The eyes are a focal point on the human face and, unfortunately, the skin around the eyes is some of the thinnest skin on the entire human body. Combined with exposure to the elements virtually all the time, you could be left with saggy, puffy, wrinkled, and droopy upper and lower eyelids that can make you look older and tired.
Cosmetic eyelid surgery, clinically called blepharoplasty, could benefit just about anyone over the age of 40 experiencing any of these issues, which is what makes it one of the most common procedures at Ophthalmic Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery, Inc. (OPCS).
If your upper eyelids are drooping, puffy, or have excess skin, then you might be a good candidate for eyelid surgery.
Behind the best plastic surgeons in Missouri, OPCS offers a number of procedures that can help address various issues by removing sagging skin, repositioning fat pockets, and tightening elevator muscles as needed.
Upper Eyelid Blepharoplasty
Full upper eyelids, known as dermatochalasis or blepharochalasis, can make you look tired and older than you are. An upper blepharoplasty almost immediately restores a more youthful appearance by removing excess fat and skin from the eyelid area.
There are several types of blepharoplasty, depending on what needs to be corrected, and they can be either cosmetic or functional procedures.
The team at OPCS will make an incision in the crease of the upper eyelid, ensuring the small scar remains hidden. Depending on what is causing the drooping lids, the surgeon will remove fat pockets or excess skin to create a normal, symmetrical lid. It is an outpatient procedure performed under local anesthesia and takes about one or two hours, depending on the patient’s eyelids.
Because the eyebrow and eyelids work more like a unit together, some patients choose to undergo upper eyelid surgery at the same time as additional procedures on the lower lids. An eyebrow lift is also usually considered as it is particularly important in relation to upper eyelid surgery.
If your upper eyelids are causing problems due to visual obstruction, such as issues of Ptosis, then you may be a candidate for functional upper blepharoplasty, which is covered by health insurance.
Lower Eyelid Blepharoplasty
Lower Eyelid Blepharoplasty may be a great option if you have developed unsightly eye bags in your lower eyelid area. Aging is the typical cause for lower lid eye bags, but sometimes they occur in younger people because of genetics or other medical conditions.
Lower eyelid surgery is more challenging than upper eyelid procedures because the area surrounding the lower lids is more sensitive to surgical disturbance, and the aging changes are more difficult to correct.
Based on your anatomy, an incision is made inside the lower lid or just below the lower eyelashes, so any minor scarring will not be visible after the healing process is complete. The surgery is an outpatient procedure using a local anesthetic and can take one to three hours depending upon each case.
Sometimes, the doctor needs to remove excess skin, and other times, excess fat is removed or repositioned to smooth the lower lids. The team at OPCS is well-known for its technique Transconjunctival fat repositioning, which repositions the existing fat under the eye instead of transferring it.
If you have other issues, such as excessive wrinkles around the eyes, then you may decide to have skin resurfacing, Botox treatment, or a Midface Lift at the same time.
Double Eyelid Surgery
Double eyelid surgery is a specialized type of upper eyelid surgery in which the skin around the eye is reshaped in order to alter the eyelid. The procedure makes eyes look larger and allows patients to have an easier time applying eye makeup. It’s great for candidates who wish to change their single-lidded appearance so that there is an eyelid crease if they have overhanging skin or asymmetry.
For this procedure, the OPCS team will make a precise incision in the crease of the eyelid, which will allow the surgeon to place the incision where it will be hidden after healing. Then, the team will remove an appropriate amount of tissue in order to create the appearance that you want.
Brow Lift
Another effect of aging can be the sagging of the eyebrows, which also causes the skin to sag and hang over the eyelids. If you want to bring your eyes out of hiding and restore a fresher, more youthful appearance to your entire face, then you may want to consider brow lift surgery.
The procedure, which can also be referred to as a forehead lift, can reduce sagging skin of the upper eyelid, soften wrinkles, correct abnormalities of eyebrow shape or position, and even create a more symmetrical look to your eyes and eyebrows.
OPCS uses a variety of brow-lift techniques, including direct brow lifts, endoscopic brow lifts, temporal brow lifts, and gliding brow lifts.
The direct brow-lift technique involves a single incision placed directly on the brow line that is used to remove excess skin to tighten the forehead. It is more commonly recommended for older patients.
An endoscopic brow lift is performed near the hairline, placing a handful of short incisions just behind it to cover any scars. With a pretrial brow lift—also known as a temporal brow lift—the surgeon creates incisions just below the hairline.
The gliding brow lift is a unique form of brow lift technique that elevates the brows by separating and “gliding” the forehead skin upward until the desired tightness is achieved.
Because the eyebrow and eyelids work more like a unit, combining any of these brow lifts with an upper or lower lid blepharoplasty, you’re sure to come away with a younger, more rejuvenated appearance.
This post was created by SLM Partner Studio on behalf of Ophthalmic Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery, Inc. To learn more, visit eyelidmd.com.
