Eyelid Lift
Do you find that over time you have started looking old, tired, and sad? It could be because of your aging eyes with drooping eyelids and puffy eye bags. Eyelid lift surgery, one of the most popular cosmetic procedures worldwide, can restore a refreshed, more youthful appearance to your face. This highly customized plastic surgery can address problems such as sagging excess skin, puffiness, and other signs of aging around the upper and lower eyelids.
What is an eyelid lift?
An eyelid lift (medical term: blepharoplasty) is a type of cosmetic surgery that is performed on the upper and lower eyelids. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, some 350,000 people in the United States alone (and many more around the world) undergo this plastic surgery procedure each year.
Why is lower and upper eyelid surgery performed?
As you grow older, your skin loses its elasticity. These aging changes do not spare the eyelids. This plus the effects of gravity cause excess skin to collect in the lower and upper eyelid. Fat in the eyelid can also bulge and cause puffiness.
An eyelid lift is done to remove excess skin and sagging tissues in the eye area. The procedure is commonly done for cosmetic reasons. However, it is occasionally recommended for medical reasons, i.e., to improve vision when sagging eyelids are obstructing a patient's vision.
It is worth noting that an eyelid lift does not actually lift tissues. Also, it does not address problems such as facial wrinkles, fine lines, and crow's feet around the eyes. However, the eyelid surgery can be done in combination with other cosmetic procedures such as laser skin resurfacing, dermal filler injections, Botox, brow lift, forehead lift, or a facelift surgery for more complete facial rejuvenation.
Who is a good candidate for eyelid surgery?
Most patients who get eyelid cosmetic surgery are age 35 or older, the age range when the lids start drooping and other signs of aging start to appear. If you have visible signs of aging in your lower and upper eyelids, you are in good general health, you are a non-smoker, and you have realistic expectations from the procedure, then you are likely a suitable candidate for upper and lower eyelid surgery. Remember that while an eyelid lift can improve your appearance, help you look younger, and boost your confidence, it cannot change your basic facial structure.
What happens during the procedure? Is an eyelid lift painful?
An eyelid lift is performed under intravenous sedation or general anesthesia. You will not feel any pain during the surgery. You may have some post-surgical pain - this can usually be managed with over-the-counter pain pills.
Before the eyelid lift procedure
Your surgeon will see you in consultation in the clinic to understand your aesthetic goals, examine you, obtain a complete health history, take photographs, and determine if you are a good candidate for eyelid surgery. If deemed a candidate, your surgery will be booked after your consultation. You will need to arrange for someone to drive you home after your eyelid lift and stay with you for the first day and overnight.
During the eyelid surgery
The eyelift typically takes around 2 hours if you're having both upper and lower eyelids done at the same time. Your doctor will start by giving you medications to keep you comfortable during the cosmetic surgery. This can include local anesthesia with sedation or general anesthesia.
To correct the upper eyelids, the surgeon usually makes incisions (cuts) along the natural crease of your eyelid skin. They will remove excess fat and skin, tighten muscle, and reposition fat as needed. The incisions will then be closed with sutures (very fine stitches). The sutures stay in the upper lids for 3-5 days and are removed in the clinic at the time of your followup appointment.
Cosmetic surgery on the lower eyelids can be done by several techniques in a patient. One method involves the surgeon making a cut inside the patient's lower eyelid skin to remove sagging skin and excess fat. The scar from this incision, called a transconjunctival approach, is not visible. The incision for lower eyelid surgery can also be made just below the lash line, at the eyelash margin. The surgeon uses the cut to remove excess skin and fat and tighten loose muscle. If the incision is made below the lower eyelid, the scar fades over time.
After an eyelid lift
You will need to stay at home for at least one week during your recovery from eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty). Most patients are able to return to work and go out in public 1-2 weeks after lower and upper eyelid surgery. You should expect to have some bruising and swelling in the lower and upper eyelids after blepharoplasty. Some patients may feel irritation, dry eyes, watery eyes, light sensitivity, or blurry vision, but these symptoms usually resolve within 1-2 weeks of eyelid surgery. You can reduce post-procedure discomfort by using over-the-counter pain killers, ice packs or cold compresses, and lubricating ointment or artificial tears as advised by your surgeon. Be sure to follow all post-surgery instructions from your surgeon to ensure an uneventful recovery from the procedure.
How long does an eyelid lift last?
Upper blepharoplasty results usually last for 5-7 years, after which time the continued effects of aging may require additional plastic surgery to maintain a youthful appearance. Lower blepharoplasty can last 20 years or longer and rarely needs to be repeated.
What are the risks and complications of an eyelid lift?
Complications from a blepharoplasty eyelid surgery are rare, but not impossible. They can include infection, bleeding, persistent pain, numbness, dry eyes, scarring, vision changes, pulling down of the lower lid, and inability to fully close the eyes. If you experience any of these symptoms after eyelid surgery, you should contact your surgeon immediately.
How much is an eyelid lift?
The cost of an eyelid lift or blepharoplasty procedure can vary greatly depending on where you live and the skill of your plastic surgeon. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), the average cost of blepharoplasty eyelid surgery is around $4,500 in the US. Eyelid surgery in the UK costs anywhere from £2,000 to £6,000. Your cost will be higher if you're having additional cosmetic treatments, such as dermal fillers or Botox for wrinkles. Insurance will not pay for eyelid surgery if you're having it for cosmetic reasons. However, it may be covered if there is a medical reason, such as if the drooping eyelids are obstructing your vision.
What is the best treatment for saggy upper and lower eyelids?
While there are non-surgical options available to lift sagging eyelids, the best and longest lasting treatment for this problem is an eyelid lift or blepharoplasty. This surgery reduces the amount of skin and fat in the eyelids and tightens the muscle to give patients a rejuvenated, refreshed, more youthful appearance. If you want a non-surgical alternative to the blepharoplasty procedure, then a cosmetic treatment such as Botox injections or dermal fillers can help create the illusion of an eyelid skin lift without surgery.
Finding a surgeon for eyelid cosmetic surgery
If you want to refresh the appearance of your eyes and are considering an eyelid lift (blepharoplasty) surgery, the MeTime app makes it easy to find an experienced, board certified surgeon near you. You can chat with experts, send photos across, do a video consultation, and book your office appointment when you're ready. Download the MeTime app today.
