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You have droopy eyelids, and you are wondering whether there is a treatment for that? Well, yes. To treat droopy eyelids, you would have to go through a procedure referred to as eyelid lift. Like you might have guessed, it does not have anything to do with lifting the eye. So, what is this eyelid lifting?
Eyelid lifting is more accurately referred to as a blepharoplasty in technical terms. This procedure involves the removal of the skin on your eyelid. It also involves the addition or removal of the fat in your eyelid.
When conducting the upper blepharoplasty procedure, the doctor will place incisions on the skin of your eyelid. These incisions will be used to allow the removal of fat and skin. Using a very thin stitch, the doctor will then put the skin back together. This enables your eyelid to develop the natural crease that it should have.
On the other hand, a lower blepharoplasty procedure will mostly involve incisions that are immediately below the eyelashes line. This procedure can also be an incision administered on the side of the eyelid. When the incision is placed on the side of your eyelid, we refer to the procedure as transconjunctival. This procedure is mostly preferred for its capability of accessing the eyelid without the administration of visible incisions. This method is a great choice for clients who need their eyelid fat added or removed.
Your doctor may also use this approach combined with another procedure called laser resurfacing. The two procedures are used to remove the wrinkles and lines on your eyelid.
Am I a Good Candidate for Eyelid Surgery?
If you have droopy eyelids and want to get rid of them, you will be a great candidate. However, to confirm your eligibility, you should contact your doctor to perform an evaluation. If you live in LA, you can search for a clinic using these terms: Los Angeles facial cosmetic surgery, double eyelid surgery Los Angeles, saggy eyelid procedure Los Angeles, hooded eyelid surgery Los Angeles, or droopy eyelid surgery Los Angeles.
Preparing for Eyelid Surgery
Before you go for eyelid surgery, you will need to ensure that you are well prepared. You can prepare yourself by visiting your doctor, who will examine you for possible and potential risks. The examination is conducted to identify if you fit the criteria for the eyelid surgery. For a successful surgery, you should follow the doctor’s advice. This includes the postoperative instructions that you will be required to adhere to for a successful recovery.
The preparation also includes the provision of the medication that may be required for pain relief, packs of gel, artificial tears, and gauze. You will need these handy before you get back home. The examination required to give you the green light will probably be a physical test. This is mostly required if you will have to be put under general or intravenous sedation.
Eyelid Surgery Recovery
If you are wondering how long you will need to recover from eyelid surgery, you should know it does not take long. Most patients have a very short time of recovery after an eyelid lifting.
However, you will experience bruising and substantial swelling on the day after your surgery. However, these signs will begin to disappear immediately. For the first two days, you will need to use coolers to reduce the swelling and bruising. The coolers can be cooling ice pressed on the bruises and swelling. The stitches will remain on your eyelids for quite some time. This could last for up to a week. With the growing technology, your doctor will probably use stitches that can be absorbed into your body. If the stitches used are self-absorbing, you will not need to go back to your doctor for the removal.
For a large number of patients who undergo blepharoplasty, the recovery period is less than a week. After the procedure, you will be able to go back to your normal daily activities about ten days after the surgery. The bruising and swelling will go away two weeks after the procedure. With time, the heaviness of the droopy eyelids will be lifted, and you can have a normal eyelid.
Possible Risks in Blepharoplasty
Like other medical treatments that you might undergo, you will probably go through complications and potential threats from the surgery. The following is a list of the significant risks that you might experience. If the condition is worse, you might face several of these risks.
- Scarring
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Lost ability to close your eyes
- A dry eye
- Abnormality in the eyelid position
- Loss of your vision in some extreme cases
- Double vision
- Watery eyes
- Sensitivity to light
- Pain and substantial discomfort
- Blurred vision caused by the lubrication ointment that will be put into your eyes
- Numb and puffy eyelids
To protect you from the possibility of the complications occurring, your doctor will recommend you do the following.
- Avoid smoking
- Do not rub your eyes
- Hold ice-packs against your eyes for 10 minutes each hour on the first night of your surgery
- Clean your eyelids gently and use the ointments prescribed by your doctor
- Avoid heavy lifting or swimming
- Do not engage in strenuous activities, jogging or aerobics for one week
- Do not put on your contact lenses for up to 2 weeks after your eyelid surgery
- Practice wearing tinted glasses to protect the eyes from dust, sun, and wind
- Ensure that you sleep with your head raised by a pillow above your chest
- Use cool compresses to remove the swelling
- If needed, go back to the doctor’s office for the removal of the stitches
If you are on other medications, your doctor will advise you to avoid ibuprofen, aspirin, naproxen, or other medicines that would increase the bleeding. For the pain, you can use acetaminophen or a variation of the same.
Cost of a Blepharoplasty Procedure
The cost of the procedure is dependent on the complexity and the type of procedure. Most insurers cover only the upper eyelid surgery cost if the upper eyelid does obstruct the patient’s vision. To get your insurer to fund the procedure, you will be required to document the tests performed before the procedure. However, the average cost range from $2000 to $5000.
Expected Results
After complete healing, most patients experience youthful looks. The droopy eyelids disappear, and you can have a rested appearance.
If you live in Los Angeles, you can find clinics that perform this procedure by searching for droopy eyelid surgery Los Angeles, hooded eyelid surgery Los Angeles, saggy eyelid procedure Los Angeles, double eyelid surgery Los Angeles, or Los Angeles facial cosmetic surgery.
