What is eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty)?
The main reason for many eyelid applicants is drooping and extra eyelid skin. This surgery can tighten and lift the skin around the eyes and give your face a more attractive, younger and more alert look. Blepharoplasty is sometimes used to remove vision barriers caused by drooping eyelids. In the treatment process, excess skin, muscle and sometimes adipose tissue are removed from the upper and lower eyelid areas. Sometimes only the extra skin is removed from the eyelid.
Of course, upper eyelid blepharoplasty, sometimes referred to as eyelid lift or eyelid lift, should not be confused with eyelid drooping surgery (ptosis surgery). In drooping eyelid surgery, the muscles and tendons of the upper eyelid, which are responsible for holding the eyelid up, are tightened to correct the problem. Blepharoplasty eliminates drooping eyelids when excess skin causes the eyelids to become heavy and droop. So these two surgeries are different, but both can correct drooping eyelids.
Beauty blepharoplasty
Cosmetic blepharoplasty refers to an application of this surgery that is not medically necessary to perform it, but it can make your face beautiful and youthful.
Unfortunately, your upper eyelids and sometimes your lower eyelids become swollen, swollen, and drooping as you age and accumulate fat. The same aging process sometimes causes drooping and swelling of the eyelids. As you age, your eyelid skin loosens, its muscles weaken, and its fat pads become swollen and more visible. From an aesthetic point of view, these items can reduce the attractiveness and beauty of your eyes and face and make you look older and tired.
Various specialists are allowed to perform eyelid cosmetic surgery. Ophthalmologists, plastic surgeons and ENT specialists can perform this surgery.
Therapeutic blepharoplasty
Blepharoplasty refers to those eyelid surgeries that are performed because of a problem with the eyelids or their structures. These surgeries are medically necessary or important.
In most cases, blepharoplasty is performed when the extra skin on the eyelids has become so heavy that the person’s vision is impaired. Sometimes swelling of the upper or lower eyelid makes it difficult to wear glasses or medical lenses, in which case eyelid surgery can be used to correct the problem. Treatment of skin inflammation caused by overlapping eyelid folds is another application of this surgery. Sometimes the extra skin on the eyelids makes the eyelid so heavy that one has to use the forehead muscles to hold the eyelid up. In this case, fatigue and discomfort of the forehead muscles occur, which can be treated with eyelid surgery.
In general, if the skin around your eyes looks swollen and sagging, eyelid surgery is a good choice for rejuvenating your face. Puffy eyes can be caused by edema or allergies, so before surgery, we must make sure that the sagging or swelling is due to aging.
If all conditions are right for blepharoplasty, you should have the right expectations for this surgery. Like all cosmetic and rejuvenation procedures, this surgery can make a dramatic improvement in the beauty of your face and eyes, but it does not mean achieving a youthful elixir. After all rejuvenation treatments, your skin will continue to age, and in the relatively near future, you may need to get the same treatment again or use other rejuvenation methods to repair the results.
Also keep in mind that a number of acute and chronic conditions reduce your chances of being a good candidate for eyelid surgery. The risks of surgery are very high for people suffering from coagulation disorders, immune system problems, viral diseases (such as hepatitis and AIDS), diabetes and uncontrolled blood pressure. For this reason, cosmetic surgery is usually not recommended for these people. Of course, if they can control and treat this disease, they will have no problem doing this cosmetic procedure.
Smokers or regular smokers are not good candidates for this surgery. Smoking interferes with the healing process; That’s why doctors usually recommend that you stop smoking for at least a few weeks before surgery.
Eyelid surgery steps
Blepharoplasty can be performed on the upper eyelid, lower eyelid, or both.
During surgery, incisions are made along the natural lines of the eyelid below the upper eyelid cleft and slightly below the lower eyelid lashes. The incisions are made in such a way that after complete healing, they will not be visible at all. Before making incisions, while lying on the operating table, the surgeon carefully identifies areas where excess skin or fat pads should be removed.
The incision is made with precision surgical instruments and then the wound is closed with very fine sutures or tissue glue in such a way that you reach your desired appearance. How much extra skin, fat, or muscle around the eye needs to be removed depends on the doctor’s opinion during surgery and preoperative examinations. Factors such as facial muscle structure, bone structure and eyebrow symmetry are among the determining factors.
If needed, the surgeon uses a carbon dioxide (CO2) laser to improve the results and rejuvenate the surface layers of the skin to eliminate the remaining fine wrinkles.
Recovery after eyelid surgery
After surgery, the doctor applies topical antibiotics to the affected areas to minimize the risk of infections. There is usually no need for full eye patches or bandages.
On the first day after surgery, you should use a cold compress every hour (while waking up) for 10 to 15 minutes. This keeps swelling and bruising to a minimum.
On the second day, it is recommended to use a cold compress every few hours for 10 to 15 minutes.
To speed up the healing process, it is better to use a warm compress after 48 hours.
Depending on your condition, your doctor will give you an explanation for taking painkillers. Postoperative pain for most of our clients is controlled with regular (over-the-counter) painkillers. In rare cases, there is a need for stronger painkillers, in which case your doctor will prescribe the appropriate medication.
You should expect mild discomfort immediately after surgery. Although blepharoplasty is a minor surgery, it is still a surgical procedure. Of course, all the discomfort and complications will improve in a few days. If you experience any vision problems or severe pain, contact the White House Clinic immediately.
In the first few days it may turn blue, swollen or red around the eyes. These are natural complications of surgery and are not a cause for concern. The whites of your eyes may also turn red, which is a normal complication. Complete recovery takes several weeks, during which time you should not use eye cosmetics.
To use medical lenses, you have to wait until the eyelid swells. To the extent that the lens is in the eye without discomfort. After the operation, you can use glasses, just be gentle in putting on and taking off the glasses so that the areas around the eyes are not damaged.
Absorbent sutures are usually used for eyelid surgery, which go away on their own within 4 to 7 days. If non-absorbable sutures are used, you should go to the clinic one week after surgery to have the sutures removed.