There is a reason why Shakespeare waxed poetic about the eyes. They are typically the first thing that someone notices about you. Furthermore, your eyes convey your personality so when they begin to look perpetually tired, it can really have an adverse affect on how others “read” you as well as how you feel about yourself. Blepharoplasty or eyelid surgery is a surgical procedure to address loose skin, muscle and excess fat in the upper lid, lower lid or both. Though it can be performed as a stand-alone procedure, particularly in younger patients, it is sometimes combined with a brow lift as the eyes and the forehead work as a team.
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Mark Deuber, prides himself on always being honest with his patients about what, exactly, they need to achieve their goals. The eyes are generally the area of the face to show the earliest signs of aging. As the forehead falls, it compresses your upper lid. This is why Dr. Deuber may recommend a blepharoplasty and a brow lift together as it’s the best way to rejuvenate the upper 2/3 of your face. Or he may recommend using a neurotoxin or Botox treatment to address your brow issues. He may also combine them with a facelift to address moderate to severe skin laxity in the lower 1/3 of your face. The right choice for you is going to depend entirely on your specific needs.
Get a Blepharoplasty & Brow Lift Consultation with Dr. Deuber
Patients today are highly educated about plastic surgery procedures thanks to the internet. But what worked for your friend, favorite social media influencer or even your sister may not be right for you. This is why it is so important to schedule an in person consultation whenever considering a blepharoplasty and/or brow lift. During your meeting, Dr. Deuber will listen closely to what bothers you about your face. He will ask about your medical history as well as any prior procedures that you may have had, including injectables. Then, he will perform a thorough physical examination to assess:
- Skin laxity
- Deep wrinkles on the forehead
- Brow position in relation to upper lid and forehead
- Protruding fat pads in the upper and/or beneath the lower lid
- Skin tone & texture
The ideal candidate for a blepharoplasty and/or brow lift is any man or woman in good overall health, who does not smoke and who is bothered by:
- Deep grooves across the forehead
- Excess skin in the upper lid
- Sagging skin in the lower lid
- Noticeable fat pads in upper and/or below the lower lid
- Looking perpetually tired even when well rested.
What are the Benefits of a Blepharoplasty & Brow Lift?
The biggest benefit of a blepharoplasty is its ability to make you look and feel more youthful and vital. While many eyelid issues such as sagging skin are the result of your body’s natural aging process, some patients are genetically pre-disposed to under eye bags. Eyelid surgery can:
- Improve the appearance of under eye circles
- Excise and lift drooping, upper lids
- Tighten loose muscles around the lower lid
- Address the fat pad under the eye by moving it back into position or removing it altogether
As discussed, oftentimes, the excess skin that contributes to a “heavy” look in the upper lid is due to a decent of your forehead. A brow lift can:
- Elevate your eyebrows back to a more youthful position
- Minimize the appearance of horizontal forehead wrinkles
- Address the “11” vertical brow wrinkles that result from an overuse of your frown muscles
While many of these issues can be improved with injectables such as Botox and fillers, there comes a time when the degree of ptosis or sagging in the skin is best addressed with surgery. We’ve all seen patients who’ve tried to use fillers to lift severely loose skin. The results are strange looking at best.
Why Choose Dr. Deuber in Dallas?
Dr. Deuber is passionate about delivering the highest quality patient experience for his Dallas area and beyond patients. This begins with a beautiful, natural looking result. As someone who is known for his keen artistic eye, Dr. Deuber’s style is classic. It permeates his life from the home he and his wife, Cary, designed together, to the great looking (and better tasting) food that he cooks on his Instagram famous stove, to a superior aesthetic result that will stand the test of time.
Dr. Deuber is also an advocate of the efficiency model. Having begun his career on Wall Street, he understands that recovery is a cost not just in terms of money, but also time. He embraces cutting-edge technologies and techniques that diminish post-operative pain in order to deliver the fastest recovery possible. He is also a perfectionist. Meticulous planning and attention to detail are the bedrock of the Deuber difference. He knows every step of your procedure before he ever sets foot in the surgery center.
Blepharoplasty Procedure Overview
Dr. Deuber performs all of his blepharoplasty procedures at Lemmon Avenue Surgery Center, his on-site, state-certified and fully accredited day surgery center in Dallas. In general, excess skin on the upper eyelids can be easily excised under local anesthesia. However, if lax muscles also need to be addressed and/or the lower lid fat pad needs to be repositioned, Dr. Deuber will perform the procedure under general anesthesia. All of these options will be discussed with you in detail during your initial consultation.
After making an incision in the crease of your upper lid, Dr. Deuber will lift and tighten the skin and tissues. The stitches stay in place for 5 days. Although you will have a subsequent scar, it is easily hidden within the crease of your eyelid. For the lower lid, Dr. Deuber will determine whether a transcutaneous approach with an external skin incision or a transconjunctival approach is best suited. With the transconjunctival approach, the incision is made inside the eyelid, resulting in no external incision or sutures. He will address protruding fat pads, and tighten the tissues, muscle and skin as necessary. In certain cases, he may combine a lower blepharoplasty with laser skin resurfacing if there is only a mild degree of skin laxity. One of the keys to an exemplary result with lower eyelid surgery is maintaining an appropriate amount of fat or volume around the eyes. Dr. Deuber’s goal is to create a smooth, natural looking transition between the lower lid and your upper cheek.
Brow Lift Procedure Overview
There are a number of different brow lift incisions, but Dr. Deuber’s preference is the anterior hairline brow lift incision because it doesn’t elevate the hairline or increase the size of your forehead. With this approach, often referred to as an open brow lift, he makes single incision across the top of your forehead, but within the hairline, where any scar is easily camouflaged. After releasing the brow from its attachments along the bony prominence above your eyes, Dr. Deuber lifts and excises the excess skin. The incisions are then closed with dissolving sutures along the hairline that require no removal, and don’t leave track marks along the incision as well as staples within the hairline.
Blepharoplasty & Brow Lift Gallery
Blepharoplasty & Brow Lift Recovery Process
The extent of your recovery is going to depend on which procedure or procedures you have done. Generally, the recovery from a upper blepharoplasty is quick. Patients can expect some post-operative swelling and bruising, but can typically return to their normal routine once the stitches are removed after 5 days. Neither an upper nor a lower eyelid surgery recovery is particularly painful, but the latter may result in some noticeable bruising. In general, patients can cover their bruises with makeup after 5 days, but it may take up to 2 weeks to fully resolve.
The recovery from a brow lift is also not particularly painful. Where the incision extends into the hairline, there may be a few staples, but these are removed at 5 days. You can shower and wash your hair the day after surgery, but please avoid coloring your hair for 3 weeks before and 3 weeks after your brow lift in order to minimize trauma on the hair. Patients need to avoid strenuous cardio for 2 weeks and no lifting anything above 35 lbs. for 3 weeks, but otherwise, you can return to your daily routine.
Your scalp is going to feel numb for a few months where the incisions were placed, but this should resolve on its own. The nice thing about blepharoplasty and brow lift surgery is that after 5 days when the predominate portion of the swelling subsides, you will notice the improvement immediately. Your eyes will look brighter and more alive. Patients who’ve undergone the surgery say that they feel more energized and happy. These are definitely the kind of procedures that have as profoundly a positive effect on the inside as well as the outside.
To find out more about a blepharoplasty or brow lift surgery with Dr. Mark Deuber at Lemmon Avenue Plastic Surgery Center in Dallas, contact us today or call 214-220-2712 to schedule a consultation.