Is Eyelid Surgery Painful?
What Is Recovery Like?
Will I Be Prescribed Any Medications?
We may prescribe eye drops and antibiotic ointments for you. Be sure to follow our instructions in using them.
What Happens During Surgery?
This surgery can be performed on the upper eyelids, the lower eyelids, or both. Upper eyelid treatments are performed on patients who have puffy and droopy eyelids that are interfering with the patient’s appearance or vision. When addressing the upper lid, we’ll make small incisions in the skin fold at the back of the eye.
Lower eyelid treatments can tighten the lower lid in a way that gets rid of under-eye bags. During this surgery, the incision is made below the lower line of lashes. Once the incisions are made on either the upper or lower lid, we’ll remove excess fat and tissue in a way that tightens the skin and gets rid of the fullness.
Can I Have Both Eyelids Treated?
Yes. Some patients have both the upper and lower eyelids treated. If you’re unsure about which eyelid to have treated, or whether or not to have both done, we can make a recommendation for you once we’ve had a chance to meet with you and evaluate your eyelids.
How Long Does Surgery Take?
Most surgeries can be completed within two hours.
How Quickly Will I See Improvement?
The change in your eyelids will be evident as soon as your surgery is complete, but your skin will need some time to recover. Your full results should be apparent within six weeks.
Will I Be Left With Scars?
The incisions we make will be tiny and will be tucked into the natural contours of your eye area, so you won’t have to worry about being left with visible scars.
Will My Results Be Permanent?
Lower eyelid treatments are fairly permanent and rarely need to be touched up or redone. Upper eyelid treatments last about seven years, and sometimes longer. You can schedule a repeat treatment if your results begin to wear off.
What Can This Surgery Help With?
Puffy, Droopy Eyelids
This treatment is best known for its ability to tighten up the eyelids and get rid of puffiness and drooping. It helps restore the eyes to a more natural and youthful shape. In some cases, eliminating the drooping can also make it easier for the patient to see.
Under-Eye Bags
By tightening up the lower eyelid and getting rid of some of the fat and folds that can develop beneath the eye, this surgery can eliminate under-eye bags.
Dark Under-Eye Circles
If you have dark circles beneath your eyes that are being caused by skin folds or extra fat, this surgery can help because it eliminates that fat. But if the dark circles are being caused by hyperpigmentation, there are non-surgical treatments that can better help.
Sagging Skin Folds
This surgery can get rid of the skin folds that develop around the eye and give it an aged appearance. It will not, however, get rid of crow’s feet, which are the lines that develop at the corners of the eyes. Other cosmetic treatments can better address crow’s feet, and those treatments can be performed in conjunction with eyelid surgery.
What Other Advantages Are Associated With This Surgery?
You’ll Feel Good About Yourself
This surgery won’t dramatically overhaul your appearance, but it will subtly refresh your look. You’ll look more alert, more relaxed, and younger. It can restore your self-confidence.
You’ll See Better
Droopy eyelids can make it difficult to see. By tightening up the eyelids and restoring them to their natural shape and position, seeing clearly will get a lot easier. In fact, some patients opt to undergo this surgery not for cosmetic benefit, but for its ability to improve their vision.
You’ll Communicate Better
Your puffy, sagging eyelids may be interfering with interpersonal communication more than you realize. Do your co-workers ever ask you why you’re so frustrated? Do friends think you’re tired even when you’ve had a good night’s sleep? Your eyelids may be painting the wrong picture about what you’re really feeling. This surgery returns the eyelids to their natural position and helps clear up miscommunication.
You’ll Get Results Designed Just for You
We’ll take your facial contours, your skin, and the natural shape of your eyes into consideration while designing a treatment plan just for you. Our goal will be to remove just enough excess tissue and fat to tone up your lids and give you bright, beautiful eyes. And you want have to worry about looking like you just had a cosmetic treatment performed. We’ll design your surgery in a way that gives you completely natural results.
Why Are My Eyelids Drooping?
It’s normal to experience a little bit of eyelid drooping as part of the aging process. It happens as the skill begins to lose some of its elasticity. And because the skin around the eyes is very delicate, this area is particularly vulnerable as elasticity levels decline. Genetics can also play a role, which means that some individuals are more likely to develop droopy eyelids at a fairly early age.
Can I Do Anything To Stop This?
There are steps you can take to keep your skin at its healthy best, including staying hydrated, not smoking, and wearing sunscreen. But it’s impossible for any patient to completely prevent signs of aging in the eyelids or anywhere else on the face. That’s why treatments like eyelid surgery are so popular.
How Does This Compare To a Brow Lift or a Facelift?
Brow lifts, facelifts, and eye lifts are all anti-aging treatments, but each targets a different area of the face. A brow lift targets the eyebrows and the area above the eyebrows. A brow lift is a great way of treating forehead creases and lifting eyebrows that have started to droop. A facelift works to reverse signs of aging throughout the entire face by tightening up loose skin and eliminating folds, but it doesn’t zero in on the eyelids.
It’s not uncommon for a patient to have an eye lift performed in combination with a brow lift or a facelift.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Anyone Undergo This Surgery?
Most patients who are in good overall health, are emotionally healthy, and have realistic expectations are good candidates for this treatment. It helps if you are a non-smoker, as smoking can weaken the skin.
What Is the Perfect Age for This Surgery?
There really is no perfect age to undertake eyelid surgery. The right time to do it is whenever your eyelids have begun to sag and droop to the point that they are bothering you cosmetically or impeding your vision. For many patients, this is sometime after the age of 35, although some individuals undertake it earlier.
Is This Treatment Suitable for Men?
Yes. This treatment can be performed on both male and female patients. Male eyelids tend to have an upper crease that is lower than the one on females, and the eyebrow is usually less arched. We take into account the masculine aspects of male eyelids and preserve them when we are performing surgery on men.
Is There Anything I Should Avoid Before Surgery?
You will be asked to stop taking blood-thinning medications, including aspirin and Vitamin E, before your surgery.
Is the Recovery Time Longer for Lower Eyelid Surgery?
Yes. Both upper and lower eyelid treatments require about a week of rest, but lower lid surgeries tend to require an extra day or two of recovery.
What Can I Do To Speed My Recovery?
Carefully following the post-surgical instructions we give you will go a long way toward facilitating your recovery. In addition, you should protect your eyes from the sun and wind, get plenty of rest, and stay away from activities that can stress the eyes, like reading and watching TV. We know you’ll be anxious to see your results and get back to your routine, but it’s important to be patient and give your body the time it needs to recover.
Will Insurance Cover My Surgery?
The bulk of eyelid surgeries are performed for cosmetic purposes and are therefore not covered by insurance. But if this treatment is being performed for medical reasons, such as poor vision caused by drooping eyelids, insurance may cover a portion of it. We recommend that you check with your insurer about coverage before your treatment date.
Are You Ready To Get Started?
If you’re ready to tone down that puffy eyelift and rejuvenate your appearance, and Eyelid Lift Sarasota could be just what you need. This type of surgery delivers proven results with very little discomfort. Call LA Plastic Surgery & Dermatology in Bradenton, FL, and schedule your eyelid surgery consultation today!