Blepharoplasty
To create more youthful upper and/or lower eyelids by removing, as indicated, excess fat, lax muscle and redundant skin. Upper and lower eyelid surgery can be performed independently of one another or together.
Anesthesia: General anesthesia administered by a physician-anesthesiologist specializing in facial procedures. Under anesthesia, there is no pain and no awareness. An intravenous is started and you "drift off to sleep."
Time: Approximately 1 hour in the operating room.
Frozen veggies reduce swelling!
Recovery Room: Usually 1 hour in a fully monitored and state-of-the-art recovery room at the surgery center.
Convalescence: Professional care is optional. If you choose to recover at home, someone must be with you the first night. As with all of our procedures, precise instruction/direction sheets are a "care package" of supplies and medications are provided.
Stitch Removal: Upper eyelid stitches are removed between the 4th and 6th postoperative days. Lower eyelid stitches "dissolve" and therefore generally need no removal.
Return To Work, Normal Activities, Etc.: 5 to 7 days. If during that first week, there is significant swelling/bruising, it can be concealed by wearing sunglasses. Most are capable of reading, writing and light activity within 48 hours of surgery. Eye make-up can be applied after stitches are removed. No strenuous exercise for 10 days.
After That First Week: Eyelid incisions are concealed in normal skin creases but are most visible in the first 4 weeks after surgery. Each day brings less visibility and generally by 6 weeks the incisions are nearly imperceptible. At night, to promote rapid healing, we advise a vitamin ointment, which we provide.
For The First Several Months: Sunscreen should be used to reduce the chance of increased redness or pigmentation of the healing incisions.
Left : Before brow lift and upper blepharoplasty. Right : 2 weeks post operative brow lift and upper eyelid surgery.
Left : Before upper eyelid surgery and brow pexy. Right : 2 weeks post operative upper eyelid surgery and brow pexy.
