Eyelid Surgery Can Make You Look Years Younger

The following information has been prepared to familiarize you with facts about the surgical procedures known as blepharoplasty. You are requested to read this information thoroughly and to discuss any questions which might arise with your surgeon before you proceed with the surgical procedure known as blepharoplasty.

Eyelid surgery can make you look years younger and change one's appearance from a tired, sad and angry look to an alert, rested and peaceful look. The operation is designed to remove excess skin and bagginess around the eye area. The wrinkles around the eyes are etched into the skin and cannot be removed by this procedure. A laser resurfacing procedure may be desired if the patient would like to decrease fine line wrinkles.

Excess skin in the upper eyelids, or bags in the lower lids, are the most common reason for someone desiring cosmetic eyelid surgery. Bags in the lower lids are the result of fatty tissue being pushed forward.

The blepharoplasty operation is designed to improve your appearance as much as possible. One must accept the judgment of your surgeon and realize that he or she will remove all the excess tissue to effect the optimum result for each patient. If a patient has very droopy brows, it may be impossible to obtain a significant improvement of upper eyelid appearance without first raising the brows. The blepharoplasty (without a browlift) does not affect droopy eyebrows. Your surgeon may suggest a browlift with you if he or she feels that your most significant problem is brow drooping.

The operation is performed using local anesthetics with intravenous medications or a general anesthetic to make you comfortable throughout the procedure. The anesthesiologist monitors all patients to ensure their safety and comfort.

The incisions are placed in the normal skin folds of the upper lids, and in or beneath the eyelashes of the lower lids. Because incisions are placed in natural skin creases and such creases are not symmetrical from one side to the other, each patient's incisions will look significantly different during the healing phase.

The delicate sutures are removed three to four days post-operatively. The incisions will be very difficult to see after healing has occurred. Although many patients have very satisfactory results, as with any operation certain problems may occur and it is important that you be aware of the risks involved.

It is possible that this operation will not improve your appearance or help the function of your eyelids as much as you had expected. It is even remotely possible that your appearance and the function of your eyelids will be worse after the operation than pre-operatively. Permanent problems rarely occur; however, potential complications with this procedure include bleeding, infection, abnormal discoloration or pigmentation of the skin of the eyelids, dry eyes, abnormal folding-in or folding-out of the eyelid skin, an inability to fully close the eyes or a pulled down lower lash line. Complications of eyelid surgery can cause prolonged healing, change in or loss of vision, the need for drops or ointment temporarily or perpetually.

Results vary among patients, but the majority of patients are happy and enjoy the improved quality of life. This information is provided to acquaint you with the risks as well as the benefits associated with this procedure. Of course, it is not possible to advise you of every conceivable complication and other problems can occur which are unexpected.