Blepharoplasty - Facelift surgery - Plastic Surgery Dr. Angel Enchev

Blepharoplasty - Facelift surgery

Blepharoplasty may form part of a facelift surgery or may be performed as a separate procedure if the eyelids shows any signs of ptosis.

Blepharoplasty aims at solving the problem of eyelid ptosis, by removing the lower eyelid bags, excess upper eyelid skin or lifting the external canthus by 1-2 mm, giving a youthful appearance to the face and eyes. Wrinkles around the eyes (crow’s feet) sometimess cannot be fully corrected through blepharoplasty. Eyebrow ptosis also cannot be corrected, unless it is combined with a forehead lift. The need for a blepharoplasty is not based on age, but determined by the problems that may occur in the upper or lower eyelids. Eyelid bags may also be present in younger ages, which requires the need of an Eye Lid surgery. The procedure allows for the bags to be removed permanently, while eyelid ptosis may still be present even after the blepharoplasty, but develop in a much slower pace.

View Gallery

USEFUL FACTS ABOUT BLEPHAROPLASTY

Surgical Duration:
45 min - 60 min
Anesthesia:
Local/General/IV
Duration of Hospitalization:
ODC (one-day clinic)
Return to normal activities:
One week
Postoperative care:

Eye drops three times a day
No restriction on face and head washing
Stitches are being removed on the fifth/seventh day after the procedure

Blepharoplasty incisions are placed within the eyelid fold for the upper eyelid and on the edge of the lower lashes for the lower eyelid. These incisions almost never leave a scar and are soon to disappear, but the timeframe varies in each patient. The only case when no incisions are made is on the lower eyelid surgery on young patients without any signs of upper eyelid ptosis, but with an excessive under-eye bags from local fat accumulation. In this case, the incision is made in the inner side of the lower eyelid, through the mucous tissue.

Blepharosplasty can be performed under a local, IV or general anesthesia.. The procedure usually lasts up to 45 to 60 minutes. Upon awakening, the patient might experience a blurred vision due to the ophthalmic ointment applied during the surgery. This condition usually does not last longer than 2-3 hours. The possibility of conjunctivitis is rare, but it can be treated with eye drops (collyrium).

In the first two days, the eyelids do not shut completely at night if the patient has also undergone a forehead lift. In this case, cool chamomile compresses and collyrium should be applied three times a day. The sutures are removed on the fifth to seventh day after the procedure. The bruising disappears within a week, unless if a hematoma delays it for a while. The blepharoplasty incisions are indiscernible after a few weeks. Moisturizers can improve and preserve the results of the procedure. It is also imperative to avoid sun exposure. Most patients may return to their normal activities on the fourth day or after the sutures have been removed, while others may even return to their activities as early as the second day, necessarily wearing sunglasses.

A new and more advanced technique has been developed in blepharosplasty procedures. This involves a type of limited subperiosteal facelift of the middle face. The technique aims at enhancing the cheeks and softening the nasolabial grooves. This procedure is not superior than classical one and is now becoming part of the initial surgery. A temporal lift may also be performed through a small, 1 cm (0.4 in.) incision through the scalp, without burdening the procedure.Also the fat that has been removed from the lower eye lid bags can be used as a filler for the nasolabial folds.