BLÉPHAROPLASTY, EYELID SURGERY
The purpose of cosmetic surgery to restore radiance and youth – for the eyes it’s called “blepharoplasty”. This procedure consists of correcting the signs of aging present in the eyelids. What signs? For the upper eyelids, it is the excess skin that forms a fold making them appear heavy, and droopy.
Do not change the eyes!
For a surgeon, the golden rule to respect in this type of intervention is to not modify the person’s eyes or their “look”, which is an essential element of their personality. Give the face a refreshed “look”, yes; give it a different “look”, no. Because this procedure gives such spectacular results, it must be conducted with the greatest precision and care and in total accordance with the patient.
During the preliminary consultation, the patient is seated in front of a mirror so that the observation of the face is done in concurrence with the doctor, so that the nature of the intervention and the desired results are decided together and as objectively as possible. During this preoperative assessment, we analyze the texture of the eyelid skin, it’s possible excess, its pigmentation, the position of the eyeball in the socket, the vigor of the orbicularis muscle, (the one that allows us to close our eyes) the size and precise location of fat deposits, etc. We take photos when the face is at rest and when smiling. They will be used to precisely prepare the localization of fat deposits or skin masses to be removed. The procedure may involve the upper eyelids, the lower eyelids or both.
Lasting results
Before the procedure, we perform an examination of the eyes and eyelids, to detect any anomalies that may lead to complications. An ophthalmological examination may also be required to detect any ocular pathologies. Local or potentialized anesthesia is administered. The intervention is then carried out through a series of steps common to all practitioners. Some surgeons adopt techniques of their own, that they adapt depending on the needs of their patients and many technical refinements can be made. The most delicate part of a blepharoplasty is to accurately assess the size of the skin strip to be removed. From an aesthetic point of view, the risk is that if you remove too much, you can deform the eye, giving what is called a round eye. There is another risk, this time of a medical nature, that the inner section of the lower eyelid is drawn too tight and an ectropion appears (an eye that pulls and tears constantly). Another issue is if too much skin is withdrawn, we can lose brightness in the eyes which is the opposite of what is sought after by this procedure.
Skin incisions are made. For the upper eyelids, they are hidden in the groove located in the middle of the eyelids, that is to say between the mobile part of the eyelid and its stationary, attached part. For the lower eyelids, the incision is placed 1 mm under the eyelashes and can extend a little beyond. The outline of these incisions corresponds to the location of future scars: they will be hidden in the natural folds of the eyelid. For me, the golden rule is to avoid the removal of lower eyelid skin and intern focus on the removal of fat deposits transconjunctivally using a laser and suction devices.
From these incisions, the unsightly fat deposits are removed and the excess skin and weakened muscle tissues are illuminated. The stitching is performed with very fine threads, most of the time non-dissolvable that should be removed between three and five days post-op. For a few days after the operation, swelling and some bruising are visible around the eyes but usually disappears after one week. Sometimes, blepharoplasty is complemented by a brow lift that raises the tail end of the eyebrows towards the temple.
The final results appear fully three to six months after the procedure once the tissues have regained their full flexibility. Secondly, the benefits are particularly sustainable, among the most durable of all cosmetic surgery procedures. Once removed, the “bags under the eyes” do not return because the fat in them is not related to fluctuations to the patient’s weight. This type of surgery is satisfying for both the surgeon and the patient because the rejuvenating effects and the beautification is immediate in the vast majority of cases.
The treatment of dark circles
The treatment of dark circles usually requires a combination of several procedures: a hyaluronic acid injection, that helps fill in the sunken areas and treat wrinkles around the eyes, injections of fat into the under-eye circles in very small quantities make it possible to correct the sunken areas, and the use of lasers make it possible to remove or reduce the color of the dark patches as well as some depigmenting chemical peels.
