Blepharoplasty is often done as an elective surgery for cosmetic reasons. When an advanced amount of upper eyelid skin is present, the skin may protrude over the eyelashes and causes lateral hooding of the eyelid and / or a loss of peripheral vision. This causes an aged appearance and sometimes affects the outer and upper parts of the visual field. In this circumstance, upper eyelid blepharoplasty is performed to restore the natural younger appearance of the eyelid and to improve peripheral vision.
Lower eyelid blepharoplasty is done to improve puffy lower eyelid “bags” and reduce the wrinkling of skin.
Asian blepharoplasty or double eyelid surgery is a special type of blepharoplasty that creates a crease in the upper eyelid. This “supratarsal fold” is common in many races but absent in about half of Asians. Surgery can artificially create this crease and make a ‘single-lidded’ patient appear ‘double-lidded’. It is the most popular form of cosmetic surgery among those of East Asian background.
Blepharoplasty is usually performed through external incisions made along the natural skin lines of the eyelids, such as the creases of the upper lids and below the lashes of the lower lids. Incisions may be made from the inside surface of the lower eyelid (transconjunctival blepharoplasty); this allows removal of lower eyelid fat without an externally-visible scar, but does not allow excess skin to be removed. External skin resurfacing with a chemical peel or laser may be performed simultaneously. This allows the skin surface to be addressed for wrinkling.
The operation typically takes one to three hours to complete. Initial swelling and bruising resolve in one to two weeks but at least several months are needed until the final result becomes stable.
The anatomy of the eyelids, skin quality, age, and the adjacent tissue all affect the cosmetic and functional outcomes. Factors which are known to cause complications include:
- dry eyes – which may become exacerbated by disrupting the natural tear film
- laxity (looseness) of the lower lid margin (edge) – which predisposes to lower lid malposition
- prominence of the eye in relation to the malar (cheek) complex – which predisposes to lower lid malposition
Infrabrow excision blepharoplasty 切眉 is a periorbital rejuvenation surgery. It addresses the shortcomings of the conventional blepharoplasty operation. The technique is widely used by many Japanese, Korean and Chinese plastic surgeons. The idea rests on alleviation of the lid redundancy through excision of infrabrow skin, subcutaneous tissue, and orbital orbicularis as opposed to that of the upper lid or the suprabrow area. This is followed by layer-by-layer approximation of the structures with no undermining. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia. Skin sutures are either absorbable or are removed on in one week.
As a board-certified, fellowship trained oculoplastic surgeon with extensive training and experience, Dr. Selena Fu customizes each treatment to reflect each patient’s unique anatomy, skin condition, aesthetic concerns and lifestyle— an approach that consistently delivers excellent results for her patients.
Call for a personal consultation today, Dr. Fu will discuss the surgical and non-surgical options that will provide your best possible outcome. Insurance may cover all or a portion of reconstructive eyelid surgeries.