Blepharoplasty (Eyelid Surgery) in St. Louis, MO
What is Blepharoplasty?
The eyes are the focal point of the human face. Most people say the eyes are what they notice first when they meet a new person. Question is: are your eyes telling those people you’re older than you actually are?
Unfortunately, the skin around the eyes is some of the thinnest skin on the entire human body. Plus, it is exposed to the elements virtually all the time. The combination can leave you with saggy, puffy, wrinkled, and droopy upper and lower eyelids that can make you look older and tired.
The solution is cosmetic eyelid surgery, clinically called blepharoplasty, with the team at Ophthalmic Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery. We offer several different eyelid surgery options depending on your individual situation.
What concerns will blepharoplasty address?
Eyelid surgery is a subtle way to really change the age of your face. This is because the eyes are the first thing most people notice about a person when meeting them for the first time. By removing excess, sagging skin, repositioning fat pockets, and tightening elevator muscles as needed, eyelid surgery is very effective.
Here are areas this surgery looks to target:
- Loose, sagging skin that creates a hooded look on the upper eyelids
- Fatty deposits that make your eyelids appear puffy
- Bags under the lower eyelids
- Drooping lower eyelids that reveal the white below the iris
- Excess skin and fine wrinkles of the lower eyelid
Who is a Good Candidate for Eyelid Surgery?
How Does The Cosmetic Eyelid Surgery Procedure Work?
Most procedures last only one or two hours, and they are all done on an outpatient basis, which means that you can go home the same day. You will experience only minimal discomfort afterward, but each procedure is slightly different. So, visit our individual pages for the various types of lid surgeries available at Ophthalmic Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Inc. in St. Louis:
- Brow Lift and Endoscopic Browlift Elevation for sagging upper eyelids and/or sagging eyebrows.
- Upper Eyelid Blepharoplasty for upper lids that droop or have excess skin.
- Lower Eyelid Blepharoplasty for lower lid eye bags.
- Asian Blepharoplasty for adding a crease in single-lidded upper eyelids.
Eyelid Surgery Before and After Photos
What Is Recovery Like After A Blepharoplasty?
Eyelid surgery with our team is a delicate procedure, and it would be assumed that because of this the recovery must be difficult. Actually, the opposite is true. No matter which option for eyelid surgery you choose, recovery is not overly painful and doesn’t require an extended amount of time.
After your surgery, we’ll provide you with a cold compress and lubricating eye drops. If you use the compress diligently, your swelling and bruising can be kept to a minimum. Usually, our team Holds will remove your stitches in about one week and your eyes will already look great. There will be some residual swelling, but that is minimal. Scarring is basically invisible, due to the ability to hide the incision locations so effectively.
How long does the blepharoplasty procedure usually take?
Patients can opt to have surgery done on either the upper or lower eyelid, or both. For that reason, the surgery can take from 45 minutes to two hours.
Is recovery from eyelid surgery painful?
Recovery from this surgery is not difficult or even very painful. Your surgeon will prescribe prescription pain medication, but most patients don’t feel they need it, opting instead for over-the-counter options. The pain from this surgery is not acute, and most of the discomfort resolves within the first two or three days.
Will I have scarring after eyelid surgery?
In the upper eyelid, our surgeons make the incision in the natural crease, effectively hiding it from view. In the lower eyelid, the incision is made along the eyelash line or on the inside of the eyelid. Both options show little if any scarring. Eyelid skin is very thin, and it heals very quickly and effectively. This keeps scarring to a minimum.
What are the risks with eyelid surgery?
Blepharoplasty is one of the most popular cosmetic surgeries every year because it delivers great results, and the risks are very low. Still, there are the usual risks with any surgery: excessive bleeding, poor wound healing, reaction to anesthesia, and the like. Specific to this surgery, risks involve injury to the eye muscles, difficulty closing your eyelids, and potential dry eye. These are all very rare; this is an effective, safe procedure.
How Long Will My Results Last?
How should I prepare for cosmetic eyelid surgery?
Our team will walk you through the early preparations, such as the need to stop taking certain medications, including anti-inflammatory drugs, aspirin, and herbal supplements. These can increase bleeding and subsequent bruising. You’ll need to stop smoking for a few weeks before and after, as this affects wound healing. Limit alcohol consumption a few days prior to and after your surgery.
The morning of your surgery, you’ll need to shower and shampoo your hair. Be sure to wash your eyebrows. Do not put on any makeup, jewelry, contact lenses, or other accessories. Arrange for someone to take you to surgery and pick you up afterwards.
That’s about it; there isn’t much preparation required for blepharoplasty.
How long before I can drive after eyelid surgery?
If you’re taking your prescription pain medication, obviously you cannot drive. Most of our patients don’t use their pain medication, however, opting instead for simple over-the-counter pain medication. Otherwise, as long as you’re able to make the movements necessary for proper driving and safety, you’ll be able to drive. Many patients wait until their pain basically resolves, which is just a couple days for the most part, to start driving again. If you’re concerned about swelling and going out in public, give it a week.
Can I combine eyelid surgery with other procedures?
At Ophthalmic Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery, we have many patients who combine their eyelid surgery with a brow lift to encompass the entire upper third of the face, or with a midface lift to cover the eyes down through the mouth area. These options provide wider rejuvenation with just a single recovery period.