Eyelid Surgery Miami (Blepharoplasty): A Comprehensive Guide
The eyes are the window to one’s soul, meant to reflect energy and liveliness. But what if instead of reflecting vitality, they become an expression of fatigue giving you a dull, tired and lifeless look?
Eyes are amongst the first to get struck by the tell-tale signs of aging like fine lines, wrinkles, and loose and sagging skin. How can this be taken cared of? Cosmetic surgeons present a one-word solution to all such questions – blepharoplasty, also known as eyelid surgery Miami.
About Eyelid Surgery Miami
Blepharoplasty, eye bag removal, eyelid surgery, or eyelid lift are all interchangeable terms for a magic bullet in the world of cosmetic procedures and plastic surgeries that holds the power of making your eyelids look neat and crisp as it corrects fat bulges, sets eyebrows at an appropriate level, makes your eyes look spry, and changes how one looks by simply rejuvenating skin around eyes.
The name of the procedure takes its origin from the Greek word ‘blepharon,’ meaning ‘eyelid,’ and ‘plassein,’ meaning ‘to mold.’ Often combined with other procedures like the brow lift or mid-face lift, blepharoplasty surgery Miami plays an extremely positive and a vital role in facial harmony and perception of aging.
Benefits
Some of the advantages of eyelift surgery include:
- Repair of drooping or inverted eyelids, hence facilitating vision clarity
- Tighter and firmer eyelids
- Wrinkle reduction
- Brighter and younger-looking eyes
- Confidence boost
- Rested and youthful appearance
Check out the other cosmetic and functional benefits of blepharoplasty surgery in this nifty guide.
Candidates
The procedure is ideal for people looking to:
- Improve skin redundancy
- Improve eye bag sagging
- Undergo revision blepharoplasty
- Improve tissue prolapse
- Reduce the fullness in lower eye lid due to fat
- Assuage tiredness
- Get rid of fine lines, lax skin and wrinkles
Blepharoplasty surgery gets rid of excess of skin or fat, eventually correcting the droopiness of the eyes. It is indicated for:
- Correction of sagging skin that disturbs the contour of upper eyelids and at times impairs vision as well
- Bags under lower eyelids
- Drooping lower eyelids revealing white part under iris
- Excess fatty deposits giving a look of puffiness in eyes
People often get the aforementioned eye conditions due to a number of factors, which include sun exposure, repetitive facial expressions, smoking, gravity, and even incorrect sleeping postures.
Procedure
The surgery may be performed in an outpatient setting either at the doctor’s office or a day clinic and mostly doesn’t require an overnight stay at the hospital. However, much like rest of the surgeries, eyelift surgery Miami be divided into three stages.
Anesthesia
During consultations, your doctor will decide if you’ll be undergoing general anesthesia or local anesthesia. In the latter, the area operated will be numb but you’d be awake. The effect of local anesthetics may be enhanced using sedatives, either oral or intravenous.
General anesthesia is mostly preferred if the procedure is complicated or accompanied by other cosmetic procedures. Once anesthesia is successfully induced, the surgeon begins making incisions depending on the technique.
Incision
Skin incision is done along the natural creases to reduce scars to a minimum. Common places for giving incisions include the crease of upper eyelid, beneath lashes, and behind the lower eyelid.
The surgeon makes markings on the skin to highlight areas with excess skin or fat that needs to be removed. At times, muscle is also removed.
After incising, the excess tissues are removed using surgical instruments, radiofrequency cutting devices, and sometimes laser eyelid surgery. The muscles are also tightened.
Closure
Incisions are closed using either a surgical tape, removable sutures, or skin adhesives, depending on whatever your surgeon finds appropriate for you.
Eyelid Surgery Types
Depending on your needs and goals, there are several types of eyelid surgery that you can choose from.
Upper Eyelid Blepharoplasty
This is a procedure involving removal of excess skin and subcutaneous fat to get your desired look. This procedure in some cases may be accompanied with a brow lift in order to avoid brow sagging later on.
Upper eyelid surgery is mostly done to improve the function of eyes. It is more common among the elderly who have reduced elasticity in their upper eyelids, leading to drooping and inversion, which make daily activities like reading and watching television difficult.
Asian Upper Eyelid Blepharoplasty
As a subtype of upper eyelid surgery, this procedure is geared specifically for Asian eyes. It aims to create a natural crease in the eyelids, which is not usually present in Asian eyes. It is also sometimes called a double eyelid surgery.
This type is popular among East and Southeast Asians, and it results in the formation of a double crease, deemed attractive by Asians.
Western Upper Eyelid Surgery
On the other hand, Westerners undergoing upper blepharoplasty surgery aim to obtain a smooth eye without an eyelid crease, pretty much like Asian eyes. The removal of skin may not be necessary and the pulling of your eyelids may just do the trick.
Lower Eyelid Blepharoplasty
This involves working on the lower eyelid. Here, the surgeon may have two approaches: transconjuctival and transcutaneous.
Transconjunctival Blepharoplasty
In this procedure, fatty tissues in the lower eyelid are relocated to reduce bagginess. The main aim here is to achieve the ideal curvature of the lower skin. The surgery results in removal of eye bags and dark circles, but it is only ideal for those with elastic skin. Advantages of this technique include:
- Absence of external scar
- Preservation of muscle integrity
- Use of laser eyelid surgery leading to more lasting cosmetic results
- Less post-operative bruising
Transcutaneous Blepharoplasty
As implied by its name, transcutaneous blepharoplasty makes use of skin resectioning. The aim of the surgeon using this approach is not only eye bag removal but also removal of excess skin.
