EYELID SURGERY
DESERT BLOOM PLASTIC SURGERY
EYELID SURGERY
Blepharoplasty, more commonly known as eye lift, is a procedure that improves the appearance of the eyelid area. The eyelids are a common area where the signs of aging first develop, and drooping eyelids can impair vision as well as affect your overall appearance. Dr. Jordan Wallin performs upper and lower eyelid lifts, depending on the needs of each patient. If the signs of aging are primarily around your eye area or if you are experiencing vision problems due to sagging or drooping eyelids, you should consider eyelid surgery in St. George, Utah from Dr. Wallin.
Set up a consultation with the office of Dr. Jordan Wallin if you are interested in learning more about a mini facelift and how the procedure can help you meet your aesthetic goals.
BENEFITS
The tissue and skin around the eye area are extremely delicate. Because of this, it is one of the first places on the face to show the signs of aging. With constant exposure to the sun and environmental toxins, it is common for this area to lose elasticity and begin to sag. When drooping occurs on the upper eyelid, the heavy tissue can create a hooded appearance and get in the way of clear vision. On the bottom portion of the eyelid, small fat deposits that are located under the eye also lose elasticity, resulting in a bulge as the fat pockets are exposed.
Blepharoplasty is not limited to the upper eyelid area. Depending on each patient’s specific needs, an eyelid lift can include treatment for a larger area, including fatty deposits under the eye, which create the appearance of bags and puffiness, excess skin, or fine wrinkles around the lower eyelid area, and drooping lower lids that reveal areas under the iris. Of course, an eyelid lift also treats the sagging, loose skin on the upper eyelid area that creates folds and can impair vision. The eyes are a focal point of the face, and if you are experiencing loss of tissue elasticity in this area, it can prematurely age you. Eyelid surgery can take years off your appearance and give you a fresh, vibrant look.
Good Candidates for
Eyelid Surgery
Most patients we see are good candidates for blepharoplasty if they avoid smoking and don’t have serious health conditions. Dr. Wallin sees great results for patients hoping to reverse early signs of aging around the eyes as well as those that have excessive skin and vision loss due to heaviness of the eyelids. As part of your evaluation, Dr. Wallin will assess if your eyelid concern is amplified due to heaviness of the brows or excessive relaxation to the eyelid muscle causing ptosis. Ptosis is the stretching of the upper eyelid muscle, which cannot be corrected with blepharoplasty alone. Those who have advanced signs of aging around the neck, jawline, and forehead and who have lost volume in the midface may be best served with a comprehensive treatment plan, such as a facelift.
The Blepharoplasty Procedure
The blepharoplasty procedure is usually short and is performed on an outpatient basis. Once you arrive at the surgical center, a local anesthetic will be applied to your eyelid area, and Dr. Wallin will make small incisions. These incisions will be placed within the natural folds of the eyelid, where scarring, if present after surgery is easily hidden. For treatment on the upper eyelid, this usually means making an incision in the lid crease; for the lower lid, the incision location is under the lash line. In some cases, an incision will be made at the inner side of the lower eyelid. This is usually the technique used in cases where no extra skin needs to be removed; there is no visible scarring with this type of incision.
After the proper incision has been made, excess skin and fat (if applicable) are removed by Dr. Wallin. The incision is then sealed with small sutures to complete the procedure. Most patients are in the surgery center for an average of one to three hours, depending on their specific procedure. After a brief recovery period, you will be allowed to return home to recuperate.
Recovering from Blepharoplasty
When scheduling your eyelid surgery, make sure you also plan to have someone drive you to the surgery center and back home. This individual should also be available to look after you for 24 hours post-surgery to ensure you are recovery properly and can rest comfortably. The surgery will affect your vision temporarily, so you will not be allowed to drive until you can see clearly and are no longer using stronger pain medicines. During your recovery, Dr. Wallin will advise you to keep your head elevated and to apply gauze soaked in ice water to your eye area to keep bruising, swelling, and discomfort to a minimum. Though you should be comfortable during your recovery, any discomfort can usually be treated with over-the-counter medications, such as Tylenol.
Depending on the type of eyelid surgery you had, your recovery time may vary. However, this is a part of the body that tends to heal quickly, and most of Dr. Wallin’s patients find they can return to their normal schedules five days post-surgery. You may have dry eyes for a few weeks after surgery. This is normal and can be treated with over the counter artificial tears. If this symptom persists, call Dr. Wallin’s office to let them know.
BLEPHAROPLASTY RESULTS
Though you will begin to benefit from the results of your eyelid surgery soon after the procedure, it’s important to keep in mind that full results may not be realized until a month or more afterward. Blepharoplasty involves permanent removal of drooping tissue and fat deposits, allowing you to look many years younger well into the future. An eyelid lift can help prolong the need for a complete facelift, and patients can maintain their refreshed appearance with non-surgical procedures, such as professional skin care and injectables. While it’s not possible to completely prevent continue sagging of facial tissue throughout the aging process, a blepharoplasty allows you to look much more youthful as you age.
EYELID SURGERY FAQS
Eyelid surgery tightens the tissue of the eyelids themselves and removes bulging fat pockets on the upper and lower eyelids. Patients who are looking to remove crows’ feet (fine wrinkles to the sides of the eyes), may consider injectables or dermal fillers, as these procedures are less invasive and more targeted to these unwanted lines.
Certainly not. Many patients who are concerned about their upper eyelids may not require eyelid surgery, but instead, would benefit more from a brow lift. This depends on whether the problem is caused by excess skin in the upper eyelids, or if the patients’ brow has dropped due to the effects of gravity and time on the forehead. If the eyebrows droop, it causes the surface of the upper eyelids to do the same. In such cases, a brow lift solves both the appearance of the upper eyelids and the brow.
Absolutely. Many patients who receive laser vision surgery and stop wearing their glasses notice that their eyelids were masked by their glasses, and decide to enhance their new look. With an eyelid surgery, the revitalization of the eyelids strongly complements their new perfect vision.
Not at all. In most cases, patients begin to experience puffy eyelids and excess skin due to aging, and as such, we regularly treat patients in their forties and fifties. But we also perform eyelid surgery on patients who are younger and older than this age range.
Dr. Wallin uses precision techniques that ensure incisions are made along natural creases of the skin, or in some cases along the edge or inside of the eyelid. His advanced approaches and attention to detail ensure that any scarring after your skin has healed from the surgery is hard to notice or even invisible.
SCHEDULING YOUR EYELID SURGERY WITH DR. JORDAN WALLIN
The best way to know if eyelid surgery is right for you is to schedule a consultation with Dr. Wallin. During your consultation, he will examine your eye area, go over your health history, and answer any questions you have about the procedure. At that time, he can recommend an upper or lower eyelid lift, or he will tell you of other procedures that he believes would be beneficial for your unique situation. You should come to your consultation with any questions you have about preparing for the procedure, recovering from the procedure, and the process itself. This will help you prepare for the day of surgery and keep any anxiety regarding the procedure to a minimum.
If you are interested in finding out if eyelid surgery is a good fit for you, schedule your consultation with Dr. Wallin today!