Does this scenario ring a bell? Great outfit, amazing shoes, fantastic hair and you’re feeling energized and more than ready to conquer the day until you look in the mirror or take a selfie or start the first Zoom call and then it hits you …. those bags and dark circles and puffy eyelids! Where did those come from? Only old people have droopy eyelids, right? Wrong! Droopy eyelids can be a product of genetics or age. In other words, you don’t have to be a grandma to have your eyes done. The bad news is that it can happen in your twenties or in your sixties and anywhere along the way. The good news is there are several cosmetic procedures, both surgical and non-invasive, available to improve the appearance of the eyes. And they are easy and quite effective to do yielding amazing youthful results.
What is Blepharolplasty?
Blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery, is a combination procedure designed to tighten and lift sagging skin around the upper and lower eyelids. These procedures dramatically improve sagging upper eyelids and under-eye bags, as well as increases your field of vision, by repositioning fat, tightening muscles, supporting tendons, and removing excess skin around the eyes.
Eyelid surgery is one of the most in-demand cosmetic procedures. Blepharoplasty is so popular because the eyes are often the first to be visibly impacted by the aging process. As we age, our eyelids begin to stretch while the muscles that support them start to weaken.
In fact, it is completely normal to begin noticing signs of a tired or fatigued appearance as early as your thirties. This can sometimes be caused by a hereditary condition that runs in your family, and luckily, this can be addressed early on.
The Anatomy of an Eyelid
The Eyelid, movable tissue, consisting primarily of skin and muscle, that shields and protects the eyeball from mechanical injury and helps to provide the moist chamber essential for the normal functioning of the conjunctiva and cornea. The conjunctiva is the mucous membrane that lines the eyelid and covers the visible portion of the eyeball except the cornea (the transparent part of the eyeball that covers the iris and the pupil). Each eyelid contains a fibrous plate, called a tarsus, that gives it structure and shape; muscles, which move the eyelids; and meibomian (or tarsal) glands, which secrete lubricating fluids. The lids are covered with skin, lined with mucous membrane, and bordered with a fringe of hairs, the eyelashes. There is a thin membrane that holds the fat pads that cushion the eyeball, both in the upper and lower eye lid, over time or simply as a product of genetics, that membrane breaks down and allows the small fat pads above and below the eye to herniate through causing what we see as “bags” under the eyes and puffiness in the upper eyelid.
Upper or Lower or Both?
Every patient is different and so is how they age in the eyelid area. Some patients will need upper and lower blepharoplasty and others will just need one or the other. Dallas plastic surgeon, Dr. Mark Deuber, will evaluate and help you determine the best way to rejuvenate and freshen the look of your eyes.
An upper blepharoplasty involves making an incision in the crease of the upper eyelid and removing excess skin and bulging fat pads. By removing excess skin and the protruding fat bulges, an upper blepharoplasty removes the chronically sad and tired appearance. An upper eyelid procedure can be performed under local or general anesthesia and is day surgery that requires little or no down time. Generally, stitches are removed in 5 days. There will be some swelling and very little if any bruising. Patients can wear make up and contacts as soon as the stitches are removed.
A lower blepharoplasty, or lower eye lid surgery, can be performed by either making an incision under the lower lash line removing excess skin and fat, or through an invisible incision made on the inside of the lower lid, or often referred to as a transconjunctival incision, if only fat removal is required. Lower blepharoplasty should be done under a general anesthetic allowing Dr. Deuber precise control during the operation.
It is very common for both upper and lower eyelids to be done at the same time to freshen a patient’s appearance. During your consult with Dr. Deuber, he will make recommendations for optimal results for you. Often that can mean combining surgery with noninvasive treatments like laser resurfacing, or tear trough filler to optimize your results.
Who is a Good candidate for eyelid surgery?
Good candidates for cosmetic eyelid surgery are men and women who suffer from issues that affect the appearance of their eyes. They should be in good overall health and not suffer from any medical conditions that would make a facial surgery a risk to overall wellness. It’s important that candidates for surgery understand all of the risks and benefits related to the procedure and that they have realistic expectations about the recovery process.
What is the Recovery like?
The average surgery to correct droopy eyelids is very quick and efficient and only takes about an hour. Blepharoplasty is virtually painless but requires a few days to allow swelling and bruising and suture removal to occur.
Stiches from eyelid surgery are removed 5 days after the procedure. Swelling and bruising are minimal but will be present for 2 – 3 weeks after surgery. No makeup or contacts should be worn until after the sutures are removed. Patients should avoid exercise for 2 weeks and heavy lifting for 3 weeks following a blepharoplasty.
There is very little pain after eyelid surgery. The discomfort is mild and easily managed with a cold compress and Ibuprofen.
What is the average cost of Eyelid Surgery in Dallas?
The average cost of a Blepharoplasty can range from $3500 – $7500 depending on several factors:
- Thee extent of your procedure – Upper eyelids or lower eyelids or both
- The type of anesthesia
- The facility where it is performed
- The experience of the plastic surgeon
How long will my results last?
Eyelid surgery restores a refreshed and youthful appearance to the eyes. As long as patients go in with realistic expectations, most people are thrilled with the outcome after their recovery process. Dr. Deuber achieves results that look very natural, as scars are completely invisible thanks to incision locations such as the natural crease in your skin that allow them to be hidden.
Results should last for 10-15 years or more, but it is important to remember that blepharoplasty does not stop the aging process—it just sets it back a bit. To achieve ideal, lasting results, it’s very common for patients to combine upper and lower blepharoplasty with other cosmetic procedures. For example, eyelid surgery is often performed in conjunction with a lower face and neck lift, forehead lift, or laser skin resurfacing to rejuvenate the skin and erase wrinkles.
To find out if you are a good candidate for eyelid surgery, call Dr. Mark Deuber at 214-220-2712 or contact us through our patient portal. Dr. Deuber see consults on Tuesday and Thursday and there is no fee to come in for a consultation.