The goal of eyelid surgery, or blepharoplasty, is to create an aesthetic improvement in the lower eyelid bags and a visible reduction of the excess upper eyelid skin in order to make a person look more refreshed and youthful.
Blepharoplasty aims to make the eyes more pleasant and appealing to look at, as well as easier for the patient to look out of. This is accomplished by meticulously excising the skin and fat that have stretched and accumulated in the eyelids over time, as the supporting structure has weakened with age.
Dr. Weber carefully places the required surgical incisions where they will be well hidden within the natural skin creases of the eyelids or, in many cases of lower eyelid surgery, behind the eyelid where they are completely hidden. After blepharoplasty, you should look like a younger and more refreshed version of yourself.
How is blepharoplasty eyelid surgery performed?
The blepharoplasty procedure typically takes 30 to 60 minutes to perform. Both an upper and lower blepharoplasty can be performed in Dr. Weber’s office procedure suite or at an accredited ambulatory surgery center. To attain the greatest degree of youthfulness and rejuvenation possible, areas to be treated are carefully measured and marked by Dr. Weber prior to surgery.
For in office procedures at Weber Facial Plastic Surgery, oral sedation medication is provided to help you relax and a very small amount of a local anesthetic is then carefully injected in the surgical area.
Depending on the complexity of the procedure and the patient’s desires, blepharoplasty may also be performed under general anesthesia in the ambulatory surgery center. Dr. Weber finds that most patients tolerate eyelid surgery with oral sedation medication, alone, and that this can lead to less bruising, swelling and downtime compared with procedures performed under general anesthesia. Dr. Weber will discuss these options as part of your preoperative consultation to ensure you are fully satisfied with your choice.
How much “downtime” is expected after blepharoplasty? What will recovery be like?
Total recovery time after blepharoplasty is typically very short, ranging from five to seven days.
Mild to moderate swelling and bruising around the eyelids are to be expected, but these quickly dissipate and are easily managed and mitigated with ice compresses, rest, relaxation and limited physical activity. Very delicate sutures are removed on the fifth day following surgery.
What risks are involved in blepharoplasty surgery?
Despite its proximity to the eye, blepharoplasty is, in fact, not a very risk-intensive procedure. Infections after blepharoplasty are extremely rare, estimated at 0.2% of cases.
Upper blepharoplasty is particularly safe, while lower blepharoplasty is a more intricate procedure prone to some risk. These risks, which include excessive bleeding or injury to the eye muscles, are avoided through careful surgical work. Dr. Weber will discuss all relevant risks, even the exceedingly rare, during your preoperative appointments.
With exacting preoperative measurements and markings and very careful surgical work, Dr. Weber takes necessary precautions to ensure these risks are minimized for his patients. He has successfully performed hundreds of blepharoplasty surgeries to full patient satisfaction.
Can my blepharoplasty be combined with other procedures, and will it need to be?
The goal of a well-done eyelid surgery isn’t to make a person look different than they did, but to reverse signs of aging around the eyes by as much as a decade. Thus, blepharoplasty can be combined with other procedures including a brow lift, fat transfer, or other surgeries aimed at addressing aging in the middle and lower face where indicated.
For patients with heavy upper eyelids as a result of drooping eyebrows, a brow lift may be the better option. Where a patient has excess upper eyelid skin as well as drooping eyebrows, both procedures may be required for optimal results. Dr. Weber will be able to answer this for each patient personally during your consultation.
Where can I learn more?
Please look over the blepharoplasty page on our website for more information about this procedure and review our before and after photos. You can also talk with our patient care coordinator to schedule an in-person consultation with Dr. Weber by calling (303) 792-2224 or emailing us at [email protected].