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Blepharoplasty is done to remove bagginess and tightens loose skin of the eyelids. It does not remove fine wrinkle lines, these require resurfacing the skin. The forehead and face are not tightened by eyelid surgery.
Method: The method of surgery is to undermine the skin and remove the excess; this tightens the skin. At the same time it is often necessary to remove the fat pads which have come close to the surface. The incisions are placed in the natural crease lines of the upper and lower eyelids. Some patients are candidates for transconjunctival blepharoplasty. In this operation for lower lid bagginess, the incision is placed on the inside surface(the conjunctiva) of the lower lid. This avoids a visible scar. As with much in medicine the decision about what to do may rest on what method provides the most benefits with the least complications. The operation is done under either local anesthetic (you are awake) or general anesthetic (you are asleep). Most of the time this is an outpatient operation and a stay in the hospital is not needed.
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Problems: All operations have some risk. The risks of surgery are divided into two groups. First those that are seen in all operations and second those that are unique or special for this operation. In the first group, the main risks are swelling, bruising, bleeding, infection, a scar and numbness or change in feeling. The main problem which is special for this operation is ectropion or pulling down of the lower lid. Asymmetry of incision, dryness of the eyes and inability to completely close the eyelids have also been described. Remember that not everyone is happy with their results, and surgery is rarely perfect.
It is important to remember that no surgeon can give a guarantee about the final outcome, including appearance, shape, size and so on. You should have a realistic attitude about the outcome, and remember that all surgery has good and bad aspects. That there is no such thing as ‘perfect surgery’.
The satisfaction rate for cosmetic surgery is around 90% and although a satisfactory outcome is anticipated this means that 10% of people do not achieve the result that either the patient or the surgeon would like.
If things do not go well you may need revision or secondary surgery. Although many surgeons do not charge for this, there is often a charge for anesthesia and operating room costs.
Postoperative care: The recovery takes one to two weeks. Most people are back to work within a week or two.
For more information check with Dr. Hudson.
