Every year, thousands of men and women choose blepharoplasty to improve their appearance. Droopy eyelids can make you look older and damage your eyesight. Blepharoplasty corrects these problems and removes puffiness and bags under the eyes, which reflect expressions of tiredness. Such a procedure does not change dark circles, fine lines, wrinkles around the eyes and sagging eyebrows. While blepharoplasty is usually performed as a single procedure, a combination with an eyebrow lift, facelift, or skin resurfacing may also be recommended for best results.
In upper eyelid surgery, the individual lines and creases of the eyelids are first marked in order to keep the scars as invisible as possible along these natural folds. The incision is made, and excess fat is removed or repositioned. Then the skin and loose muscles are removed. Thin sutures are used to close the incisions, minimizing the visibility of any scars.
In lower eyelid surgery, the incision is made in an inconspicuous location along the lash line. Excess fat, muscle and skin are trimmed before the incision is closed with fine sutures. Eyelid swelling, mainly caused by excess fat, can be corrected by a transconjunctival blepharoplasty. The incision, in this case, is made inside the lower eyelid, and excess fatty material is removed. When sutures are used to close this incision, they are invisible to the eye and usually dissolve and leave no visible scar. Under normal conditions, the blepharoplasty procedure can take one to two hours.
Immediately after the surgery is completed, small sterile dressings are applied, which is not the case with transconjunctival blepharoplasty. It is not crucial that the eyes are covered, however an ointment to prevent dryness of the eye area is used. A certain degree of swelling and bruising is normal. Cold compresses and head elevation when lying down improve healing and relieve discomfort, plus prescription medication.
For a week and a half after blepharoplasty, you should clean the eye area, which can become sticky, dry, and itchy. Eye drops are recommended, with a list of activities and environments to avoid immediately after surgery. Permanent stitches are removed between three and five days after the procedure. Absorption points automatically dissolve on their own.
