Duration of eyelid correction surgery

An ambulant eyelid lift takes about half an hour per eyelid. However, the duration is always determined by the situation, surgical technique and the chosen anaesthetic. While the local anaesthetic takes about 10 minutes to take effect and the patient can leave the clinic immediately after the operation, a recovery phase of about 2 hours is planned after sedation (“twilight sleep“). Even after a general anaesthetic, a certain wake-up phase must be maintained until the patient can go home.

What are the risks of eyelid correction?

Eyelid correction is one of the most common procedures in cosmetic surgery, and the plastic surgeon has a great deal of experience in this field. In addition, eyelid lifting is considered to be a fairly low-risk procedure. Nevertheless, every surgical intervention carries certain risks. Possible complications of eyelid surgery include post-operative bleeding haematomas wound-healing disorders infection circulatory disorders dryness of the eyes in the first few weeks asymmetry (when both eyelids have been corrected) lack of eyelid closure due to “overcorrection

Post-bleeding
Haematomas
Wound healing disorders
Infection
Circulatory disorders
Dry eyes in the first weeks
Asymmetry (when both eyelids have been corrected)
Missing eyelid closure due to “overcorrection

How long does it take to heal with eyelid correction?

The right aftercare can support the healing of wounds. No more sports should be done on the day of the operation and smoking should be stopped for at least 3 days. Moist cooling, for example with a cold washcloth, reduces the swelling.

After 7-10 days the stitches can be removed. To avoid infection, the area around the stitches should be kept clean and touched as little as possible. Make-up around the eyes should be avoided during the healing process. The eyelid lift can be carried out again after 10 years if necessary, if the skin has become slippery again due to age-related loss of elasticity.

What scars can be expected after an eyelid lift?

With an upper eyelid lift, a small scar is created, which lies in the natural crease of the eyelid. After about 3 months, however, it is no longer visible when the wound has healed properly. With lower eyelid lift, scar-free healing is usually to be expected, as the skin incision runs directly along the lower lash line. If, however, the skin incision has to be continued laterally in the case of extensive bags under the eyes, a fine scar will remain, which will fade after a few months with proper care.

Eyelid correction without surgery

Slightly drooping eyelids or crow’s feet can also be tightened by the so-called plasma technology. In this process, the excess skin cells are practically vaporized by thermal energy. The advantage of plasma is that there is no direct contact with the skin and scars are avoided because there is no incision.

The PlamaPen can thus be used to tighten the eyelid and smooth wrinkles in a targeted manner. However, care should be taken when choosing a provider, as no certification is required for the use of the PlasmaPen in Germany. In most cases, however, several sessions are necessary to achieve the desired result. In addition, in contrast to surgical eyelid lifting, one should be prepared for annual repetitions of the plasma treatment in order to avoid recurrence. One session costs about 300€, depending on the duration and location.