For lower eyelid surgery, patients are offered gentle intravenous sedation with our anesthetist, although this procedure can also be comfortably performed with only local anesthetic.
For patients with prominent fat bags of the lower eyelids and only a small amount of excess skin or muscle, the lower eyelid surgery can be performed with no external incisions. Instead, and incision is made on the inner side of the lower eyelid and excess fat is carefully removed. No sutures are required for this approach, and patients are asked to use a topical eye drop for one week to aid healing.
When excess skin and wrinkles are present around the lower eyelid, an external incision approach may be chosen. This incision is made just beneath the lower eyelashes, which easily camouflage it during the healing phase. Through this lower eyelid incision excess skin and muscle, as well as fat, may be removed. The incision is then closed with suture which is removed in approximately one week. Bruising and swelling are slightly more common with lower eyelid surgery, however this generally resolves within one week. Regular activities are resumed within one to two weeks.
Lateral canthoplasty or eyelid tightening is a procedure that is often done concurrent with lower eyelid surgery or blepharoplasty in order to tighten an excessively loose lower eyelid. This procedure aids in restoring a more youthful position of the lower lid in relation to the iris.
Additional ancillary procedures include fat transfer or fat grafting to the lower eyelid region, as well as lower eyelid laser resurfacing or chemical peel, both of which may enhance the results of a lower lid blepharoplasty or lower eyelid lift.
Laser eyelid surgery or laser blepharoplasty is a technique by which the CO2 laser replaces the scalpel for more meticulous incision-making. Plastic surgeons commonly use the laser for this portion of the procedure, thereby reducing bleeding, bruising, and healing time.
Patients often inquire about “crow’s feet” lines or other fine wrinkles or spots around the eyes. These areas can often be improved with a chemical peel or laser resurfacing at the same time as eyelid surgery, or shortly after.
Thin, absorbable sutures placed in the eyelid incisions usually disappear or are removed at one week after eyelid surgery. Patients generally complain of little or no pain with this procedure, and are usually able to return to their routine within several days to one week, depending on the extent surgery.
Some swelling or discoloration is normal with eyelid surgery. This will resolve for the most part within one to two weeks, and can be camouflaged with makeup after several days.
Dave Stringham, the President of LookingYourBest.com offers information on plastic surgery in San Diego, California and plastic surgery procedures such as san diego eyelid lift, brachioplasty, breast augmentation, facelift, and tummy tuck.