Eyelids
Posted January 19, 2016
For many of us, our eyes show the first signs of aging. We start to notice some excess skin of the upper eyelids with the development of crow’s feet. We also start to see some thinning of the skin of the lower eyelid and the development of fine lines. The development of bulges and darkening of the skin on the lower eyelids is also a common concern.
When we look at aging and factors involved such as sun exposure, stress and smoking, the skin around the eyes remains the most sensitive on the face. Skin gradually loses its elasticity which results in an extra fold of skin on the upper eyelids or wrinkles and bulges in the lower eyelids. Although eyelid surgery frequently is sought out for cosmetic purposes, it may also be an effective way to improve sight in older people as the excess skin may decrease their vision.
Eyelid surgery, which is also referred to as a blepharoplasty, is a common cosmetic surgery procedure that removes the excess eye skin, dropping eyelids, dark circles as well as the puffy bags that appear under the eyes. The upper and lower eyelids are often done in a single procedure but can also be addressed separately.
The typical patient may be mid to late 40’s, male or female, and present with signs of aging around the eyes. Prior to any surgical procedure, patients should be in good health and after meeting with their surgeon have a healthy expectation of their intended results.
There are a number of benefits in regards to an eyelift procedure that include the improvement of the patients overall appearance, reduction of fine lines and wrinkles, removal of under eye bags and the extra skin or fat from above the eyelid removed.
The eyelid surgery procedure will vary from patient to patient and should be discussed with the patient during their initial consultation. The procedure can be done on either the upper or lower eyelids, a combination of the two or in conjunction with another procedure such as a brow lift or facelift. For the upper eyelid a very small incision is made in the eyelid crease which allows for the removal of excess skin and fat. The skin is then brought together to recreate the eyelid crease. Lower eyelid surgery involves very small skin incisions below the lash line or just inside of the eyelid. This is commonly used when fat is to be removed or added around the eye. The entire procedure usually takes about 2 hours and is performed in an outpatient setting. Patients are required to rest post operatively with their head elevated for the first few days. Most patients return to work within 1-2 weeks and resume exercising within 3 weeks. Makeup can be applied after the first week. Mild swelling and bruising may be associated with the procedure but does not always occur.
Rejuvenating a patients’ eyes has a significant positive effect on their look as well as their self-esteem. Patients look more rested, younger and their eyes appear much as they did in previous years. The results are long lasting.
