Sagging skin around the eyelids can result in looking tired and older than your actual age. Often, the skin can hang low enough off the upper eyelids to partially impair vision. Eyelid surgery, also known as a blepharoplasty, is a surgical procedure designed to tighten the skin and remove excess fat. It can reduce puffiness, wrinkles, and more.
In terms of popularity, blepharoplasty ranked the fourth-most-common surgical procedure last year, with over 206,000 eyelid surgeries in 2014. Only breast augmentation, rhinoplasty and liposuction were ranked ahead of it.
Eyelid surgery begins with anesthesia and is followed by the incision, tissue alteration, suturing and finally the recovery phase. The procedure is fairly straightforward and one of the least-invasive surgeries available.
Droopiness of the upper eyelid requires an incision along the natural crease so fat deposits can be removed or altered and skin tightened. Skin only upper eyelid surgeries that preserve the muscle layer are frequently very good options that preserve the functionality and integrity of the upper eyelid.
Lower eyelid surgery or lower blepharoplasty can involve an incision made on the inside of the lid to remove or alter excess fat. This surgery is rarely indicated but can be performed in younger patients with fatty deposits alone and very good skin laxity. Lower eyelid surgery can also remove fat and skin with an incision under the lash line that cannot be seen. This variation is much more useful as most patients require some skin resection as well.
Consult with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Kenneth Hughes to determine what type of technique is right for you. For more information from Dr. Hughes, contact his Los Angeles office today.