Blepharoplasty
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"The goal is to still look like yourself. Just better."
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Fact: In year 2007, more than 240,000 people in the United States underwent cosmetic eye surgery. Blepharoplasty has become the most sought-after facial plastic surgery procedure after rhinoplasty, surpassing face lift, facial implants, and forehead lift.
Why? The contours of the eyelid skin and
fat pockets account for a large part of the expressiveness of the face.
If the eyelids are droopy or bulging, the
face projects a look of fatigue and lack of vigor despite adequate rest and good
health.
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Blepharoplasty is a operation that can freshen up the eyes as well as an aging face. If your eyes look bright and alert, the effect of a sagging jaw line or neck becomes less important.
However, "textbook" procedures can sometimes cause just the opposite. If your eyes end up hollowed or tight, your whole face can be aged.
Advanced techniques preserve youthful fullness by relying more on restoration than subtraction.
The goal is to still look like yourself. Just better.
To learn more
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Q: Are the eyelids really that crucial in determining how a person looks?
A: Two-thirds of adults consider their eyes to be their defining facial feature. Judge for yourself.
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Q: Why do the eyelids become baggy?
A: Sun damage, smoking, stretching from swelling or obesity, "wear and tear" from blinking and rubbing, age-related loss of elasticity, and heredity all contribute to changes in the eyelid skin, muscle, fat, and support system. More
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Q: Is there a "perfect age" for blepharoplasty?
A: Since eyelid skin is much thinner than that on the rest of the face, the eyes are usually the first facial component to demonstrate a deterioration and loss of attractiveness. A person is ready for blepharoplasty whenever the effects of Mother Nature or Father Time bother him or her enough that an improvement is desired. More
Q: How long does cosmetic eye surgery take?
A: As blepharoplasty is not a "stock" procedure, operating times will vary. As a general guideline, however, performing upper or lower eyelid surgery alone usually takes about 45 minutes, while having them both performed together takes about 1 hour 15 minutes.
Q: What type of anesthesia is used?
A: Most people report minimal discomfort during blepharoplasty performed under local anesthesia with sedation. Compared to general anesthesia, local anesthesia is associated with less bleeding during eyelid lift surgery, enhanced precision, faster recovery, increased safety, and more predictable results. Learn more about anesthesia.
Q: Does Dr. Meronk use the laser?
A: No. Compared to a stainless steel scalpel, use of the carbon dioxide laser in eyelid surgery has been associated with increased collateral tissue damage, delayed healing, increased scarring, less precision, and higher cost. Advertised claims of less bruising and a more rapid recovery have not been validated by recent unbiased studies.
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Q: Can bulging fat be removed by liposuction?
A: No. The internal tissues are too delicate. Besides, fat removal is no longer a major part of modern cosmetic eyelid surgery.
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Q: How is a blepharoplasty done?
A: Since the anatomy and health of the eyelids and surrounding face will vary from person to person, each operation is custom tailored to fit the needs of the individual. For an overview of general principles, see Eyelid Surgery Technique.
Q: Is there much discomfort after surgery?
A: The majority of patients report mild aching or burning, which is usually well controlled with the use of Tylenol and cold compresses.
Q: How long does the swelling last?
A: Swelling peaks on the morning after surgery and mostly resolves over the next 7 to 10 days. A small amount, however, may persist for several months.
Q: How noticeable is the bruising?
A: Although variable, most people experience moderate discoloration that begins to fade soon after surgery and is mostly gone by 7-10 days. See Healing Day-by-Day.
Q: Is recovery very involved?
A: Not compared to most other facial operations. For an overview of sample instructions after surgery, see Blepharoplasty Care.
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Q: How long do I need to be off work?
A: Most normal activities may be resumed within two days. Strenuous activity should be avoided for at least one week. Most people prefer to "lay low" for about ten days.
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Q: Are the scars very noticeable?
