As you age, symptoms start to appear in one of the most sensitive and exposed areas, the eyelids. Yet, they are responsible for maintaining the shape and size of your eyes and the appearance of your face. As a result, many people have opted for eyelid surgery. In the US, 325,112 people underwent eyelid surgery in 2020 alone, making it the second most popular cosmetic surgery procedure.
Read on to find out what eyelid surgery entails and its benefits.
What is Eyelid Surgery?
As you get older, the muscle that keeps your eyelids in place (the levator muscle) can stretch, allowing orbital fat to settle on your eyelids. As a result, you may have uneven and droopy eyelids with wrinkles, dark circles, and bags. Your eyes may appear smaller and your face puffy and older, and your peripheral vision can also be affected.
An eyelid surgery, also called an eye lift, blepharoplasty, or eyelid lift removes excess fat and muscles from your eyelids and tightens the skin to give you a better, youthful appearance. It is primarily a cosmetic procedure but can be recommended by a doctor if it is caused by genetics or tampers with your vision.
Depending on the appearance of your eyes, there are three types of eyelid surgery.
Upper Eyelid Surgery
Resection of excess skin and muscles from the upper eyelid.
Lower Eyelid surgery
This is a reductive procedure that reduces skin and/or fat from the lower eyelids to remove wrinkles, fat, and skin redundancy.
Double eyelid surgery
The surgeon makes creases on the upper eyelids, creating wider, bigger, aesthetically appealing eyes.
You are a good candidate for an eye lift if you don’t have any significant eye conditions and your facial tissues are healthy. You can have the surgery in an outpatient surgery clinic.
Before the procedure, your surgeon asks about your medical history and conducts tests to examine your tear production and vision for proper planning of the surgery. Your surgeon will put you under anesthesia for all types of eyelid surgery.
During upper eyelid surgery, the surgeon makes an incision along the eyelid, reduces/removes excess fat, muscles, and skin, and closes the eyelid. The surgeon makes an incision on the crease below the lashes during lower eyelid surgery, removes the excess fat and skin, and closes the eyelid.
After the surgery, you may experience swelling, discomfort, and blurry eyes, but you should be okay if you follow your surgeon’s instructions. The swelling should go away in at most 14 days.
Benefits of Eyelids Surgery
Reduced Eye Bags
Your surgeon makes an incision on your lower eyelids to remove the orbital fat and excess skin responsible for the appearance of eye bags. The procedure is minimally invasive, doesn’t leave any excess skin, and the scars are barely visible.
Improved Vision
Sagging eyelids can prevent you from opening your eyes properly, hence affecting your peripheral vision. Removing the excess tissue from your upper eyelids (upper eyelid surgery) can create rounder, open eyes, hence improving your eyesight.
Better Appearance
Eye surgery can improve the shape and size of your eyes, making you look more refreshed and younger. You get to wear that smokey eye makeup and feel more beautiful and confident, improving your overall quality of life.
No More Wrinkles
Blepharoplasty removes all the extra skin, leaving your eyes looking younger. It also prevents irritation that occurs when the folds rub together as you blink.
Long-Lasting Results
Blepharoplasty cannot prevent aging or its effects. However, according to research, most people who have undergone eyelid surgery are satisfied with the results, most of which last up to seven years or longer.
Easy Recovery
As eyelid lifting is minimally invasive, it leaves little scarring, which makes recovery easier and faster.
Reduce Forehead Wrinkles and Muscle Straining
The sagging skin adds some weight to your forehead, causing muscle strain. As a result, there is more wrinkling on your forehead, and you may possibly have headaches. When the excess skin is removed, there is less muscle straining, fewer wrinkles on your forehead, and a reduced risk of getting headaches.
Why Choose an Expert Cosmetic Surgeon?
To achieve desirable, natural-looking results, it is best if you choose a reputable, professional cosmetic surgeon for the procedure. Dr. Sarmela Sunder is a highly experienced, board-certified, award-winning facial plastic surgeon whose work has been internationally recognized. She is attentive and accessible and will perform the procedure to your satisfaction.
For more information on Dr. Sarmela Sunder and before and after pictures of her patients, visit our website or schedule a consultation.
