Blepharoplasty (eyelid rejuvenation)
Blepharoplasty or eyelid rejuvenation surgery is an operation with both cosmetic and functional roles. The purpose of this procedure is to reshape the upper and/or the bottom eyelid, to remove excess tissue, and to support the muscles and surrounding structures. The eyes are one of the key elements defining facial beauty; they play an important role in social communication and expression. By looking into the eyes of a person you can capture the emotions. Perhaps this is the main reason why blepharoplasty is so requested.
With aging, fat tissue around the eyes lowers or disappears, relaxing the muscles and therefore excess skin appears in the upper or lower eyelids.
During the consultation with Dr. Fodor, you may decide to correct the upper eyelids, the lower eyelids, or both at the same time. Some people want to perform other surgeries simultaneously. Blepharoplasty is frequently associated with eyebrow, forehead or face lifting.
Am I the right candidate?
When I look in the mirror I see:
- Excess skin above the upper eyelid
- Loose upper eyelid skin and I seem tired even when I’m not
- The eyelids look slightly swollen.
- Dark circles under my eyes
- Excess skin and fine wrinkles under the eyes
Consultation
During the consultation you will have the opportunity to explain what bothers you and what would you change in your eyes. It’s important to know that blepharoplasty will not remove the lateral portion of the eyelid, called “crow’s feet”. For rejuvenation of the lateral side of the eye, the most suitable treatment is with appropriate substances, peeling or laser. If the descent of the upper eyelid is associated with the lower positioning of the eyebrows, forehead or eyebrow lifting may be a better choice. A history of the disease will be taken and a physical examination performed. It would be good to prepare for the consultation and to know exactly the diseases you have, the medications you are taking, and bring your prescriptions from the ophthalmologist. Certain diseases, such as hypertension, thyroid problems,and allergies that affect the eye or cause “dry eye” syndrome,must be checked out in order to not affect the operation. After you settle on a certain procedure, you will be given specific instructions on makeup, eating, smoking and medications.
The surgery
In both cases local anesthesia is needed. This requires the numbness of the area. However you will receive oral and intravenous medication for your convenience. General anesthesia is applied only in selected cases. The procedure lasts 1-2 hours, depending on the type of operation and other procedures.
Although there are several techniques for this intervention, below we present the most widely used.
An incision will be made in the natural wrinkles of the upper eyelid. Excess tissue and skin is removed and the incision is closed with fine sutures. Others will see you rested and refreshed but no one can see exactly what happened! For the lower eyelid the incision is just below the eyelashes and this stretches to the sides of the eye. The skin is separated from the underlying tissues. Excess fat, muscle and skin can be removed, but most often will be repositioned to remove the bags around the eye.
A certain technique to correct the lower eyelid involves an incision on the inside of the eyelid. The advantage of this procedure is that it isn’t necessary to make an external incision, visible; however this technique does not allow the removal of excess skin.
You will be able to return home after a few hours of surgery or stay overnight for supervision.
After blepharoplasty
Recovery time depends on the type and magnitude of the intervention as well as the individual response of the body. It is helpful to hold your head high and put cold compresses on the eyelids to reduce swelling. It is possible that immediately after surgery you will have slight discomfort, swelling, bruises, photosensitivity, tearing or dry eye; this sensation usually fades away within 7-10 days after surgery. Most patients return to work 5-7 days after surgery.
More details about the intervention and postoperative recommendations will be received at the first consultation.