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Blepharoplasty Information
Your face projects an image about who you are and what you think and feel. Just as a great work of art may eventually show signs of aging, your facial features also undergo similar gradual changes over the years. The eyes make up a large part of human expression. Few features add more years to a face than saggy eyelids. Drooping of the eyelid skin gives a tired, aged appearance to an otherwise attractive face.
This common problem is caused by the relaxation of the skin and connective tissue surrounding the eyes. Fat that is normally found near the eye expands forward into the tissue beneath the eyelids. This excessive, protruding fat causes pouches or "bags" of the eyelids. Frequently, the thin skin of the upper eyelids may sag to a point of obstructing your vision. Patients comment that they feel they must "hold their eyelid up" in order to see better. Women state that they have difficulty in applying their makeup due to the excessive folds of skin in the upper eyelids.
Many factors may contribute to loose skin and fat pads of the eyelids. There may be a hereditary predisposition (several members of the same family may have this problem), or perhaps there are other contributing factors. Whatever the cause, the result is the same—baggy eyelids and fat pads that are depressing to look at in the mirror everyday and that make you look tired and older than you are.
Eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) is one of the most satisfying forms of cosmetic surgery. By removing the excess skin and fat from your upper and/or lower eyelids, this procedure can restore a brighter, more youthful and less-tired appearance and can even help correct obstructed vision if caused by eyelid skin hanging on the eyelashes.
This outpatient procedure is performed in our Surgical Suite under local anesthesia and I.V. conscious sedation administered by a certified registered nurse anesthetist. The patient is given medication to produce a very relaxed state. A local anesthetic eliminates discomfort during the procedure.
For upper eyelid blepharoplasty, an incision is made in the fold of the upper eyelid. An ellipse of skin and the excess fat is removed. The incision is then closed with fine stitches.
For lower eyelid blepharoplasty, an incision can be made just below the lower eyelashes although at Dermatology Associates of Atlanta the incision is often made on the inside of the lower lid. This is called "transconjunctival blepharoplasty." With this incision, the fat pad and "bulges" are removed and the skin contours and shrinks back in a smoother fashion. With the use of transconjunctival blepharoplasty, there is no outside incision on the skin of the eyelid and no stitches to be removed.
After blepharoplasty, an ointment is placed in the eye and special tape may be used to support the skin. Sutures remain in place for three to six days. Some swelling and bruising is a normal postoperative reaction but may be camouflaged by the use of makeup in seven to ten days. The combination of fine skin around the eyes and meticulous closure of the incision site normally leads to scars that are faint and hardly visible after healing is complete.
This eyelid rejuvenation (blepharoplasty) has been of great benefit to many people and can give a face a more youthful, rested, and pleasant appearance.
Dr. Edmond I. Griffin and Dr. Scott Karempelis are Board Certified Dermatologists as well as members of the American Academy of Dermatological Surgery, the American Society of Cosmetic Surgeons, and the Society for Outpatient Surgeons.