Considering Eyelid Surgery?

San Diego plastic surgery -
La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre patient

Eyelid Lift in San Diego

Have you ever heard the song lyrics "Jeepers Creepers, where'd ya get those peepers"? Greats like Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra and Ray Charles memorialized that song years ago. The lyrics talk about how eyes can hypnotize. One of the lines also says "Where did ya get them eyes?" As time marches on, our eyes begin to look tired and wrinkled and we wonder where did we get "them eyes"!

Your eyes are an important part of our face and are an indicator to others about how you feel. People might think you're sad or tired by looking at your eyes when you're actually feeling just fine. If your eyelid skin is sagging, the excess skin gives your eyes a sleepy and downcast look. Sometimes the excess skin on your upper eyelids can even affect your vision. The fatty deposits and extra skin creates puffy bags under your eyes.

As you age, your eyelid skin stretches, the muscles around your eyes weaken, and fat accumulates around your eyes as well. These fatty deposits are commonly known as "bags" under the eyes. By the time you're in your thirties or forties, you may begin to notice the changes, and by your fifties and certainly your sixties, you're really aware of the wrinkles and the loosening of your skin and weakening of your muscles.

Another saying about eyes is that they are "the window to our soul". So if you are considering facial rejuvenation, your eyes are frequently the best place to start. It's amazing how refreshed your face can appear from doing your eyelids only! That's why eyelid surgery is in the top three cosmetic procedures in the U.S. both for men and women. You'll be pleasantly surprised and happy with the outcome. 

When you're looking at your face in a mirror, you may find yourself thinking about other facial rejuvenation options. You may notice sagging in your face and neck skin at the same time as your eyes, so you may also want to consider a facelift. However, your budget or the recovery time may mean you decide to focus on your eyes first. That's never a bad decision. It's amazing how refreshed your face can appear from doing your eyelids only!

For these and other reasons, many people from San Diego and across the United States choose eyelid surgery. The medical term for cosmetic eyelid surgery is Blepharoplasty. Eyelid surgery can be done on either the upper or lower eyelids or both. Variations of eyelid surgery include the upper lids with skin and fat, or skin only, and the same for the lower lids. When a qualified plastic surgeon examines you, he or she will recommend which variation of the eyelid surgery procedure will give you the best outcome.

Eyelid surgery should be performed by a highly qualified and well trained surgeon. As always, we strongly recommend that you consult with board certified plastic surgeons. The surgeon is working within a very limited and sensitive area, and the surgery is extremely delicate. You want your surgeon to be making good judgments about how much skin and fat to remove while they are performing the eyelid lift procedure. We highly recommend that you see before and after pictures of the surgeon's patients who have had eyelid procedures. It's always good to know how many of a particular procedure the surgeon has done in his or her career.

When your surgeon performs eyelid surgery, he or she places incisions in the natural creases of your eyelids. For instance, the upper lid incision will be in the crease of your upper lid and might extend into the "crow's feet" area at the outer corner of your eyes. Lower lid incisions are normally placed just below the lash line. Sometimes your surgeon chooses to do a transconjunctival blepharoplasty in which a tiny incision is made inside your lower eyelid.

Eyelid surgery can be done under local, monitored sedation, or under general anesthesia. In any case, you will need someone to drive you home after the eyelid surgery procedure. It is normal to experience some temporary blurring of your vision. Swelling is common and temporary. Swelling can cause difficulty in closing the eyelids all the way, but that normally resolves as the swelling subsides.

As with any cosmetic surgical procedure, there are risks involved. General surgical risks are swelling and bruising, infection, itching, and numbness. Surgical complications, although extremely rare, can include cardiac problems, allergic reactions, pulmonary embolism, and hyperthermia. Some of the risks specific to eyelid surgery are sagging of the upper or lower lids, a turning out of the lower eyelid, milia, and dry eyes.

If you elect to have an eyelid procedure at La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre, you will attend a before surgery appointment (pre-op visit) with one of our nurses who will educate your about eyelid surgery. She will explain the general and specific surgical risks. At that visit, you will also receive a written patient education booklet specific to your eyelid surgery that covers the different aspects of your surgical experience including after surgery tips and recovery information.

The recovery time on eyelid surgery is usually a week to ten days. Many patients go about their normal daily activities within about three days. As with other cosmetic procedures, aerobic activity is delayed for several weeks. There is not a lot of pain or discomfort associated with eyelid surgery, so recovery is relatively easy.

Unless dissolvable sutures are used, sutures are removed in about five to seven days. Scars can feel "ropey" at the beginning, but with a little gentle massaging, the scars gradually soften and almost disappear. Scars are a deep maroon color at the beginning, but with time the scars fade to your normal skin tone. The location of the incisions also helps to hide them.

Once you decide eyelid surgery is right for you, we suggest you make an appointment with one of our board certified plastic surgeons. They will discuss your concerns and talk with you about what is surgically achievable for you. The more you share in a consultation with the surgeon, the more likely you are to be happy with your result.

At the time of the consultation, you will meet with the physician and his or her staff members, and you can view before and after pictures of real patients' results. This will help you in assessing the experience and skills of the surgeon. In summary, here's what to look for and what you'll find at La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre:

• Receive information and materials that help you before your appointment
• Meet personally in consultation with an experienced board certified plastic surgeon
• At the consultation, have an examination and discuss your desires and expectations and the specifics of the recommended procedure with the surgeon
• See before and after pictures of real patients of the surgeon
• Get a specific written quote detailing all the costs and review payment options
• After scheduling surgery, attend an individual "pre-op" education appointment to discuss all surgical aspects and risks and prepare for recovery

Besides these check-off items, please refer to our website article Ten Points To Ponder . When you shop for eyelid surgery or any other cosmetic procedure, you'll want to know these other top ten important factors we think you should consider. At La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre, we are committed to educating patients, so we hope this information is helpful to you.

Note

The specific risks and the suitability of eyelid surgery for a given individual can be determined only at the time of consultation with a physician. All procedures have some degree of risk. The information provided here is not a substitute for a consultation.