EYE LIFT

If your eyes appear persistently tired due to fleshy, sagging or excess eyelid skin and fat, there’s a surgical fix: the eye lift, or blepharoplasty. It’s important to note that an eye lift, performed by itself, may not eliminate issues like crow’s feet and dark circles. However, it can help you dramatically battle against drooping eyes. The procedure aims to do the heavy lifting that creams and serums cannot.

The tone and shape of your lids gradually – and inevitably – changes over time with age, and puffy or lax skin can add years to your appearance. So can bulging fat and lax muscle, both of which can obstruct your vision and make it difficult to wear contact lenses or apply makeup. If this is the case, insurance may help cover your eye lift surgery. And more great news: eyelids heal quickly and the scars are virtually invisible, hidden in the folds of the skin.

An eye lift is used to treat patients concerned with:

• Fatty or fleshy skin that hangs over the upper eyes, especially if it obstructs their vision

• Pads of fat that protrude underneath the eyes resulting in puffy bags under the eyes and fatigued appearance

What To Expect

An eye lift is an outpatient procedure, which means you’ll be home the same day (the only time you would need an overnight hospital stay is if you ambitiously plan to have several complex surgical procedures at the same time. If this is the case for you, make sure to plan your travel in the Bay Area accordingly). As for pain, Dr. Kirman will inject numbing medication into your eyelids and prescribe medication to help you relax.

Before

You shouldn’t expect to have any cocktails or alcohol about a week before your operation and you won’t be allowed to eat or drink anything eight hours before surgery. You will be tired and groggy from the general anesthetic and, since it will not be safe for you to drive, you’ll need your family and friends by your side for at-home nursing assistance once you leave our facility in Walnut Creek, CA.

During

If you have surgery on both your upper and lower eyelids, Dr. Kirman will work on your upper lids first. During an upper blepharoplasty, excess skin and fat are removed through a small incision that’s stealthily hidden in the natural folds of the eyelid. If the lid is beginning to droop, the muscle that raises the upper lid can actually be tightened to correct this. The incision is closed with sutures. During a lower blepharoplasty, fat in the lower eyelids is removed or repositioned through a small incision at the lashline that will essentially be hidden under your eyelashes. Upper and lower blepharoplasties are often performed together, and can be masterfully combined to achieve desired results through a combination of other treatments such as an eyebrow or forehead lift, face lift or neck lift.

After

Immediately after your eye lift, your eye area will be wrapped in tiny sterile bandages and you’ll be given an ointment, and some eye drops, to prevent dryness of the eye. Swelling and bruising are perfectly normal and cold compresses will greatly benefit you in the days to follow. Medication will be prescribed to help you manage any discomfort. Permanent stitches will be removed in three to five days after surgery. Self-absorbing stitches will dissolve on their own.

Things To Consider

• Dr. Kirman will evaluate you for possible surgical risk factors to eliminate complications. This includes dry eye, diabetes and thyroid eye disease.

• Smokers are at increased risk of surgical complications because they heal more slowly. You’ll need to quit a few weeks prior if you decide to undergo an eye lift.

• It’s worth noting that people of Asian descent may have different goals for their look than other ethnic groups because of the unique shape of their eyes. Your surgical technique can simply be adjusted to create the look you desire. 

FAQS

Q. Will it hurt?

A. Any pain from an eye lift will be tolerable. It’s nothing the right medication can’t treat. Dr. Kirman will make sure you’re comfortable.

Q. How long does an eye lift take?

A. Usually about one to three hours.

Q. How long will my results last?

A. Upper eyelid surgery can last you a solid five to ten years. Lower eyelid surgery rarely needs to be repeated. Of course, you should expect your eyes to age as usual after you’ve had the procedure. You’ll look exponentially improved for at least a decade, but there’s no cheating Mother Nature long-term.

Q. What’s the recovery time?

A. Between four and six weeks for all swelling to completely go away.