Blepharoplasty sounds a bit scary and complicated but it’s a very common eyelid surgery. It’s done for both cosmetic and medical reasons on both upper and lower eyelids. It’s a relatively easy surgery more common among women who want to achieve a younger, more rejuvenated and rested look by getting rid of extra skin and adipocyte fat that can give you that baggy look around the eyes with aging.
Eyelid Surgery Types
There’s quite a few types of eyelid surgeries out there. You might’ve heard a lot about eyelifts or perhaps you’ve come across double eyelid surgery that’s very common in certain Asian countries. There are also corrective eyelid surgeries that help patients get rid of unwanted bumps and lumps, improve faulty eyelids to help them function correctly and others. In general you can split all eye surgeries into two categories: functional and cosmetic.
Functional Eyelid Surgeries
Functional eyelid surgeries are those that are done to correct a defect or improve ones vision. These are surgeries that are needed for a medical reason to improve the health and quality of a patient’s life. Conditions such as ectropion, entropion, ptosis, eyelid tumors, benign cysts and lumps require a functional eyelid surgery.
Cosmetic Eyelid Surgeries
Cosmetic eyelid surgeries are generally done for aesthetic purposes, in order to improve one’s appearance. Blepharoplasty is the most common eyelid surgery. It’s a cosmetic procedure in which unwanted skin and fat is removed from the upper or lower eyelid. The natural eye creases will hide the small scars that eventually fade. The result is generally a younger, fresher look.
Upper Eyelid Surgery
Upper eyelid surgery is quite an easy procedure and can be done with just local anesthesia. The patients are often awake for this procedure and just their upper eyelids are numbed so that they don’t feel any pain or discomfort. The reason for upper eyelid surgery is usually to remove extra skin and eyelid fat to improve overall appearance. It can also make the patient look younger and diminish the appearance of loose skin and wrinkles.
Lower Eyelid Surgery
Lower eyelid surgery is usually performed when there’s a medical issue such as the lower eyelid turning inward (causing irritation) or outward (causing watery eyes and preventing proper tear drainage). It’s also not uncommon to get lower eyelid blepharoplasty in order to remove extra fat that might be causing under eye bags.
Eyelid Surgery Before And After
One of the best things about eyelid surgery is that the results are very impressive and generally you just end up looking younger, and well rested. It’s one of the easiest cosmetic procedures that can be done and one that delivers the best results. It’s also said to be the one surgery where you really get a lot of bang for your buck since it’s not as expensive as other cosmetic surgeries yet the result is priceless.
Eyelid Surgery Recovery
The recovery from eyelid surgery is generally pretty easy and doesn’t cause any problems. It rarely causes any pain, and the patients often don’t even require painkillers. The only issue is that the surgery often causes bruises around the eyes, so you do have to be aware of the fact that you will look like you’ve been punched in the eye for a couple of weeks. It’s advisable to take a week off work because you won’t be able to drive and your eyes might water excessively.
Is Eyelid Surgery Dangerous?
It’s generally considered to be an easy procedure that can be done in the office under local anesthesia. Most people who get it done will be able to return to work within 2 weeks. But as it is with all surgeries you have to consider the risks. With eyelid surgery there’s a small chance that you could contract and infection, might encounter bleeding, scarring, inability to close the eyes right after the surgery due to swelling. Other risks include abnormal eyelid position, double vision, and in the worst case scenario – loss of vision.