is a good candidate for the eyelid lift surgery?
A good candidate for the eyelid lift surgery are individuals with visible signs of eye lid aging and individuals with realistic expectations. Non-smoking men and women whom are physically and mentally healthy, typically over the age of 35 are good candidates. However, eyelid lift surgery is often an option for younger people with eye issues as well.
How do I prepare for eyelid lift surgery?
You’ll prepare for your eyelid lift surgery by getting lab testing and/or a medical evaluation by your doctor. You might have to take certain medications or your doctor may have to make some minor adjustments to your current medications. If you smoke, you’ll have to stop smoking weeks in advance of surgery.
If you take aspirin, herbal supplements and anti-inflammatory’s, you’ll have to stop and avoid taking these things weeks in advance of eyelid lift surgery. These things can increase bleeding during and after surgery, therefore it is a requirement to stop taking them.
Your surgeon will also give you special instructions before your surgery as to what to do the night before and the morning of eyelid lift surgery, information about anesthesia and also your post-operative care and follow-up information.
What’s the recovery like for eyelid lift surgery and will my results be permanent?
Immediately following your eyelid lift procedure, your surgeon will apply lubricating ointment to your eyes, as well as cold compresses. In some cases, surgeons will loosely cover the eyes with gauze. You will need to be driven home due to the drowsy effects of anesthesia and temporarily impaired vision. You might also want to have a little extra help around the house for a day or two, until you feel in tip-top shape.
Pain medication may be prescribed to alleviate any mild pain or discomfort after surgery. It is important to keep your head elevated during the healing process for the first few days. Cold compresses at home will be helpful as well. There may be some bruising, however, everyone heals differently.
If there is bruising, the bruising could possibly last for about a month. Stitches are typically removed the week after surgery. Your doctor will more than likely tell you to not wear contact lenses for about two weeks after your surgery.
Exercise and other blood pressure increasing activities should be avoided for 3-5 weeks and many people return to work within just 7-10 days after surgery. Results of eyelid lift surgery are typically permanent in the correction of certain conditions. Other conditions offer long-lasting results. You will of course continue to age naturally.