22 Jul Eyelid Surgery Explained
The eyes are usually the first place to show signs of aging. Dr. Sudeep Roy at RefinedMD specializes in facial cosmetic surgery, including both upper and lower eyelid surgery. Addressing the sagging, skin laxity, and wrinkles around the eyes can help you look years younger and dramatically increases your confidence. However, there are many things people don’t know about eyelid surgery—like the fact that it isn’t included in a facelift. If you’ve noticed aging, lax skin, and sagging or wrinkles around the eyes there’s a good chance an eyelid lift is the right procedure for you. Dr. Roy recently addressed some of the most common FAQs he gets about eyelid surgery, and it’s a great starting point for someone considering this popular procedure.
You may have heard that anesthesia is the riskiest part of any surgery and that’s usually true. However, upper eyelid surgery (also known as blepharoplasty) requires only local anesthesia and minimal oral sedation. There is no need for this procedure to be performed in a hospital setting. Some patients request ProNox Nitrous Oxide, or laughing gas, which is always available for blepharoplasty. Lower eyelid surgery requires IV sedation and is usually performed at an outpatient surgical center. General anesthesia, or “being put under,” is not required for either type of blepharoplasty procedures.
The Eyes Have It
Every facial plastic surgeon has their preferred techniques and modifications based on individual patients. Dr. Roy usually removes excess skin during an upper blepharoplasty and hides the incision in the crease of the upper eyelid. A very small amount of fat in the area is also removed (via the same incision) to further enhance eyelid appearance. Dr. Roy almost always uses a transconjunctival technique when performing lower blepharoplasty, which means the incision is actually hidden inside the eyelid. This means there is no visible incision post-operation. Excess fat can also be removed in this area. In some rare cases, extra skin on the outside of the lower eyelid (instead of the inside) may also be removed. There are some patients who benefit more from a chemical peel on the lower eyelid to tighten skin rather than undergoing the removal of extra skin.
Worrying about scarring after eyelid surgery is common. However, upper eyelid surgery easily hides scarring in the crease and scars are barely noticeable once a patient has fully healed. Since Dr. Roy hides the incision for lower eyelid surgery inside the eyelid, there is absolutely no visible scarring. Dr. Roy is committed to optimal scar healing, giving patients the latest skin care products in order to help with the healing process.
Is Blepharoplasty for You?
Potential patients are also curious about pain levels. The surgery itself doesn’t hurt thanks to local and oral sedation. Plus, there is no post-op pain after procedures performed under IV sedation such as lower blepharoplasty. Most patients are pleasantly surprised at just how tolerable their discomfort is after blepharoplasty and move to extra-strength Tylenol after 1 – 2 days of taking prescribed pain killers. It’s common to feel a tightness in the upper eyelid after upper eyelid surgery, but that feeling will subside. Most patients don’t use prescription pain medication for long after their surgery.
Sutures remain in for upper eyelid surgery for 6 – 7 days. There are no sutures for lower eyelid surgery. It’s common to experience bruising and swelling after either procedure that could last for 7 – 10 days, but after this point it’s common for patients to get back to their usual social activities. Improvement in incisions and swelling will continue well past this time. Low impact activities can begin after two weeks and high impact activities like running can be resumed after three weeks.
Schedule Your Blepharoplasty Consultation
Most patients can return to partial days of sedentary work 4 – 5 days after their procedure, or 7 – 10 days if discretion at the work place is preferred. It’s important to limit screen time and reading as well as contact lens use for a minimum of two weeks. However, every patient is different and you’ll learn more about your post-operative recommendations during your consultation. Call RefinedMD at (408) 688-2082 today to schedule your consultation with Dr. Roy and learn more about upper and lower eyelid lifts.