As you age, your skin starts to lose its natural elasticity. While this can affect all the skin covering your body, one of the places you might notice it first is on your face.
Loss of facial skin elasticity can lead to sagging skin, the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, and make skin appear crinkled or leathery. It can affect the delicate skin on your eyelids, causing it to droop as well as creating puffiness in your lower eyelids.
It can be hard to know what is causing eyelid drooping. That’s why it’s important to see a professional to get an accurate diagnosis and understand your best options for treatment.
If your drooping eyelids are caused by excess fat and skin, your eye doctor may recommend blepharoplasty. Keep reading to learn eight signs you should consider blepharoplasty!
What is Blepharoplasty?
With blepharoplasty, you can reverse the signs of aging and restore vision affected eyelid drooping due to excess fat and skin. Blepharoplasty, also called an eyelid lift, is a procedure that removes excess skin and fat deposits, improving the appearance of your eyelids.
A blepharoplasty procedure can be performed on the upper eyelid, lower eyelid, or both. While it is usually considered an elective cosmetic surgery, it can be a necessary medical treatment for certain people.
An upper eyelid blepharoplasty addresses the drooping skin that may be affecting the look of your eyes or impairing your vision. During this blepharoplasty procedure, sagging skin and excess fat deposits are removed.
A lower eyelid blepharoplasty improves the appearance of bulging or puffy skin below the lower lash line. By tightening this skin and removing unwanted fat deposits, it can reduce under-eye bags.
What Happens During a Blepharoplasty?
Blepharoplasty is generally an outpatient procedure performed by an eye surgeon. In some cases, it can be combined with other cosmetic procedures, including a brow lift or skin resurfacing.
During the procedure, the oculoplastic surgeon makes strategically placed incisions along the creases of your eyelids. They then remove excess skin and fat to restore your eyes’ youthful appearance.
To complete the procedure, your oculoplastic surgeon closes the incisions with tiny sutures. The placement of the incisions and the minute size of the sutures reduce the appearance of any scarring caused by the procedure.
Following the procedure, blepharoplasty patients should rest as much as possible and avoid strenuous activity. This helps prevent any post-surgery complications and promotes healing.
Blepharoplasty swelling or bruising can take a few weeks to subside. The procedure’s youth-restoring full results are typically seen in about four weeks.
How Do I Know If I Should Consider Blepharoplasty?
If you are unhappy with the appearance of your eyes and eyelids, here are eight signs that may be an indication that you should consider blepharoplasty:
1. Your Eyelids are Droopy
Droopy eyelids can add years to the appearance of your face and give you a tired look. A blepharoplasty procedure removes excess skin from the eyelids, lifting and rejuvenating their appearance.
2. You Have Excess Skin on Your Upper Eyelids
Excess skin on your upper eyelids can be unsightly and add unwanted years to your eye area. Removing excess skin opens up your eyes and refreshes your appearance.
3. Your Lower Eyelids Are Puffy
Lower eyelid bags or puffiness often develop due to aging and can make your eyes appear smaller and narrower. Blepharoplasty addresses this condition by removing or repositioning fat deposits and tightening the skin under your eyes.
4. You Look Tired All The Time
Sagging upper and lower eyelids can make you look constantly worn down and exhausted. A blepharoplasty can rejuvenate the appearance of your eyes by reducing puffiness and getting rid of sagging skin.
5. You Find it Challenging to Apply Makeup
Excess skin around your eyes can make it challenging to apply makeup evenly and achieve your desired look. Tightening the skin around your eyes can provide a smoother canvas for makeup application.
6. Your Vision is Obstructed
Sagging upper eyelids can obstruct your central or peripheral vision and make it challenging to keep your eyes fully open. In some cases, blepharoplasty can restore a full range of vision, allowing you to see clearly in all directions.
7. You Feel Self-Consciousness
Sagging, drooping eyelids can make you feel self-conscious about the appearance of your eyelids. An eyelid lift helps restore your confidence in your appearance and can boost your overall self-esteem.
8. You Want a More Youthful Appearance
Many people opt for blepharoplasty simply to look more youthful and vibrant. A blepharoplasty can help you look as young as you feel!
In some cases, a brow lift may be recommended instead of blepharoplasty, depending on the root cause of your symptoms. Sometimes, a brow lift can be combined with a blepharoplasty to achieve the best aesthetic outcome and address both sagging eyebrows and excess eyelid skin simultaneously.
Your surgeon will assess your individual needs and recommend the most appropriate procedure or combination of procedures to rejuvenate your upper face and restore a more youthful, refreshed appearance. Additionally, skin resurfacing techniques, such as laser resurfacing or chemical peels, can be performed in conjunction with blepharoplasty or a brow lift to improve skin texture, reduce fine lines, and further enhance your results.
Do you want to learn if you might be a good candidate for blepharoplasty? Schedule an appointment at Northeastern Eye Institute in Scranton or Forty Fort, PA, today!