Blepharoplasty: everything you need to know about eyelid surgery

Any woman wants to keep her youth longer. But time is merciless and the first who falls under the "blow of age" is the area around the eyes. The delicate skin loses its elasticity, sags, forming drooping eyelids. Thanks to the specialists of our center for plastic and cosmetic surgery, you will quickly get rid of age-related changes with the help of eyelid plastic surgery (blepharoplasty).

Features of blepharoplasty

With blepharoplasty, excess sagging skin of the eyelids, hernial sacs under the eyes are removed. This procedure is often combined with other corrective interventions, saving the patient's time for the recovery period.

Indications and contraindications for surgery

Often, eyelid correction is used for aesthetic reasons. These are age-related changes and anatomical features of the structure of the eyelids, in which they begin to sag, form wrinkles, show flabbiness and loss of skin turgor. Blepharoplasty is performed, if desired, to improve the contours of the eyes, remove excess skin flap and tighten it.

Surgical intervention of this level can also be prescribed for medical reasons, for example, when excessive ptosis is observed due to age. The skin begins to completely cover the ciliary edge, preventing the full opening of the eyes.

Blepharoplasty, like any other surgical intervention, has a number of contraindications, which include:

• chronic diseases during an exacerbation in a patient;
• oncological processes;
• insufficient blood clotting;
• infectious diseases in the acute phase.

Blepharoplasty will have to be rescheduled if you are expecting or breastfeeding a baby. The attending physician will tell you about all the features of the procedure at the first consultation. The plastic surgeon will also determine the appropriate surgical technique.

Eyelid correction techniques

Blepharoplasty in the clinic is performed with maximum precision and jewelry. Specialists use local anesthesia, which does not make the patient uncomfortable. The duration of the operation is variable and depends on the chosen technique.

After examining the patient and talking with her, the doctor chooses one of the following methods of performing the operation:

1. Classical upper eyelid blepharoplasty. The surgeon makes a neat incision in the skin fold. After removing excess sagging, a cosmetic suture is applied to this place. The operation time is about half an hour.
2. Fat-preserving method, usually used for lower eyelid blepharoplasty. Partial removal and redistribution of hernial sacs in this area is performed, muscle tissue is strengthened. The operation takes 30-40 minutes.
3. Transconjunctival blepharoplasty, which does not involve incisions and relieves patients of stitches. In this case, the incision is made along the conjunctiva (mucous membrane of the eye). This is the fastest operation, taking only 15-20 minutes, during which only the protruding part of the fatty tissue is removed. This technique is offered to people of young age (up to 40 years old).

A circular lift is popular, with simultaneous correction of the upper and lower eyelids. This intervention guarantees a pronounced rejuvenation effect. The duration of the operation is about an hour. The circular lifting process removes all visible blemishes of the eyelids, including wrinkles, bags and overhanging areas of the skin.

How to properly prepare for surgery

Immediately before the operation, the patient undergoes the necessary tests. 3-4 weeks before the intervention, it is necessary to stop taking medications that thin the blood, for 7-8 days, the use of alcohol is completely excluded. Patients who smoke will have to forget about cigarettes for a few days. Nicotine negatively affects blood flow and slows down the healing period.

Duration of the rehabilitation period

Blepharoplasty is a minimally invasive intervention that does not require the patient to stay in the clinic for a long time. Already after 1-2 hours after the operation, you can go home. The recovery period takes place at home.

In order for the rehabilitation time to pass safely, carefully follow all the doctor's recommendations:

• the first 2-3 days, when swelling and bruising is observed, reduce the load on the eyes as much as possible;
• postpone cosmetics and caring procedures for 6-7 days, until the stitches are removed;
• all hematomas and visible traces after the operation disappear after 14 days, and you will see the final result only a month after the intervention.

With the seamless technique of transconjunctival blepharoplasty, the recovery period takes only 3 days. It passes without bruises, puffiness and consists in complete rest and reducing eye strain.

Existing restrictions

The recovery period also involves a number of restrictions, you should be aware of them. This applies to changes in the diet, from which spicy and overly salty foods are excluded, which contribute to excess fluid accumulation in the body and an increase in swelling.

Also, during rehabilitation, patients are prohibited from:

• touch and touch the operated area so as not to infect the wound;
• take medications that thin the blood;
• bend sharply and strongly, lift weights (any physical activity is excluded);
• you cannot take a hot bath, visit the sauna and steam room, sunbathe under the scorching sun.

The attending physician will tell you about all the restrictions, who will give you detailed instructions on what you can and cannot do during the recovery period. Careful adherence to all prescriptions will minimize the risk of keloid scars and improve the final result.

What is the duration of the result after blepharoplasty

You need to understand that the operation will not save you from natural aging, it will remove age-related changes without a trace only for a certain period of time. On average, a consistently good result of the operation will last for 10-15 years. It depends on the individual characteristics of the organism.

Age restrictions

Blepharoplasty can be done from the age of 18 if there are medical indications. To improve aesthetics, such an operation is resorted to by women who have crossed the 30-year line (it is at this age that the first age-related changes appear). But, of course, the main thing is not age, but visible indicators, which can begin at 25 or at 45. It all depends on the characteristics of the organism.