What is eyelid surgery?

Blepharoplasty is a surgical procedure which involves the removal of excess skin and fat surrounding the eyes. Essentially, by implementing this procedure, a plastic surgeon can repair and correct the area of the eye where the skin is extremely thin, and the first ageing signs can be noticed. Blepharoplasty can also help people who have dark circles and can improve vision.

Who is a good candidate for this kind of surgery?

In general, anyone can choose blepharoplasty as a solution in case they have a droopy eyelid. Another suitable candidate for this surgery could be someone whose eyelid looks weak, especially when vision is negatively affected due to an extremely droopy upper lid. It has also been noticed that after the repair of a droopy eyelid, women who used to find it difficult to apply make-up on their eyes, have shown to have a brighter and more relaxed look.

What is the procedure?

A blepharoplasty can be done under a local anaesthetic on the eyelid and it usually lasts between one to one and a half hours. A very important benefit of this surgery is the fact that the patient can leave and go home right after the surgery is finished. It is expected to notice some swelling around the area of the eyelid on the day of the surgery and within the following 5 days. During the recovery period, the patient needs to take care of the eyelid area using ice packs in order to reduce bruising and swelling.

In recent years, another method has been promoted for the correction of the eyelids, the so-called non-surgical blepharoplasty. This method follows the procedure of removing excess skin without any bleeding. However, a scientific study has not been published regarding this method yet. Therefore, patients should be considerably cautious with this one.

What can’t be repaired with blepharoplasty

Wrinkles and ageing scars around the eyes (goose’s feet) as well as saggy eyebrows. To repair this, blepharoplasty should be combined with other kinds of surgical procedures such as lifting and other techniques that can be recommended by your plastic surgeon.