The Blepharoplasty Procedure

For those people who find an increased presence of tired, aging or droopy eyelids as they get older, cosmetic eye surgery, also known as blepharoplasty, might be the right answer. Blepharoplasty typically means that a lifting of the eyelids takes place surgically, which can lead to a reduction or removal of wrinkles and excess skin in the area around the eyes.

In this procedure, fat, excess skin and even some muscle (occasionally), is removed from both the lower and upper eyelids. While Botox may be more appropriate for the removal of crow’s feet or wrinkles due to aging around the eyes, cosmetic eye surgery is geared toward correcting drooping upper eyelids and the presence of puffiness or bags in the area below the eyes. Like wrinkles and age spots, these features can significantly increase the look of aging and a general appearance of tiredness. Blepharoplasty can greatly decrease and often eliminate these factors, leading to a younger, healthier, more youthful looking appearance in many patients – and because of this, often an increase in confidence.

Like all surgeries, there are some potential risks, though most are minor. The presence of some medical conditions may create higher risk potential. These include thyroid problems, a situation in which there is an insufficient production of tears by the patient, high blood pressure, diabetes and others. Potential patients should discuss the possibilities of these and other conditions interfering with a smooth-running blepharoplasty procedure, with the surgeon or ophthalmologist. Infection and complications with reactions to anesthesia are warned against with any surgical procedure, and blepharoplasty is no exception. Like most plastic surgeries performed by qualified surgeons, complications are minor and rare. Though infrequent, some typical complications involved with blepharoplasty include temporarily blurry vision, minor swelling in the surgical area, slight scarring, potentially asymmetrical and small whiteheads (which can be removed by the surgeon), during or after the healing process. Occasionally, the patient will experience minor difficulty in closing the eyes, which can lead to difficulty sleeping, though this condition often lessens and eventually goes away as the area heals. Those considering surgery should consult a medical professional to discuss these and other potential complications.

Typically an outpatient surgery, especially when performed without combining other plastic surgeries, patients will often undergo surgery in the office of the plastic surgeon or in a hospital. After surgery, the patient will often be released. If being performed in conjunction with other related plastic surgeries, the surgeon may elect to keep the patient overnight. Incisions are typically made along naturally occurring lines in the patient’s eyelids, thus reducing the effects of scarring. After this, the skin is then separated from the underlying tissues, and excess fat, skin and muscle are removed. The incisions are then sewn up carefully, to reduce the appearance of scarring in the area. Depending on the complexity of the procedure, surgery often lasts only a few hours.