Blepharoplasty cannot lift sagging eyebrows or get rid of crow's feet or dark circles. Specific risks of the surgery include abnormal positioning of the eyelids, bleeding behind the eye and permanent blindness.
Double vision. Puffy, numb eyelids. Swelling and bruising similar to having black eyes. Pain or discomfort.
Hypertension (high blood pressure) Cardiovascular disease. Diabetes. Hypothyroidism and 'Graves Disease' (thyroid problems)
You should be in good health and a non-smoker. The surgery is worth it for people who want to look younger and better rested in and around the eyes. The results are subtle but dramatic, and recovery is minor with little pain reported.
Be Prepared for Swelling
Swelling is to be expected after your surgery. It might be very dramatic, particularly at first, and your eyes might look worse before they look better.
Swelling in the upper lid may result in incomplete eyelid closure or may cause the eyelid to appear droopy (known as ptosis). As with the lower eyelid, usually this will clear up on its own. However, if after 6 months the problems persist, corrective surgery can be used to reposition the lid and improve symmetry.
Once the puffiness under the eyes is reduced, it often never returns. It is important to remember, however, that every patient is different. Should someone develop recurrent puffiness under the eyes after several years, a revision blepharoplasty can help to restore their original results.
The vast majority of people who have had a blepharoplasty are fully satisfied with their results. Eyelid surgery can make you look years younger after a single procedure, boosting your self-esteem. While we can't fully reverse the effects of aging, blepharoplasty can immediately transform your face.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, this procedure is the most referenced in relation to blepharoplasty. Double eyelid surgery is a procedure suitable for any age group. While most men and women may consider eyelid surgery in their 30s and 40s, there are no rules as to when you can get one.
Most people who are interested in having a blepharoplasty performed usually do so after the age of 40, as this is the earliest approximate age when skin might begin to build up on the eyelids. That doesn't mean that younger patients don't qualify.
Retrobulbar hematoma may occur after blepharoplasty, surgery for orbital wall fracture, periorbital trauma, and periorbital anesthesia. According to a recent report, the incidence of retrobulbar hematoma is 0.055% and the resulting rate of permanent blindness is about 0.005% [1,2].
Look Younger with a Blepharoplasty
By improving the appearance of droopy or sagging skin, your eyes will look younger. In addition to this, your entire face will look more youthful.
A blepharoplasty can improve the appearance of the eyes, but it does not reposition the eyebrows. Alternatively, a brow lift surgery lifts the eyebrows and improves the appearance of the upper eyelids without removing any skin and fat from the eyelids.
Most surgeons will try to put it in the natural crease of the eye to hide it. Eyelid surgery removes excess skin and fat, wrinkles and puffiness, but it isn't a miracle. Some skin around the eyes could remain an issue even after surgery and require additional help through lasers, injections, or peels.
Cosmetic eye surgery is typically safe, but as with any surgery, risks include infection, bleeding, or scarring.
It cannot make your eyes bigger than they naturally are, but by removing excess skin and fat, it can make them appear larger. It will rejuvenate your eyes and give you the youthful look you've been dreaming of.
By removing excess fat and skin and restructuring the tissues around the eyes, blepharoplasty creates a natural, rejuvenated appearance, erasing five to ten years without changing the shape or overall character of your face.
Lower eyelid procedures can be slightly more complex than upper eyelid procedures, depending on the desired results. The surgeries can also be conducted by small incisions, but can involve small amounts of pressure being put on the eyeball.
Plasmage® Developed as an alternative to eyelid surgery, PLASMAGE® can improve droopy eyelids without cuts or needles. It is a non-invasive medical (pen-like) device that uses patented fractional plasma, delivering plasma energy on the tissues, which helps tighten the skin around the eyes.
Additionally during blepharoplasty or cosmetic eyelid surgery, the deeper tissues of the eyelids are manipulated. Sometimes as the deeper tissues heal, scar tissue forms which tethers the eyelid and prevents it from closing. The technical term for this deeper tissue is the orbital septum.
For patients with hooded eyelids, a blepharoplasty can create a smoother surface area on their eyelids, which can slightly change the appearance of the eyes and make them appear less sunken. Predominantly speaking, the goal of a blepharoplasty is to remove unnecessary tissue and refresh the area surrounding the eye.
Short-term changes in the shape of the eye can occur. The position of the eyelid can temporarily change due to the bruising and swelling associated with eyelid surgery. For the majority of patients, this issue usually resolves itself within approximately 6 weeks.
Bags can return years later in some people as fat may return to the area as the skin becomes laxer there. However, this is not something that we typically see. Those that do see eye bags return do not experience until 15 or 20 years later.
Your eyelids will be puffy, your incisions will appear red, and the swelling and bruising may resemble a black eye. This is a hard time for most of our patients because they're anxious to see results. Don't let recovery time get you down. The swelling goes away in about two weeks.