Eye lift surgery, or blepharoplasty, is the reshaping of the eye lid by removing excess skin or fat, or even saggy muscle from the eyelids, resulting in wider, more visible eyes.
The procedure can be applied using cosmetic surgery techniques to enhance your youthful appearance, or can be performed to correct certain genetic defects.
Benefits of Eye Lifts
The main benefits of eye lifts include:
- Reduction of the appearance of bags under the eye
- Reduction of eye lid droopiness
- Improved field of vision if the droopy skin was obscuring the eye
- The reduction of loose skin creating folds that can obscure the natural shape of the upper eye lid
- Psychological benefits that come from improved confidence and self-esteem
Types of Eye Lifts
Depending on your particular goals, certain areas of your eye lid will be targeted. For instance, if you have eyes that look tired and unhappy, upper eye lid surgery is most likely beneficial for you. If you have puffy and sagging bags under your eyes, lower eye lid surgery will most likely solve your problem.
Sometimes, eye lifts are combined with other types of cosmetic procedures, such as a brow lift or face lift, thus adding to the rejuvenating effects of the surgery.
Work with your cosmetic surgeon to find the procedure that best suits you, and that will give you the most benefit for your investment.
Just what kind of results can you achieve? Check out this piece by video blogger, Linda a.k.a. Goddess1207 for a brief review…
The Eye Lift Procedure
Cosmetic eye lifts take between an hour to two hours to complete as an outpatient procedure. The most common eye lifts employ a tiny incision in the corner of the eye and in the creases of your eye lid. The loose skin or fat is then removed and the incisions stitched together very finely.
Either local or general anesthesia will be used, depending on the extent and length of your surgical procedure. Most surgeons use techniques that don’t need the eye to be bandaged afterwards, though you may be given a lubricant to reduce the amount of tightness you feel after the surgery and help keep the eye moist.
Recovery After Eye Lifts
Recovery varies from person to person, but here are a few things you can expect to experience after the surgery:
- Light sensitivity which will improve in a few weeks
- Swelling, bruising and tenderness around the area, which is common in all surgical procedures. Ice and painkillers (conservatively used) help reduce these symptoms, and they will fade within a couple of days. Bruising and swelling can last for longer, depending on how quickly you heal.
- Double vision can occur after eye lifts, but vision should be normal within a few days.
- You may feel that your eyelids are quite tight due to the swelling and skin removal, but this should fade within a couple of weeks. If you can’t close your eyes at all and you find your sleep disrupted because of this, talk to your surgeon immediately.
- You may feel that your eyes fatigue more quickly than usual, but this should clear up within a couple of weeks.
Take precautions to protect your eyes from the elements while you recover. Wear dark glasses when outside and make sure you note your surgeon’s recommendations about sunscreen use after an eye lift.
Eye lifts are a great way to make you look more youthful and alert. As with all surgical procedures, there will be some discomfort and pain, but the results could be well worth it. For starters, speak with you eye care professional!