Several factors such as aging, sun damage, smoking, stretching and obesity can cause the eyelids to droop and sag as the supporting tissues deteriorate. This area is often one of the first to deteriorate, as the skin of the eyelid is thinner than the rest of the face. Eyelids that droop or bulge can cause people to appear much older or fatigued than they actually are.
Blepharoplasty, also known as eyelid lift surgery, is a surgical procedure that improves the appearance of the upper and lower eyelids by tightening tissue or removing excess fat and skin. This procedure can be performed on men and women alike and offers a younger, more refreshed look that reflects across the whole face.
Blepharoplasty is a popular facial plastic surgery procedure. The popularity of this procedure reflects the importance of the eyes in perfecting overall appearance. In fact, two-thirds of adults consider the eyes to be the defining feature of the face. If you are unhappy with the appearance of your eyes, you may want to consider blepharoplasty to improve your look and boost your confidence through a safe procedure with minimal downtime.
Candidates for Blepharoplasty
The best candidates for blepharoplasty are individuals who are in good overall health, and who do not have any serious eye conditions. If you have loose, sagging skin or puffy bags around your eyes, this procedure can help reduce these unwanted effects and leave the eyes looking young and fresh.
It is important for patients to have realistic expectations before undergoing surgery in order to be satisfied with their results. While this procedure can enhance your appearance and may improve self-confidence as a result, it cannot alter your entire appearance or change the structure of your face.
Blepharoplasty Procedure
The blepharoplasty procedure may be performed under local anesthesia with sedation. General anesthesia is used for anxious or nervous patients. Patients may choose to have this procedure on their upper or lower eyelids, or both. Depending on these choices, the procedure can take anywhere from one to three hours.
If the upper eyelid is being treated, an incision is made along the natural crease of the eyelid to remove excess skin in order to leave the eye looking younger and refreshed. For the lower eyelid, an incision is made just below the lash line in order for excess skin and fat to be removed.
After the procedure is performed, the incisions are closed with sutures which are removed after four to five days.
Recovery from Blepharoplasty
After the blepharoplasty procedure, your doctor may recommend applying lubricating ointment and cold compresses to help aid the healing process and minimize side effects such as swelling, bruising, irritation or dry eyes.
Patients can usually return to work within two weeks and should avoid exercise and strenuous activities for at least two weeks. Swelling and other side effects usually subside within two weeks after surgery. Dr. Moye will give you specific instructions on how to care for your eyes are surgery.
Results of Blepharoplasty
Results of a blepharoplasty procedure are visible as swelling and bruising subside and will continue to improve for up to six months after surgery. This procedure is designed to produce long-lasting results. While surgery cannot prevent your eyes from aging, most patients are satisfied with their results and do not seek repeat procedures.
The scars from the blepharoplasty procedure are usually well concealed and will fade with time until they are virtually unnoticeable. The incision is hidden in the crease of the eyelid in an upper blepharoplasty, and just below the lashes in a lower blepharoplasty.
Browlift (Forehead Lift)
Browlifts can revitalize drooping or lined foreheads, helping you to look less angry, sad or tired. Using either traditional or minimally invasive (endoscopic) methods, browlifts involve the removal or alteration of the muscles above the eyes to smooth lines and raise the eyebrows for a more youthful appearance. The procedure is often combined with other operations such as blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) and facelifts to improve the look of the eyes and other areas of the face.
While browlifts are typically performed on patients aged 40-60 to counteract the effects of aging, anyone with lined or inelastic skin on the forehead – whether it’s caused by muscle activity or inherited conditions – are eligible. The procedure is usually performed in our office-based facility.
Lip Enhancement
The SurgiSil™ Perma Facial Implant is an advanced device made of silicone that can be placed within the lips for permanent tissue augmentation. These implants are approved by the FDA and are considered safe for most patients. This implant has a smooth, non-porous surface and cannot rupture or deflate, providing lasting results.
As an alternative treatment to filler injections, the Perma Facial Implant has a low risk of complications and is reversible if the patient wishes to restore their original appearance. After the implant procedure, patients may experience mild discomfort, bruising and swelling. As swelling subsides, the results of the implant will be visible. For additional information on the SurgiSil™ Perma Facial Implant, please visit their website at www.surgisil.com.
Facelift (Rhytidectomy)
In time, gravity, sun exposure, and the stresses of daily life take their toll on our faces: deep creases appear beside the mouth, the jaw line slackens, and folds and fat deposits appear on the neck. Facelifts counteract these problems by removing fat and tightening skin and muscles, giving your face a fresher, youthful look. After surgery, some patients appear 10-15 years younger.
A facelift can be combined with a browlift, eyelid surgery for more dramatic results, or it can be restricted to the neck (necklift) if the patient’s problems center there. Incisions are made in inconspicuous places such as behind the hairline and in natural folds of the face and ears, and scars fade to near invisibility in time. Results of a facelift do not last forever, but in another sense, the effects are permanent; years later, your face will continue to look better than if you had never had the procedure.
Neck Lift
The neck may sag as a result of aging or weight loss, and is often affected before the face. Loose neck muscles can lead to an appearance of bands on the neck or drastic drooping of the skin. A neck lift is a surgical procedure that can smooth and tighten the skin on the neck and provide a more toned and youthful appearance. The results of this procedure offer a drastic improvement to the appearance of the neck. A neck lift may be performed alongside a facelift, or may be performed alone, after which your friends and family may not even realize that a surgical procedure was performed.
A neck lift procedure includes both a cervicoplasty to remove excess skin and a platysmaplasty to remove or alter muscles in the neck. Liposuction can also be used to remove excess fat. This takes two to three hours and is performed under general anesthesia. This procedure is performed on an outpatient basis here in our in-office surgery center.
Rhinoplasty (Nose Surgery)
Rhinoplasty is performed to reshape, reduce, remove a hump from the nose, change the angle between the nose and the mouth, or to correct injury, birth defects, or problems that affect breathing. Results depend on the patient’s nasal bone and cartilage structure, facial shape, skin thickness and age (teenagers should have had their growth spurt before having rhinoplasty).
Rhinoplasty is usually an outpatient procedure performed under general anesthesia and takes two to three hours unless more extensive work needs to be done.
Ear Surgery (Otoplasty)
Ear surgery typically serves two functions: setting prominent ears back closer to the head, and reducing the size of large ears. Surgery may also be helpful for large or stretched earlobes, and lobes with large creases and wrinkles.
Although surgery for adults is available, the operation is most often performed on children aged six to 16 — ears are almost fully grown by age four, and early surgery can prevent a child from being teased in school.
Obagi Products
With a 30-year legacy of science and innovation, Obagi has led transformative research that has met the needs of every skin tone and type. Obagi skin care products include prescription 4% hydroquinone and are available only through physicians, medical spas, and other skin care and medical professionals. We currently carry the following Obagi products in our office:
- Foaming Gel
- Toner
- Clear
- Exfoderm
- Exfoderm Forte
- Blender
- Healthy Skin Protection SPF 35
- Trial Kit
- CLENZIderm M.D. System
- CLENZIderm Foaming Cleanser
- CLENZIderm Pore Therapy
- Obagi 360 Exfoliating Cleanser
- Obagi 360 Hydrafactor
- Obagi 360 Retinol 0.5
- Obagi 360 System
- Tretinoin 0.05%
- Tretinoin 0.1%
- Sun Shield Matte Broad Spectrum SPF 50
- Sun Shield Tint SPF 50