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• Blepharoplasty FAQs

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Blepharoplasty FAQs

What is blepharoplasty?

Blepharoplasty is eyelid surgery - plastic surgery performed on an eyelid, usually to remove excess fat and skin to give the eyes a wider, more youthful and alert look. It doesn't correct crows' feet, fine lines or sun damage, nor can it restore lost elasticity of the skin.

What causes eyelids to get droopy?

Droopy eyelids (eyelid ptosis) are often a result of aging. Tissue around the eye becomes weaker as we age, and this allows fat to protrude forward, looking droopy (called fatty prolapse). As it continues to bulge, it stretches the skin, forming "bags" and contributing to dark circles under the eyes. Ptosis also happens to the eyebrows. The brow attachments to the underlying tissues loosen, the brows droop and the upper eyelid is pushed down and appears droopy.

If the droopiness is caused by excess fat and skin, it can be corrected by removal of that excess. If it's caused by weakened muscles, it can be corrected by a procedure which tightens or re-attaches the muscle.

How is blepharoplasty done?

On the upper lid, a small incision is made in the natural crease of the upper eyelid, and excess fat and skin are removed. These little incisions heal well, leaving virtually no visible scar.

On the lower lid, the fat is removed through an incision just inside the lower eyelid and any extra skin is removed by an incision just below the lash line. Wrinkles below the eye can be smoothed out by removing skin or a chemical peel or laser treatment can resurface and rejuvenate the remaining skin.

Again, this lower incision heals up easily and the scar is usually minimally detectable.

Is blepharoplasty eyelid surgery done in a hospital?

No, blepharoplasty eyelid surgery is usually done in our accredited in-office surgery facility. If Dr. Greenberg deems it necessary for medical reasons or if you prefer, the surgery can be done at Winter Park Hospital immediately adjacent to our office.

How long does blepharoplasty take?

Not counting the preparation and recovery time afterwards, it takes about 1 to 1.5 hours.

What sort of anesthetic is used for a blepharoplasty?

It is usually done under intravenous sedation or general anesthesia.

Will there be any scars after blepharoplasty eyelid surgery?

Any time there are incisions, there will be scars. Their visibility largely depends how each individual patient heals which, unfortunately, is not something you or Dr. Greenberg can control.

For eyelid surgery, the incisions are very small and are usually placed in the natural creases of the upper and lower eyelids. This means that when they're fully healed, in a few months, they should be barely visible because the scar will lie within a natural skin crease.

Will blepharoplasty get rid of dark circles under your eyes?

If the cause of the dark circles are the bags under the eyes, then this will be corrected by the surgery. If there are other reasons for the circles (such as true darkening of the skin), Dr. Greenberg may recommend additional treatment to correct this.

How long is the recovery period after blepharoplasty?

Stitches are usually removed within 3 to 5 days. Most patients are able to return to work after one week and resume strenuous activities (including exercise) after 3 weeks.

Are the blepharoplasty results permanent?

The fat that has been removed will not recur but the process that caused its visibility (sun damage, aging and thinning of skin, genetic predisposition to this problem) will continue. In general, the results are long lasting but may need to be repeated in the future depending on what things look like and how you feel about it.

 

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