As you age, the skin around your eyes naturally loses its elasticity and the muscles become looser. Your skin can develop into loose folds on your upper eyelids and deep creases under your lower lids making you appear tired and more aged depending on the severity.
Upper and lower eye bag correction (blepharoplasty) is one of the most frequently performed cosmetic procedures for men and women. Whatever the circumstances, the fatty tissue pouches below the eye or sagging skin on the upper eyes can make the face appear weary and tired. These conditions cannot be rectified by any amount of sleep or expensive beauty treatments.
The Best Candidates for Eyelid Surgery
Blepharoplasty can enhance your appearance and your self-confidence, but it won’t necessarily change your looks to match your ideal, or cause other people to treat you differently. Before you decide to have surgery think carefully about your expectations and discuss them with the Surgeon.
The best candidates for eyelid surgery are men and women who are physically healthy, psychologically stable and realistic in their expectations. Most are aged 35 or older, but if droopy, baggy eyelids run in your family you may decide to have eyelid surgery at a much younger age.
Types of Anaesthesia
Eyelid surgery can be performed either under local or general anaesthetic. With local anaesthetic you will be awake during the surgery, but relaxed and insensitive to pain. (However you may feel some tugging or occasional discomfort).
The Surgery
Blepharoplasty usually takes 1-2 hours, depending on the extent of the surgery. If you are having all four eyelids done the Surgeon will probably work on the upper lids first, then the lower ones.
In a typical procedure the Surgeon makes incisions following the natural lines of your eyelids, in the creases of your upper lids and just below the lashes in the outer corners of your eyes.
Working through these incisions the Surgeon separates the skin from the underlying fatty tissue and muscle, removes excess fat and often trims sagging skin or muscle. The incisions are then closed with very fine stitches.
After Your Surgery
After surgery the Surgeon will probably lubricate your eyes with ointment and may apply a dressing. Your eyelids may feel tight and sore as the anaesthesia wears off, but you can control any discomfort with pain medication prescribed by your Surgeon.
Your Surgeon will instruct you to keep your head elevated for several days and to use cold compresses to reduce swelling and bruising.
Bruising varies from person to person; it reaches its peak during the first week and generally lasts anywhere from two weeks to a month.
You will be shown how to clean your eyes. Many Surgeons recommend eye drops as your eyelids may feel dry at first and your eyes may burn or itch.
The stitches, if not soluble, will be removed approximately one week after surgery. Once they are taken out the swelling and discoloration around your eyes will gradually subside and you will start to look and feel much better.
Getting Back to Normal
You should be able to read or watch television after 24 hours, although cream may have been put in your eyes during the procedure and your vision may be blurred. However, you will not be able to wear contact lenses for about two weeks, and even then they may feel uncomfortable for a while.
Most patients are ready to return to work within 3 days of surgery, however if you deal with the public or do not want your co-workers to know about your surgery plan to miss 1-2 weeks off work.
Most patients can hide bruising and swelling with make-up after 7 days. After 24 hours there are no restrictions on walking or driving as long as you use common sense and as long as your vision is not blurred.
If you would like to book an appointment or require further information to set up your consultation or for further information about Eyelid Surgery, please do not hesitate to contact our private patient booking team via our online enquiry form.
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