Tired eyes can make you look aged and weary. As the skin of your eyelids loses elasticity, your eyelids may become more wrinkled and start to droop over your eyes. Fortunately, there are several cosmetic surgeries that can enhance your eyes and eyelids to make you look younger, more alert, and more energized.
Upper Blepharoplasty
Blepharoplasty, also known as an eyelid lift, is a cosmetic surgery that treats puffy and sagging eyelids. You can have a blepharoplasty to fix your upper eyelids, lower eyelids, or both. An upper blepharoplasty corrects puffiness and wrinkling that can make you look aged, tired, or sad. It is also sometimes used to correct vision issues caused by severely sagging eyelids.
Everyone has different facial features and different cosmetic goals, so no two blepharoplasty procedures will be exactly the same. The surgery is usually performed with local anesthesia and IV sedation, but some patients and doctors prefer general anesthesia.
After you’re sedated and relaxed, your surgeon will make small incisions in the natural creases of your upper eyelids. Then, your surgeon will trim away excess skin and remove excess fat to make the eyelids smaller and tighter. In some cases, the muscles will be repositioned to better support the eyelid. Once your surgeon has made all the necessary changes, they will close the incisions with stitches or surgical glue.
Swelling after a blepharoplasty is normal, but it should gradually go away in two to four weeks. You should notice a difference in your eyes right after the surgery, but the final results won’t be visible until the swelling has subsided. Your eyes should look wider and brighter, and your face should look younger and more alert.
Lower Blepharoplasty
A lower blepharoplasty uses similar techniques to an upper blepharoplasty, but it targets the lower eyelids. As you age, the muscles under your eyes may weaken, which allows fat to build up in the lower lids. This fat buildup combined with puffiness or swelling can create heavy bags that make you look tired or weary. The lower eyelids also have very thin skin, so they’re vulnerable to wrinkles and looseness.
During a lower blepharoplasty, your surgeon will make an incision below the eyelashes. Then, they will remove excess skin, fat, and muscle. Some patients choose to have the excess fat redistributed to the cheeks or to hollow areas under the eyes. After your surgeon finishes rearranging the skin and tissues, they will close the incision. The incision should be well hidden in your lower lash line, so there should be no noticeable scars.
While an upper blepharoplasty tends to make the patient look more relaxed and well-rested, a lower blepharoplasty usually creates a brighter and more energized appearance. Many patients choose to have both procedures performed at once, but you and your doctor can determine the best option after talking about your goals.
Eyebrow Lift
Although a brow lift targets your eyebrows and not your eyes, the surgery can make your eyes look brighter and younger. It’s normal for the brows to droop as you age, but this can make you look tired and dull. If your eyebrows droop too low, they can also cause your eyelids to sag. A brow lift raises up your eyebrow, which can open up your eyes and make your face look younger.
A brow lift is usually performed under general anesthesia, but local anesthesia with IV sedation is sometimes an option. Depending on your goals for the surgery, your doctor will choose one of a few surgical techniques. During a traditional brow lift, your surgeon will make an incision from ear to ear across your hairline. This allows them to directly see the muscles and tissues in your forehead, so they can precisely adjust the muscles to lift your eyebrows up. The scar from a traditional brow lift will be hidden in your hairline.
During an endoscopic brow lift, your surgeon will make several small incisions behind your hairline and insert a thin tube with a camera attached. This will let them see the tissue and muscle underneath the skin without needing to lift the skin up.
The results of the surgery should be noticeable right away. Any sagging or drooping of your eyelids should be lessened or completely gone, and your eyes should look bigger, brighter, and more alert.
Dr. Stephen Weber, MD, FACS is double board-certified in facial plastic surgery and specializes in facial rejuvenation. He performs blepharoplasty, eyelid lifts, and other cosmetic procedures at his practice, Weber Facial Plastic Surgery. After finishing a five year residency for head and neck surgery, he completed a prestigious fellowship in facial plastic surgery at the University of Michigan. As the founder of Weber Facial Plastic Surgery, he has years of experience in private practice.
Image by pexels.com
