An upper or lower blepharoplasty, also known as “eyelid surgery”, is great for patients concerned with a tired or angry appearance that they are unhappy with. Those interested in an eyelid procedure often complain of difficulty applying eye makeup to their upper eyelids because of excess skin. We’re here with the top five things you need to know before considering upper or lower eyelid surgery.
Simple Procedure
Eyelid surgery is more simple than you think. Many people think that they need to go under anesthesia during this surgery, which in most cases you do not. If you’re considering an upper blepharoplasty or lower “skin pinch” blepharoplasty, both can be done in our Draper and Layton offices and are considered minimally invasive. More invasive eyelid procedures include a full lower blepharoplasty or lower blepharoplasty with fat repositioning. Since it is more invasive, both Dr. Thompson and Dr. Henstrom feel that it is important to do this procedure under anesthesia in an operating room.
Patients Are Becoming Younger
Eyelid surgery is not just for mature patients anymore. We are seeing patients in their late 20’s and 30’s interested in upper or lower eyelid surgery to remove moderate excess skin before laxity really sets in with age. Genetics can also play a roll in younger patients experiencing “hooding” of the upper eyelids and/or hollows beneath the eyes. These genetic features can make a person appear tired and older than they actually are.
Non-surgical options
While excess skin and fat are often addressed with surgical treatments, not everyone is a candidate for eyelid surgery. We offer many non-surgical treatment options as well. Some patients just need a non-surgical brow lift using Botox to correct their droopiness or “angry look”. Fillers, such as Restylane, can improve under-eye tear troughs and create a smooth junction between the cheek and under-eye . To improve the appearance of crepey under eye skin, a few great non-invasive treatments include peri-orbital skin rejuvenation, chemical peels, Venus Viva treatments, and/or a peri-orbital C02 laser treatment.
Down Time
After undergoing a blepharoplasty at Utah Facial Plastics, expect to have some swelling and bruising around your eyes. This typically resides in approximately 5-7 days. Most people feel well enough to go back to work after 3-4 days. This surgery involves very little down time and most people say it is very painless afterwards.
What To Avoid After
We recommend avoiding makeup around the eyes, brow grooming and contact lenses for the first week after surgery. There is less risk of infection and swelling may resolve a little faster. Glasses are great because they can help hide some of the swelling and bruising.
For more information, please call our office at (801) 776-2220 or contact us HERE.