Blepharoplasty
Aesthetica, your Melbourne Blepharoplasty specialists, for upper and lower eyelid rejuvenation treatment, both surgically and non surgically.
The first signs of normal ageing are usually noticeable to us in the mirror as... changes in our facial skin, the downward shifting of the brow, and fullness and drooping of our eyelid skin.
How many times have we stretched and lifted our skin in the mirror to visually turn back the years.
It is often said that... "Our eyes are the window of our soul.” this phrase has been used to describe our eyes in all types of literature.
However, our eyes are probably the single most looked at, and characteristic feature of our faces, and one of the first areas to show the tell tale signs of ageing.
The effects of gravity and of tissue stretching both contribute to give our eyes an increasingly tired appearance, which often starts to manifest itself in one’s late thirties.
Cosmetic surgery of the eye area is a large and ever changing field.
Many aspects need to be considered, including the eyelids, the eyebrows, the corners of the eyes, the skin around the eyes, and the upper cheeks. Each of these areas, needs to be assessed both in isolation, and in terms of its effect upon the sum of our other features.
We do not factor our eyeballs into this overall balance, as these amazing organs are surprisingly robust and usually remain relatively unchanged in appearance throughout the duration of our lives.
Let’s evaluate the areas around the eye.
Then we can consider how their appearance may be improved through surgery.
Fullness of the flesh around our eyes, leads to wrinkling and sagging of the eyelid (commonly called “bagginess”) which may become more evident under the lower eyelids and at the inner corners of the upper eyelids.
The tendency for this to occur may be hereditary but may also become apparent from an early age. More often, however, the fullness is developmental, and appears in the mid thirties, becoming even more marked in our later years. Once the tendency for this to occur is apparent, the condition will progressively increase.
The skin around the eyelid may become so stretched and drooping, as to impair sight. Once this has occurred, repair is much more difficult and the results may not be as good as with cases of earlier surgical intervention.
The golden rule with blepharoplasty is... the earlier the better! That is, as soon as any of the above conditions become evident, it may be time to take corrective action, in order to ensure optimum results.
What type of eye rejuvenation treatments are there?
The results of an early blepharoplasty can be highly successful. There may be more wrinkling or fullness of the skin as years go by, but once those fatty tissue “bags” are removed, they generally do not return.
Correction may be performed as a stand alone procedure, or along with other non surgical intervention, such as Thermage non surgical facelifts or indeed a full or partial surgical facelift.
Many patients who present early for blepharoplasty, are more suited to a full non surgical eye and facelift based on Thermage Eyes radio frequency treatment.
A surgical operation involves the eyelid structure and the surrounding soft tissue only. There is no interference whatsoever with the muscles or organs of the eye itself. Therefore, there should not be undue concern about the possibility of any visual impairment.
The repair of incisions is performed with very fine stitches.
In the upper lid, the excess skin and any overstretched muscle fibres is removed, along with the protruding fatty tissue.
In the lower lid, the operation may be performed from the outside in an analogous way, at which time usually some loose skin is removed. The incision line is very fine, taking the shape of a natural lid crease; usually healing without any mark.
The procedure may also be performed from inside the lid, where the incision is made in the conjunctiva, with no marking on the outer aspect of the lid. This is called a “transconjunctival blepharoplasty”, and is often combined with laser resurfacing.
When is laser used in this procedure?
Both the Erbium and Elman laser has been used increasingly in blepharoplasty.
Their main uses are: in the “transconjunctival” lower lid internal incision, because the laser incision stops any bleeding as it cuts. To help cut away the fat pockets in a “transconjunctival” lower lid operation. To resurface the upper and lower eyelids, after the fat has been removed. The use of laser resurfacing has a similar effect to cutting away the loose skin and, in addition, it smoothens out any wrinkle lines
How long does this surgical operation take?
The operation itself takes between one and two hours. You may have only one set of lids operated upon, or both the upper and the lower lids.
The procedure is usually performed under local anaesthesia and only a few hours recovery are needed.
What are the risks of this procedure?
As with any operation there are always risks and here at the Aesthetica, we believe every patient should be aware of them. However, the likelihood of these problems occurring is no greater than it is with any other surgical operation.
Scarring: rare. The skin of the eyelid being the thinnest of any in the body, it usually heals very well. If the lower eyelid surgery is performed by the “transconjunctival method”, then there is no external incision at all
Infection: most unlikely. This surgical procedure is done under strict sterile conditions
Excess bleeding: possible. Great care is always taken to seal all bleeding vessels. However, very rarely, bleeding may occur in the orbit and, as the blood presses against the optic nerve, cause loss of vision. This rare possibility is always checked for by your aesthetic surgeon
Complications particular to laser resurfacing: may occur. Complications as hyperpigmentation, hypopigmentation, milia, viral infections may occur if the skin of the eyelid is resurfaced. For this reason, antiviral medications commence on the day of surgery, or the day before (if you have suffered from cold sores)
The postoperative erythema (redness of the skin): The erbium laser, which is more suitable for superficial wrinkles, has less down time in terms of recovery, and the erythema should only last for about a month
What happens after surgery?
Your Aesthetica surgeon will place an icepack over the eyelids to help reduce the swelling and bruising. The amount of bruising that you get is very variable: in some people, it is hardly noticeable; in others, it can be like having a black eye
After completion of your procedure, you should go home to rest.
If sutures have been used to close the wound, these are removed after five days.
If you have the eyelid skin resurfaced, you will be given clear instructions for postoperative care.
How quickly will I see the results?
The eye area will be swollen and may be bruised for between one and two weeks. This will gradually fade within one to four weeks. Then your new self will be revealed.
We do not recommend that you wear any makeup for, at least, a week after your blepharoplasty. You can of course wear lipstick immediately. After the swelling has subsided, you may apply eye makeup.
When can I return to work?
It depends on the procedure you’ve had. If you’ve had the procedure done from inside the lid (a “transconjunctival blepharoplasty”), you can return to work almost immediately, but only if there has been no bruising.
If you’ve had sutures placed in the wound, they will be removed after five days.
If you’ve had laser resurfacing, then you will need approximately two weeks before the skin has repaired itself enough to have makeup applied over it.
How much does a Blepharoplasty cost?
Every case is different and every patient has their own specific requirements and expectations, therefore it is hard to give an exacting price for every procedure. Our doctors and practice manager can provide you with a proposal specifically tailored to suit you.
The cost of an eye rejuvenation procedure will obviously vary depending on your age and skin condition, and the results you are looking for. You are most welcome to book a free no-obligation consultation with one of our Doctors or qualified nurses where your requirements will be discussed.
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