Blepharoplasty, more commonly known as eyelid surgery or an eye lift, is among the most requested cosmetic surgeries. An eye lift can truly help turn back the clock on facial aging by focusing around one of the most alluring area of one’s face: the eyes. Eye lift surgery involves removing excess skin, fat or muscle from droopy upper and lower eyelids.
Plastic surgery can help restore a youthful appearance to your eyes, but there are several questions to ask yourself if you are considering eye lift surgery.
- Why have an eyelift? – While concerns over appearance (wrinkles, puffiness, etc.) is the underlying reason that some have eyelid surgery, many undergo an eye lift to relieve a condition called ptosis, or drooping eyelid, caused by poor muscle tone or nerve damage. Drooping eyelid causes eyelids to hang very low and block vision. In addition to improving sinking upper eyelids or drooping lashes, an eye lift improves baggy skin under the eyes.Eye lift surgery focuses solely on the area directly around the eye. It does not treat drooping eyebrows or wrinkles. Because of this, eye lift surgery often is performed with another cosmetic surgery such as a brow lift or facelift; these surgeries improve droopy eyebrows, crow’s feet and all-around facial sagging.
- How does it work? – Eye lift surgery is most often performed under local anesthesia. It involves your surgeon making incisions along the line creases of the upper eyelid and perhaps along the outer lower rim of the eye’s skin. Your surgeon may perform a transconjunctival eye lift by making an incision inside that lower rim when removing fatty tissue (but not the skin). This incision usually reaches the outer corner of the eye as to allow your surgeon to divide the fatty tissue and muscle from the skin so the extra skin, fat or muscle can be removed.
- Is it right for you? – As it goes with any cosmetic surgery, the best candidate for an eye lift are those who are both physically and emotionally healthy. You also should be knowledgeable about the procedure. Most candidates are at least 35 years of age, though genetics and body chemistry factors may necessitate treatment for those who are younger. There are a number of conditions that may exclude you from eye lift surgery, including but not limited to: dry eyes, high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and glaucoma. In addition, your anatomy, including bone and supporting structure, may play a role in whether you’re a viable candidate.