Blepharoplasty
sounds a bit scary and complicated but it’s a very common eyelid
surgery. It’s done for both cosmetic and medical reasons on both
upper and lower eyelids. It’s a relatively easy surgery more common
among women who want to achieve a younger, more rejuvenated and
rested look by getting rid of extra skin and adipocyte fat that can
give you that baggy look around the eyes with aging.
Eyelid Surgery Types
There’s quite a
few types of eyelid surgeries out there. You might’ve heard a lot
about eyelifts or perhaps you’ve come across double eyelid surgery
that’s very common in certain Asian countries. There are also
corrective eyelid surgeries that help patients get rid of unwanted
bumps and lumps, improve faulty eyelids to help them function
correctly and others. In general you can split all eye surgeries into
two categories: functional and cosmetic.
Functional Eyelid Surgeries
Functional eyelid
surgeries are those that are done to correct a defect or improve ones
vision. These are surgeries that are needed for a medical reason to
improve the health and quality of a patient’s life. Conditions such
as ectropion, entropion, ptosis, eyelid tumors, benign cysts and
lumps require a functional eyelid surgery.
Cosmetic Eyelid Surgeries
Cosmetic eyelid
surgeries are generally done for aesthetic purposes, in order to
improve one’s appearance. Blepharoplasty is the most common eyelid
surgery. It’s a cosmetic procedure in which unwanted skin and fat
is removed from the upper or lower eyelid. The natural eye creases
will hide the small scars that eventually fade. The result is
generally a younger, fresher look.
Upper Eyelid
Surgery
Upper eyelid surgery
is quite an easy procedure and can be done with just local
anesthesia. The patients are often awake for this procedure and just
their upper eyelids are numbed so that they don’t feel any pain or
discomfort. The reason for upper eyelid surgery is usually to remove
extra skin and eyelid fat to improve overall appearance. It can also
make the patient look younger and diminish the appearance of loose
skin and wrinkles.
Lower Eyelid Surgery
Lower eyelid surgery
is usually performed when there’s a medical issue such as the lower
eyelid turning inward (causing irritation) or outward (causing watery
eyes and preventing proper tear drainage). It’s also not uncommon
to get lower eyelid blepharoplasty in order to remove extra fat that
might be causing under eye bags.
Eyelid Surgery Before And After
One of the best
things about eyelid surgery is that the results are very impressive
and generally you just end up looking younger, and well rested. It’s
one of the easiest cosmetic procedures that can be done and one that
delivers the best results. It’s also said to be the one surgery
where you really get a lot of bang for your buck since it’s not as
expensive as other cosmetic surgeries yet the result is priceless.
Eyelid Surgery Recovery
The recovery from
eyelid surgery is generally pretty easy and doesn’t cause any
problems. It rarely causes any pain, and the patients often don’t
even require painkillers. The only issue is that the surgery often
causes bruises around the eyes, so you do have to be aware of the
fact that you will look like you’ve been punched in the eye for a
couple of weeks. It’s advisable to take a week off work because you
won’t be able to drive and your eyes might water excessively.
Is Eyelid Surgery
Dangerous?
It’s generally considered to be an easy procedure that can be done in the office under local anesthesia. Most people who get it done will be able to return to work within 2 weeks. But as it is with all surgeries you have to consider the risks. With eyelid surgery there’s a small chance that you could contract and infection, might encounter bleeding, scarring, inability to close the eyes right after the surgery due to swelling. Other risks include abnormal eyelid position, double vision, and in the worst case scenario – loss of vision.
