Blepharoplasty
The eyes are the window to the soul and keeping a youthful appearance can be an important part of keeping that soul feeling young. Droopy eyelids or having bags under the eyes creates a heaviness and older appearance. A blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery, is a procedure that removes this excess tissue and fat from the upper and/or lower eyelids to create a more youthful appearance.
Many patients have bulging areas or eyelid bags in their upper and/or lower eyelids which is fat from around the eye that is pushing outwards. This fat can be removed, trimmed, or repositioned to help rejuvenate the eyes and its surrounding area. For the upper eyelid, the excess skin is removed and sutured together with fine sutures. For the lower eyelid, skin removal may or may not be required.
For the upper blepharoplasty, the incisions are hidden within an eyelid crease so that it becomes virtually imperceptible. For the lower blepharoplasty, the incision can be placed on the inside of the eyelid so there are no external incisions in the skin, just underneath the lower eyelid eyelashes, or within a wrinkle in the lower eyelid skin. Which approach is used will depend on several patient factors that are determined at your consultation.
Additional Information
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Depending on your comfort level, both options are available to you. For awake blepharoplasty, a mild sedative can be taken along with a topical and local anesthetic that is injected into the area so there is no sensation for the surgery and is relatively pain/stress free.
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After surgery, there will be swelling and bruising that can last for several days. The sutures will be removed at 5-7 days after which you will be instructed to begin gentle scar massage. You may have dry or scratchy eyes for several days after surgery and will be given eye drops to help with this. Heavy lifting and strenuous activities should be held off for 2-3 weeks after surgery.
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You’ll be able to wear both make-up and contacts at 2 weeks after the procedure. It is not recommended to do so prior to that as this would increase your risk of infection.
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The cost of an upper blepharoplasty ranges from $3000-$4000, not including OR, implant or anesthesia fees.
The cost of a lower blepharoplasty ranges from $3000-$4000, not including OR, implant or anesthesia fees.
Interested? Find out what’s next!
If you are interested in having a blepharoplasty and you reside in or near Washington, DC, or you are planning to visit this area, call Dr. Maiorino's office to schedule an initial consultation, or CLICK HERE to schedule now!
