Details About The Eyelid Surgery Procedure

This week, weve been focusing on the details of an eye lift, also known as blepharoplasty or eyelid surgery. In previous posts, weve discussed who is a good candidate for eyelid surgery, and what the preparation and recovery involves. Now we would like to go into more detail about the procedure itself.

In general, an eye lift takes about two hours if you are having both the upper and lower lids done. Depending on the surgeon and on your particular case, you may have a local anesthetic combined with a sedative, or intravenous sedation.
The surgical technique used will also vary case to case, and depends on a number of factors, including: the amount of fat surrounding your eyes, the state of the muscles around the eyes, and your eyebrow position in relation to the orbital bone. The technique your surgeon uses will be discussed thoroughly with you during the consultation process.
The surgeon will generally work on the upper lids first, if you are having both the upper and lower lids operated upon. The incision follows the natural contours of your eye, and is usually made in the natural fold of the eyelid. Once the incision is made, the surgeon will gently separate the skin from the tissue underneath, and remove excess skin, fat, and possibly muscle. The surgeon closes the incisions with small sutures, which are generally subtle because they lie in the natural eyelid crease.
There is more variation within the techniques used on the lower eyelids. The surgeon may make a small incision just below the lower lashes, through which he will remove excess tissue and fat. He may also redistribute the fat to combat under-eye puffiness.
Excess fat can also be removed through an incision inside the lower eyelid, which leaves no visible incision after surgery. This method does not allow for the removal of excess skin, but the surgeon can use a laser to tighten the skin and help remove wrinkles, if thats desired.
In fact, laser resurfacing can be used in conjunction with almost any eyelid surgery technique. Its a valuable option for decreasing wrinkles such as crows feet, which may not be affected by the surgery itself (because of placement). Eye lifts can be paired with other procedures or treatments as well, such as forehead lifts, Botox injections, and filler injections.
Of course, each patients individual procedure and outcome will be different. There are a number of factors that will help determine which procedural technique is right for you.
Click here to visit our eyelid surgery page and view an eyelid surgery animation.
If you’re interested in coming into NOVA Plastic Surgery in Virginia for a consultation, call (703) 574-2588 or click here to set up a consultation.