Upper Blepharoplasty (upper eyelid surgery)

Beverly Hills Upper Lid Blepharoplasty - Los Angeles Eyelid Surgery Procedure

A blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) can involve either the upper, lower eyelids or both, and is meant to make the eyes look more refreshed. 

Clients who come in say that they have “tired looking eyes.”  They feel that no matter how much sleep they get, they still wake up looking tired.  It can get bothersome when people keep saying you look tired when you are not.  Drooping upper eyelid skin and bags under the eyes are the main causes of this.  Fortunately, something can be done about it to achieve a natural, refreshed look.

We’ll start with the upper eyelids.  As we age, the skin around the eyes is not that much different from the skin in the face.  It gets less elastic, stretches, and ultimately sags.  In some people, the sagging of the upper eyelid skin is so significant that it can cause problems with vision, especially in the upper outer corners of the eyes.  It is a very common problem and can affect people in their 40s and beyond.  The age is not as important because it can happen sooner as well.  Typically, these changes are genetic.  If your parents had tired looking eyes, then you will most likely have them as well.

When you come in for a consultation, a very thorough exam will be done for you. It is important to distinguish between what is upper eyelid drooping (ptosis) from what is extra skin. You can look in the mirror and see where the upper edge of the eyelid (where the eyelashes are) rest. If they come down to cover the colored part of your eye (iris), it could mean that you have ptosis, which can be covered by medical insurances. If there is extra skin, you can usually see it on the outsides of the eyelids. Also, if you notice that your eyeliner smears when you put it on, it could be because there is extra skin coming into contact with the eyeliner. This is another good indicator of whether there is extra skin versus droopiness. The consultation is free and you can be evaluated to be sure that the right procedure is recommended for you.

Upper eyelid surgery is a relatively quick procedure that can be done either under local anesthesia or under twilight anesthesia. Twilight anesthesia is when you are a little more groggy, but still will not feel any pain. Even with local anesthesia, there is no pain involved. The choice of anesthesia is up to the client. Some clients are little more anxious than others so that they would rather be out of it when having surgery. Before you go into the procedure room, your eyelids are measured, the amount of skin that needs to be removed is measured and marked out. This is done in the sitting up position. After that, you are lead to the room and made comfortable. A local anesthetic is placed in the upper eyelids for maximum comfort. The extra skin is removed and the skin is stitched back together. The stitches stay in place for 4-5 days until they are removed. The incisions hide really well within the natural creases of the eyelid so no one will be able to tell you had any surgery done. In fact, the incision hides so well, that most plastic surgeons won’t be able to tell you had anything done.

The results are nothing short of fantastic. People love their new eyes and are told that they look refreshed, as if they just came back from a long vacation. You should look as young as you feel and with an active lifestyle and the pace of life in Los Angeles, you can look refreshed in about an hour.