The winter months bring a surge in Facial Plastic Surgery. Facelifts and Eyelid Lifts are always in demand, but a noticeable uptick in demand is seen as the summer wanes. The weeks between Thanksgiving and New Years see the largest increase, as people have more personal time for the recovery period.
Blepharoplasty
Blepharoplasty is the term Plastic Surgeons use for fixing eyelids. It literally means “Eyelid Changing,” and there are three important components to the successful Eyelid Management:
- Skin Management
- Fat Management
- Crease Management
Today, I give you several examples of these techniques. It is important to note that every eyelid is different, and that modifying techniques is important in order to obtain the best possible results. The results shown are typical, but cannot be guaranteed.
Eyelid Skin Management
Excess eyelid skin makes us look old and tired. Hooding upper eyelid skin can interfere with vision, erase eye makeup and physically feel heavy. When we are over-tired, the upper eyelids sag, so it is natural for others to assume we are tired when our eyelids are heavy.
Upper Blepharoplasty – Removing excess upper eyelid skin reveals the lid, allows for the application of eye makeup and makes my patient look more alert and awake.
The patient above was born with heavy upper eyelids. As she aged, the lids descended, further closing her eyes. Before her Upper Blepharoplasty, the skin above the lashes is completely covered, making it impossible to wear eye makeup. After surgery, a crisp fold is created, opening the eyes and revealing the eyelid skin.
Eyelid Fat Management
In the upper eyelid, skin is normally the primary issue; in the lower eyelids, fat management is key. Excess fat can fill the lower eyelids, causing bags and an exhausted appearance.
Lower Blepharoplasty – Removing excess lower eyelid fat smooths the lid and gets rid of his tired look. No bags. No problem.
In the above example, the excess lower eyelid skin was removed. A small amount of fat was transplanted into the hollow just above the cheekbone. The result is a smooth contour and a refreshed appearance.
Eyelid Crease Management
Management of the upper eyelid crease is important, especially for Asian eyelids that have weak folds. The “normal” caucasian eyelid folds 9-10 mm above the lid margin. Asian eyelids tend to have a lower fold, and in about half the cases the fold is absent. The fold serves an anatomic purpose. It supports the skin and fat, and prevents them from dropping down into the eyes.
Upper and Lower Blepharoplasty – For this patient, excess upper eyelid skin and excess lower eyelid fat was removed. In addition, the upper eyelid crease was raised. The combination opens the eyes and frames their beauty, removing the distractions.
The patient above had all three areas addressed, skin, fat and the crease. The excess skin was removed from the upper and lower eyelids. Excess fat was removed from the upper and lower eyelids, and the eyelid crease was formed at 9 mm above the eyelid margin to help prevent recurrence of the tired look.
Blepharoplasty Consultation Appointments
When considering Cosmetic Eyelid Surgery, it is important to choose an experienced and Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. In the San Francisco Bay Area call (925) 943-6353 and schedule a private, informative consultation appointment tailored to your personal needs.
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