Always look tired even though you aren’t? Does your face look dull no matter what? Your eyes may be the reason.

If you’ve got sagging and droopy eyelids, or lack a double eyelid, it can take away from the overall desirable aesthetic of your face. Eyelid ptosis is a result of several factors, most commonly the signs of aging and the impact of gravity. Eyelid surgery is perhaps the most effective solution.

What is Eyelid Surgery?
Eyelid surgery, also known as blepharoplasty, is a cosmetic surgical procedure that has been designed to eliminate sagging eyelids and reduce or eliminate droopiness. It can correct both the upper and lower eyelid.

Blepharoplasty may also create a double eyelid, which is a crease in the upper eyelid.

Who is it for?
Eyelid surgery is for men and women who are unhappy with the aesthetic appearance of their eyes because their eyelids have succumbed to the signs of aging, gravity and other factors. Ideal candidates are those with realistic expectations and have made the decision to undergo surgery for themselves. They should also be relatively healthy both mentally and physically.

Who is it not for?
Eyelid surgery is unsuitable for those with eyelid ptosis caused by a medical condition, such as a problematic thyroid. Often, sagging and puffiness may be a result of fluid retention rather than skin and muscle laxity, and therefore cannot be corrected by eyelid surgery.

Length of Procedure
This depends on the extent of correction. The patient consultant will give you an estimate during your initial consultation, and you’ll get a better idea when speaking with the physician scheduled to perform the procedure. You can expect surgery to last anywhere from 1-3 hours.

Anesthesia
Local anesthesia with sedation is most commonly administered. As a result, individuals will not experience any discomfort during surgery.

The Eyelid Surgical Procedure
First, you’ll have an initial consultation with a medical professional to discuss your goals and expectations, as well as determine what type of correction you desire. Following will be a preoperative consultation with the cosmetic surgeon scheduled to perform the procedure. During this pre-op, your health will be assessed to ensure you are prepared to undergo surgery.

During eyelid surgery, incision(s) will be made in the natural creases of the eyelid area and skin/fat may be removed. The incision(s) will be sutured and dressed, after which you’ll be taken into the recovery room. This is a brief and general outline of the surgical process. The specifics of your surgery will be discussed during your preoperative consultation.

What Happens Afterwards?
Once the anesthesia wears off, there may be some level of discomfort and soreness in the area treated. Bruising and swelling will occur, but these are considered temporary and may last up to a month. You may also experience some blurriness and have double vision for a few weeks, but this is also considered temporary.

Pain medication may be prescribed to alleviate discomfort, and cold compresses can be applied to help with swelling.

Risks
Like other surgical and nonsurgical procedures, there are risks related to eyelid surgery. Some more serious risks include those associated with the administration of anesthesia and, as with any type of invasive surgery, infection and bleeding. Hollowness in the eye area may also occur in the event too much skin/fat is removed during the procedure. The chances of such risks occurring are dramatically reduced when an experienced and knowledgeable cosmetic surgeon performs the eyelid surgery.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 2nd, 2008 at 2:40 am and is filed under Treatments. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.