Blepharoplasty

A Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) involves the removal or manipulation of the skin, fat, and or muscle of the eyelids to give a more youthful appearance to the eyes. The most common changes that occur in eyelids over time, is the development of excess skin and the protrusion of fat to create a “puffy” appearance. This aging process is usually hereditary but can be affected by sun exposure, allergies, and hormonal imbalances. The brow position also plays an integral part of the eyelid appearance and sometimes requires attention to achieve the best possible result.

Introduction to Eyelid Surgery

It is common for men and women alike to develop extra skin and fat surrounding their eyes. If you are genetically predisposed to having overhanging brows or extra fat under your eyes, you may be even worse off as you age. That extra tissue gives you a chronically tired, puffy appearance, even when you are at your most alert.

Cosmetics are certainly not the only reason for having something done about your sagging eyelids and brows. Extra skin hanging over your eyes can often impair your vision, especially your peripheral vision.

One option to reversing the aging process in your tricky under-eye areas is a procedure called a blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery. It involves the removal of extraneous skin or fat surrounding the eyelids. It effectively opens up your eyes to give your face a more youthful, awake, and refreshed appearance. It will also effectively reverse any hindrance to your peripheral vision.

Brow Lifts and Blepharoplasties

Often, a brow lift is recommended by Dr. Shapiro in combination with eyelid surgery. The eyebrows and forehead play a large part in how much extra skin is sagging over your eyes, so simply removing fat and skin in the eyelids may not be enough to give you the results you desire. In a brow lift, extra skin can be lifted and manipulated into relaxing, which will keep it from falling heavily over your eyes.

Considering a brow lift along with eyelid surgery ensures that you get the best result possible from your time with Dr. Shapiro a Scottsdale Blepharoplasty surgeon.

Upper Eyelids

The upper eyelids are treated during an upper blepharoplasty.

This minimally invasive procedure is performed through a small incision made along the outside of the upper eyelid. A small amount of fat and excess skin will be removed from this area. Scarring after the surgery is very minimal and inconspicuously hidden in the crease of the eyelid.

The upper eyelid surgery is a time-proven, reliable surgery that results in a crisp upper eyelid – no more puffiness in photographs! Your peripheral vision will no longer be impaired, and your eyelashes will be exposed and appreciated while simultaneously lighting up your eyes.

Lower Eyelids

The lower eyelids are treated during a lower blepharoplasty.

There are several different approaches that may be taken to your individual lower eyelid surgery, all depending on the reasons your eyes look puffy.

If the cause of puffiness is extra fat, but not excess skin or wrinkling, a transconjunctival blepharoplasty can be performed. This is a minimally invasive procedure that has absolutely no external scarring. The treatment is performed on the interior of the eyelid and removes fat only, not skin or muscle.

If the cause of puffiness is moderate wrinkling and excess skin, the condition can be treated with skin resurfacing, chemical peels, or a laser to smooth out the area. Please visit the area of our website dedicated to the Paradise Valley Skin Klinic for more information on these techniques.

Patients with severe puffiness due to fat, excess skin, and wrinkling will undergo a standard lower eyelid surgery. Similar to the upper eyelid surgery, an incision will be made along the lower eyelashes where extra skin and fat will be removed. Dr. Shapiro of Scottsdale may elect to use a canthopexy, which supports the lower eyelid. This keeps damages from occurring, and is less invasive than completely detaching the tendon from the orbital bone.

Secondary Surgery

Patients that have very obvious aging in their faces can appear gaunt and skeletal. The same appearance can also occur in those who have had too much fat removed in a previous lower eyelid surgery.

Dr. Shapiro a Scottsdale plastic surgeon can easily treat this gaunt appearance with soft tissue fillers or a face lift surgery that lifts fat tissues from the cheeks into the under-eye region. This results in a fuller appearance of the lower lid and upper cheek, rather than a hollowed, skeletal appearance.