Chemical Blepharoplasty
This is a non-surgical technique used to correct excessive droopiness and dark circles and remove eye bags. Chemical blepharoplasty makes use of chemical agents or fillers that infiltrate the skin. It can also be combined with techniques like Botox. It is indicated for patients with a preference for minimally invasive procedures and those with only mild droopiness of the eyelids and emerging eye bags – usually patients between the age of 18 and 45.
Preparation
While preparing for the surgery, your surgeon will ask about any life threatening chronic medical conditions. Also, make sure your doctor is well informed about any eye-related problem that you may have. People who have eyes prone to dryness should inform their surgeons beforehand as eyelift surgery Miami tends to cause an increase in dryness.
Your very first consultation would allow the surgeon to;
- Assess your general health
- Evaluate presence of co-morbid conditions
- Inquire about past medical and surgical history
- Inquire about current medications or ongoing treatments
- Assess excess skin and fat in the region
- Examine periorbital bony contours
- Conduct a physical examination consisting of a complete ophthalmic check-up
- Discuss the outcome
- Discuss risks and complications
- Keep a photographic record
Communication is the key to successful surgery. Make sure you communicate every bit of concern and expectations to your surgeon. In order to rule out all the possibilities that could hinder the success of the surgery, you would be advised to quit smoking several weeks before surgery as this has a direct impact on recovery and healing. At least two weeks before the operation, you will also be prohibited from taking NSAIDs, herbal medications, or any other drug that directly influences bleeding.
Recovery
Eyelid surgery recovery is as crucial as your surgery time, because carelessness at this point would be a waste of all the time, money, and effort that you invested. Make sure you abide by all the instructions your doctor gives.
It is extremely normal to have bruised eyes or swollen skin around your eyes immediately after the surgery, since both the things will subside with the passage of time. However, bruising can be taken care of by using ice compresses.
Pigmentation is not really a complication as it’s self-limited and should be expected immediately after surgery due to accumulation of the pigment hemosiderin. Avoid sun exposure as it could worsen the case.
Try to avoid excessive motion and facial expressions that exert too much strain on eyes. You should wear sunglasses, as this would protect the sensitive area from ultraviolet light and the accidental touch of your hands. Clean eyelids gently and regularly use the prescribed topical and oral medications. Apply cool compresses as well.
While tearing may resolve spontaneously, expect the area to remain numb for six months. Blepharoplasty may later make your eyes excessively dry, but that shouldn’t be a problem as corneal lubricants take care of it pretty well.
While recovering, avoid smoking, rubbing your eyes, wearing contact lenses for about 2 weeks, straining your eyes, and swimming.
Regular follow up appointments are very important, since that would let the healthcare provider have an idea of how the wound is healing and when the sutures should be removed. Ideally, the sutures are removed between day 7 and day 14.
Risks and Side Effects
You should also expect temporary vision blurring, tearing, light sensitivity, double vision, redness on the site of incision, and pain. All of these usually resolve on their own.
It is important for you to discuss all sorts of complications and risks associated with the procedure you’re about to undergo during the initial consultation. This will not only help you in making your final decision but also mentally prepare you for something you hadn’t even considered.
The eye, being an extremely sensitive organ, is more susceptible to developing complications. In addition to risks associated with other facial and skin procedures, there may be a development of complications with respect to vision as well. Some complications associated with eyelift surgery Miami are:
- Bruising or hematoma, which is severe bruising. It is avoidable if ice compresses are used and meticulous technique is employed.
- Overcorrection, as excision of more than 50% of fat leads to a non-natural look. Overcorrection mostly results when there has been aggressive fat removal. Patients susceptible to this complication are those with deep-set eyes and prominent intra-orbital rims.
- Under correction, which often results in revision blepharoplasty
- Visual loss, which may occur due to an increased pressure from bleeding resulting in optic nerve or retinal damage
- Keratconjuctivitis sicca or dry eyes, which can be taken care of by corneal lubricants. People with dryness symptoms before operation should inform their surgeon.
- Lower lid malposition, which is often associated with the transcutaneous approach
- Diplopia or double vision, which may be a consequence of failing to identify the inferior oblique muscle. This could be temporary or permanent.
- Occulo-cardiac reflex, which is a possibly fatal complication that requires continuous monitoring, as 25% of patients experiencing this complication develop bradycardia (slower heart rate) and arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm) during fat pad dissection.
- Incision irregularities resulting in keloids and cysts
- Eyelid crease abnormalities
- Infection
Eyelid Surgery Cost
Blepharoplasty Miami cost typically ranges from $2,500 to $5,000, depending on the technique used and the expertise of your Miami surgeon. It is actually one of the lowest-priced cosmetic surgeries that you can undergo. Blepharoplasty cost insurance coverage is usually present if the procedure is deemed to be medically necessary, such as when it interferes with your vision.
The kind of surgeon you choose for your eye lift surgery Miami can have a marked effect on the results of your surgery. Hence, availing the services of an n experienced and board-certified surgeon should be your topmost priority. Whether through word of mouth referrals or a previous experience or thorough internet searching, make sure you get the best of the surgeons because this is the single most important reason behind successful surgeries and satisfied clients.
Schedule a Free Consultation with us here on Face + Body Cosmetic Surgery and we will let you speak with one of our highly-experienced surgeons regarding any eyelid surgery Miami concerns that you may have.