Blepharoplasty is a surgical eyelid lift. It can be performed on both the upper and lower eyelid.
What is blepharoplasty?
Blepharoplasty is understood to be a surgical eyelid lift. It can be performed on both the upper and lower eyelid. Blepharoplasty is one of the surgical procedures of cosmetic surgery. Blepharoplasty is a surgical procedure in which either the upper or lower eyelid is tightened. Blepharoplasty, also called eyelid lifting or eyelid plastic surgery, is used to treat sagging eyelid skin. The name blepharoplasty comes from the Greek term “blepharon”, which means “eyelid”. Blepharoplasty refers to the surgical tightening of the upper eyelid. However, tightening of the lower eyelid is also included in it. Blepharoplasty is primarily performed on people between 40 and 60 years of age. It has become one of the most sought-after aesthetic procedures and is used to correct common signs of aging around the eyes. Blepharoplasty makes the patient look more powerful and younger, while his face retains the individual expression.
Function, effect and goals
Blepharoplasty is one of the surgical procedures of cosmetic surgery. Thus, from a medical point of view, the procedure is usually not necessary. Blepharoplasty is considered useful when there is sagging of the eyelid skin and muscles. Likewise, their retraction can occur. This becomes noticeable through external manifestations such as drooping eyelids, bags under the eyes and wrinkles. In some patients, the sagging of the skin goes so far that it restricts their field of vision. In such cases, blepharoplasty may even be appropriate for medical reasons. Most commonly, sagging of the tissue is seen in the upper eyelids. Blepharoplasty has the effect of restoring the eyes of a person to their full potential. Thus, they are no longer hidden by the eyelids that droop. Laugh lines and crow’s feet can also be removed or at least reduced with blepharoplasty. The fine scars that appear during the procedure are hidden by the eyelid furrow. Before blepharoplasty is performed, the patient should meet certain requirements. For example, their tired look must be caused by excess sagging skin or drooping eyelids and must not be caused by the eyebrows drooping. In such cases, a brow lift is considered more appropriate. If there is drooping of both the eyelids and the eyebrows, a combined procedure is also possible. In this case, the lifting of the eyebrows takes place first. It is also important to have the patient thoroughly examined by the ophthalmologist as well as the internist before blepharoplasty. If the affected person suffers from neurological diseases or eye dryness, for example, a surgical procedure is not advisable. Blepharoplasty is usually performed on an outpatient basis. The patient can therefore return home after the operation. At the beginning of the procedure, a local anesthetic is administered. If blepharoplasty is performed on both the upper and lower eyelids at the same time, or if the patient has strong fears about the procedure, he or she may also be given a general anesthetic. However, this is given only in exceptional cases. After disinfecting the skin, the doctor marks the excess skin and draws the desired height of the eyelid furrow. In blepharoplasty, the incision extends along the natural skin folds of the eyelids. In this way, the scars resulting from the procedure remain largely unnoticeable. Sometimes it may be necessary to attach the sagging muscles to the lateral edge of the eye socket in order to achieve better muscle activity. At the same time, the fatty tissue on the lower eyelid can be relocated. This can ensure compensation of the sunken edges of the eyelid. During the procedure, the surgeon cuts into the marked skin. In doing so, he performs his steps in parallel on both eyes. The excess skin is removed in the shape of an ellipse. This is followed by lifting the eyelid muscle. Fatty tissue that may be present is also operated out. Finally, the surgeon dresses the wound with a suture. This is then bandaged with small plasters. In total, blepharoplasty takes between 60 and 90 minutes.Afterwards, the patient should remain under the doctor’s control for a few hours before returning home. If the patient is a high-risk patient, he or she must remain in the hospital overnight for observation.
Risks, side effects, and hazards
The risks of blepharoplasty are considered relatively low. However, the surgery should always be performed by an experienced plastic surgeon. However, even with the utmost care, there is a possibility that undesirable side effects may occur. Very rarely, postoperative bleeding occurs after the procedure, which occurs at intervals of one to two days. In such cases, the doctor must intervene quickly, otherwise there is a risk of damage to the visual function. During lower eyelid blepharoplasty, it is possible that the lower eyelid temporarily protrudes and tear production is increased. This is due to the formation of a hematoma (bruise) or individual scars. Older patients are particularly affected. As a rule, these phenomena disappear on their own after six weeks at the latest. If this is not the case, another operation must be performed. Dry eyes are considered a normal side effect after blepharoplasty. However, if more severe irritation occurs, it is advisable to consult an ophthalmologist. The most dangerous complications include injury to the cornea during the procedure or an increase in intraocular pressure. Likewise, eyelid malposition is possible due to an incorrect procedure. Other conceivable complications include skin damage, soft tissue damage, double vision, blurred vision, thrombosis, and infection.
