Your eyes are one of your most prominent facial features. They are also one of the first areas to show signs of aging. In Augusta and Fishersville, plastic surgery on the upper and lower eyelids (clinically referred to as blepharoplasty) is very common. These procedures can be performed individually, together, or as part of a complete facelift.
Although many nonsurgical treatments like dermal fillers or BOTOX® Cosmetic can be used to improve the eye area, blepharoplasty surgery can provide a more permanent and likely more dramatic change. That’s because eyelid surgery accomplishes many things that less invasive approaches can’t, including:
- Lifting and tightening the skin.
In most eyelid surgery your plastic surgeon removes excess skin around the eyes while lifting and tightening the eye area. As we age, our skin loses elasticity and starts to droop and sag. Hanging skin on the upper eyelid can make you look tired even when you’re not and creates an aged appearance. Additionally, some people can have so much extra skin that the upper eyelid droops significantly, impairing vision. Surgery is the only way to remove this unwanted skin and create a smoother, younger-looking eye.
- Reducing under eye bags.
Many people are bothered by puffy under eye bags. Under eye bags are usually caused by genetic factors and facial aging. While fillers can sometimes be placed to reduce the look of bags in very early cases, only eyelid surgery fixes the problem, rather than camouflaging it.
During surgery, a small incision is made inside the eyelid. Extra fat is removed and/or repositioned to create a smoother transition between the under eye and cheek. The result is a younger, more refreshed look.
- Shaping the eyes.
Eyelid surgery helps shape the eye line so that it’s more consistent with a youthful appearance. With the help of a qualified plastic surgeon, you should never look “surprised” or overdone. You should also still look like yourself and not like you’ve been operated on. My upper and lower blepharoplasty patients enjoy a natural appearance that helps them look like they did when they were younger.
Combining Eyelid Surgery and Facelift
For those who are looking for complete facial rejuvenation, eyelid surgery can be combined with a facelift. Having these procedures performed together offers many benefits, including:
- Reduced recovery time.
If you have a facelift and eyelid surgery performed separately, you must go through 2 recovery periods. Combining these procedures consolidates your downtime into 1 recovery. This way, you don’t have to take additional time away from work, school, friends, and family.
- Financial benefits.
Combining plastic surgery procedures is actually more cost-effective than having several individual operations. That’s because you only pay once for things like anesthesia fees, facility costs, or surgeon charges, rather than with each surgery.
Correcting vs. Camouflaging
One of the greatest advantages of under eye surgery is that you fix the problem, rather than hide it. While dermal fillers are excellent for restoring lost volume and enhancing facial contours, they cannot permanently change the under eye area like blepharoplasty can.
My clients who choose eyelid surgery enjoy long-lasting results that often eliminate or prolong the need for tear trough fillers. However, fillers can also be used after eyelid surgery to add volume to the cheeks which further enhances a youthful look.
If you are interested in blepharoplasty or think it might be right for you, or if you have a relative who is interested in eyelid surgery and you would like more information, request a consultation by calling (434) 205-9555 (Charlottesville) or (540) 932-5771 (Fishersville) to schedule an appointment.
Leave a Reply