A: In the upper eyelid, the incision line is hidden in the crease. In most cases, the lower eyelid incision is placed along the back of the eyelid and leaves no external scar. While full thinning and whitening of any scar on the body may take six months or more, eyelid keloids are rare.
Q: Do many men undergo cosmetic eyelid surgery?
A: Puffy eyelids look just as bad on a man as they do on a woman. In today's competitive and youth-oriented world of business, both men and women have come to appreciate that while they may be well-qualified, they also "post their resumes" on their faces. See Cosmetic Eye Surgery for Men.
Q: My lids are not baggy but hollow. Can this be helped?
A: Sometimes, although not by standard blepharoplasty. Learn more about The Hollowed Eyelid.
Q: Can dark circles beneath the eyes be corrected by lower blepharoplasty?
A: No. Most such depressions are caused by a deficiency of soft tissue and/or bone along the upper cheek and are not truly an eyelid problem. While blepharoplasty, fat repositioning, and eyelid chemical peel may help to soften their appearance in selected cases, it will not eliminate them. More on dark circles
Q: I've had or plan to have LASIK. Is this a problem?
A: No, although there are timing considerations. See LASIK and Cosmetic Eye Surgery
Q: I have dry eyes. Does this limit my options?
A: Yes, but only slightly. See Dry Eyes and Eyelid Surgery
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Q: I visited a doctor to ask about surgery on my upper eyelids but was told I needed a forehead lift instead. Do the two procedures yield the same result?
A: No. See Forehead Lift.
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Q: What can go wrong, and what can be done about it?
A: For an overview of risks and complications, see The Good, The Bad, The Ugly.
Q: I'd like to avoid the look of obvious surgery. Is that possible?
A: Many patients select Dr. Meronk for precisely this reason. Learn more about Achieving Natural Results with Blepharoplasty.
Q: How precise is the result?
A: No surgeon is perfect, no wound heals perfectly, no patient possesses perfect pre-existing anatomy, and some operations work better on one patient than on the next. A realistic expectation is that you should achieve about a 75-90% improvement in the upper eyelids and a 60-80% improvement in the lower eyelids. Some final asymmetry is the rule rather than the exception. With Asian double eyelid surgery, requested crease shapes and heights can be approximated but not guaranteed. More
Q: How long does the improvement last?
A: In contrast to procedures designed to fight gravity (facelift, brow lift, etc.), blepharoplasty lasts a long time. In the large majority of patients, cosmetic eyelid surgery needs to be performed only once. More
Q: Where can I see "before-and-after" photographs of the doctor's work?
A: Trying to predict your outcome by viewing photos is of limited value unless you happen to look exactly like the people shown. Our Before-and-After Photos feature patients of very different ages and with a wide range of starting points.
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Q: Are non-surgical methods really effective?
A: See Minimally Invasive Techniques for Eyelid Rejuvenation
Q: When it comes to surgery on the eyelids, aren't most cosmetic surgeons more or less the same?
A: According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons 2007 statistics, there were more than 23,000 physicians likely to perform cosmetic plastic and reconstructive surgery procedures. In 2007, there were just over 240,000 blepharoplasty operations performed. Thus, the average cosmetic surgeon performed less than one such surgery a month. See A True Eyelid Specialist.
Q: Is Dr. Meronk a Board-Certified plastic surgeon?
A: No. Dr. Meronk is one of the less than 500 Board-Certified ophthalmologists in the United States who are fellowship trained in the advanced subspecialty of ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery (also known as "oculoplastic surgery"). To learn about the differences, click on the link in the previous question.
Q: What are the costs?
A: If you are "shopping" price, be aware that some offices quote only the surgeon's fee by telephone, excluding such "extras" as operating room, anesthesia charges, etc. While cost is obviously important, the quality of your eyelid surgery is crucial. To learn more, see Fees.
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Blepharoplasty - Cosmetic Eye Surgery
Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Orange County, Southern California
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