Being that the eyes are one of the first parts of the face to show the signs of aging, many people consider the various ways they can nurture this area. While good sun care habits can slow the onset of signs of aging like thinning skin and fine lines, there comes a point at which corrective care is needed. Often, this involves blepharoplasty.
Blepharoplasty has been one of the leading cosmetic plastic surgery procedures for the past several years. Due to its prevalence, there may be a misconception that blepharoplasty alone can fix all of the woes that one has regarding their eyes. When it comes to being satisfied with the outcome of plastic surgery, expectations are critically important. To help you manage the expectations you have about eyelid rejuvenation, we discuss what blepharoplasty can and cannot achieve.
What is Blepharoplasty?
Blepharoplasty is eyelid surgery that may be performed to improve the appearance or function of the upper or lower eyelids. The technique performed for functional blepharoplasty is the same as cosmetic blepharoplasty, but the goals are different. Functional blepharoplasty is necessary to correct tissue that is hanging into the field of vision, where cosmetic eyelid rejuvenation is generally performed to make the eyes look younger.
What Blepharoplasty Can Do
Cosmetic blepharoplasty trims away excess skin and superficial tissue to smooth the upper or lower eyelids. Repositioning fat pads and tightening overlying tissue can eliminate or greatly improve bags, hooding, and a tired appearance. Eyelid rejuvenation can restore the appearance of the upper eyelid crease so makeup can be more easily applied. In general, patients tend to feel as if their whole face looks younger after getting cosmetic blepharoplasty.
What Blepharoplasty Cannot Do
The removal of sagging eyelid skin and undereye puffiness can do a lot to refresh the face. This is the goal of blepharoplasty. What this technique is not intended for is the following:
- Ptosis repair. Ptosis is a muscular condition that affects the upper eyelid, usually on only one eye. When a person has ptosis, the eyelid sits lower over the eye, making the eye appear partially closed. This happens due to the malformation of the levator muscle that is responsible for lifting and lowering the eyelids. Ptosis repair involves the correction of the levator muscle.
- Dark circles around the eyes. There are several reasons that dark circles might develop, only some of which may be helped with blepharoplasty. If patients have both sagging skin and dark circles, blepharoplasty may be followed-up with dermal filler treatment to add adequate volume to areas of shading. Adding volume changes the way that light reflects off the skin, reducing darkness.
The end of the year can be a great time to address cosmetic concerns. Let us help you ring in the New Year right. Call (352) 237-8400 to schedule your blepharoplasty consultation in our Ocala, FL office.