Blepharoplasty is a surgical procedure in which excess skin, fat, or muscle is removed from your upper or lower eyelids. The procedure could be performed for cosmetic reasons or to treat some medical conditions.
Depending on where the puffy, wrinkled, or loose skin is around your eyes and the condition causing it, you may experience varying degrees of sensitivity and irritation. If the skin droops down far enough, your vision may even be impacted.
If you suffer from any of these problems or would like to restore the natural contour of your eyes for a younger-looking appearance, then blepharoplasty might be the right procedure.
However, before you decide to undergo this procedure, it is wise to consult with a surgeon beforehand. If you have certain pre-existing medical conditions, such as glaucoma or diabetes, your surgeon will likely recommend a non-surgical alternative solution.
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The Benefits of Laser Blepharoplasty Over Traditional Surgery
When it comes to blepharoplasty, you generally have the option to take the traditional route and have the surgery performed with a scalpel, or you can have it done with lasers.
Laser eyelid surgery is becoming increasingly popular for several good reasons. During the procedure, a high-precision laser is used to make all of the necessary incisions. As it does so, it instantly cauterizes the blood vessels in your eyelids to prevent bleeding.
Thus, unlike the traditional method, very little blood ends up pooling around your eyelids during the surgery. This allows the surgeon to see what they are doing with increased clarity, so they can provide you with more precise results. Less blood loss also amounts to less bruising and swelling as your eyelids heal afterwards.
Decreased bruising will not only be an aesthetic improvement, but it will also mean you will experience less pain. Since the bruising and swelling typically last anywhere from 1-3 weeks after the traditional surgery, it is necessary to wait patiently to truly see the results of the procedure. However, with laser blepharoplasty, the results are almost immediately noticeable in most cases.
The overall recovery time is also shortened when lasers are used. Rather than waiting 2-4 weeks to return to your normal routine, you can typically get back to doing things as usual within a week.
Is blepharoplasty a safe procedure?
Blepharoplasty surgery can typically be performed by an assortment of different specialists, ranging from plastic surgeons to facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons to head and neck plastic surgeons to ophthalmologists. Like any other type of surgical procedure, a period of recovery time afterwards is always necessary.
However, depending on the severity and method of your surgery (scalpel vs lasers), this rest period could be as short as one week or as long as four weeks. Although the results are visible within the first few weeks, visible redness may take up to six months to fully recede.
Blepharoplasty is generally considered to be a relatively safe procedure. Of course, there is always a potential risk that some complications can arise during the healing process. In some cases, you might experience an unexpected infection, bleeding, discoloration, or irritation on your eyelids. In more severe cases, it is even possible to experience difficulty opening and closing your eyes, temporarily blurred vision, scarring, and, very rarely, blindness.
Fortunately, none of these side effects are commonly experienced. Nevertheless, they are more likely to occur if you have other underlying eye conditions, which is why it is crucial that you discuss such conditions with your surgeon in advance.
Why do people consider eyelid surgery?
There are several reasons that commonly lead people to undergo eyelid surgery since it can be beneficial in various ways. One common reason is to fix issues related to heavy upper eyelids. When you have heavy upper eyelids, it can often cause consistent pain and headaches since the muscles around your eyes are constantly being strained.
When skin droops from various parts of your eyelids, it can also negatively affect your vision. Depending on where the drooping mostly occurs, either your frontal or peripheral vision could be impaired, thus making simple tasks like reading, walking, or driving a challenge.
If you have heavy or droopy eyelids, you may also notice that it gives off the appearance of exhaustion, which can make you look older or less alert than you really are. Excess skin around your eyes tends to create the appearance of wrinkles, which contributes to an older physical appearance as well.
When the skin begins to droop from your upper eyelids, it can also lead to chronic watery eyes since the weight of the lid presses too low on your eye. As this happens, tears can gather and leak out more frequently.
Why Blepharoplasty Has Effective and Long-Lasting Results
Blepharoplasty is a fantastic procedure for treating a wide variety of problems stemming from heavy or droopy eyelids. Not only does the procedure make considerable improvements to the overall appearance of your eyes, but it also can contribute to their improved functionality as well.
If you are interested in blepharoplasty, you have the option of undergoing the traditional procedure with a scalpel or a newer version of the procedure involving lasers.
No matter which method you decide on, though, the surgery will have a low risk of complications, and the healing process will likely be quite short and painless. Most importantly, you will be able to enjoy the results of your procedure for several years.