Jaime HayAs you age, your eyelids stretch, and the muscles supporting them become weak. Consequently, excess skin and fat can gather above and below your eyelids, causing bags under the eyes, saggy eyebrows, and droopy upper lids. Besides making you look older, severely sagging skin around the eyes can reduce side vision. Fortunately, Peoria blepharoplasty can eliminate problems and make your eyes appear younger and more alert.
What is blepharoplasty?
Blepharoplasty is a surgical procedure that involves removing excess skin above or below your eyelids. Most people that consider this surgery have eye bags, excess skin on the lower or upper eyelids, and baggy or droopy eyelids. Here are important things to know if you are considering eyelid surgery.
Potential downtime
Surgical procedures usually require some downtime, so individuals thinking about eyelid surgery must understand they may need some time off to recuperate. If you have been thinking about other facial procedures, consult your surgeon before the procedure to discuss the possibility of combining eyelid surgeries with another procedure, such as a brow lift. This enables you to take advantage of the surgery to complete different procedures.
Who is the right candidate for surgery?
If you are considering blepharoplasty, you should ask your surgeon if you are a good candidate for the procedure. Besides helping you gain more insights into the surgery, this ensures the procedure is as successful as possible. A good candidate is in perfect health; your surgeon may caution against surgery if you have health problems like diabetes. Potential candidates should also have realistic expectations regarding the outcome after the procedure. Usually, the procedure improves excess skin on the upper or lower eyelid.
Risks associated with surgery
All surgical procedures, including blepharoplasty, come with some risks. Generally, surgeries are associated with excessive bleeding, adverse reaction to anesthesia, inflection, and blood clots. Specific risks associated with eyelid surgery include:
- Noticeable scarring
- Injury to eye muscles
- Irritated or dry eyes
- Temporary blurred vision or loss of eyesight
- Eyelid problems like the inability to close eyes
Working with a highly qualified surgeon can help you minimize the risks of blepharoplasty.
Aftercare
Eyelid surgery is usually performed on an outpatient basis, meaning you can go home on the same day of the procedure. However, you will spend a few hours in a recovery room, where staff members monitor you for complications. It is common for patients to temporarily have blurred vision, watering eyes, double vision, and puffy or numb eyelids after surgery. Therefore, you may need someone to accompany you home, and plan for someone to stay with you the first night after surgery.
After the surgery, you may have swelling and bruising; this is normal and often improves within two weeks. You can use eye packs on your eyes for 10 minutes every hour to reduce pain and discomfort. Patients can resume daily activities about five days after surgery and may apply makeup to conceal any redness or bruising. However, patients should avoid strenuous activities for a week; this includes jogging, swimming, and aerobics.
For further questions about blepharoplasty, consult your surgeon at Arizona Ocular & Facial Plastic Surgery.
Hugh Hay
