With improving purchasing power of population esthetic surgeries become more and more available service. Although very intense long-lasting procedures under general anesthesia still present rather “luxury goods”.
Smaller operations under local anesthesia are more available. Nevertheless they can in many cases enhance self-confidence of the client and improve life comfort. To such type of procedures belongs very often also correction of eyelids.
Causes of sagging eyelids
There are many inner and outer factors that influence drooping of the eyelids. Bad life-style, smoking, great weight-loss belong to outer factors, the inner factors are genetic predisposition, hormonal defects and also age. The cause of the swollen eyelids and “puffy bags” below eyes are so-called fat prolapses – i.e. fatty bags that push out from the eyes socket through thin membrane right to the area of eyelids.
When to undergo the surgery?
Everyone has to answer individually to this question. One can never find the right time and other is too much in a hurry. In general we can say that the upper lids need to be corrected when the edge of the fold touches or even overlaps upper lashes. The lower lids deserve attention when so-called garlands create from the weakened muscle and the already mentioned fatty bags are visible. The other possibility is when we can make a skin fold between fingers without moving the eyelid.
What does the surgery consist in?
The upper eyelid surgery consists in the removal of excessive skin, sometimes even muscle and the removal of skin prolapses, if they are large. It is usually performed under local anesthesia. The lower eyelid surgery consists mainly in removal of prolapses and in firming of the circular eye muscle. The skin is removed only in very limited amount regarding possible complications after the surgery in case of too radical procedure (see below). The skin incisions are led as least conspicuous as possible – i. e. on the upper lid in the place of its fold downwards, on the lower lid just below the lashes. They are usually led into the mimic wrinkles on the sides. The sutures are usually removed in 5-7 days depending on the surgeon.
Before and after the surgery
The procedure needs no pre-surgical preparations. The client should not have any acute illness (flu, angina, conjunctivitis, etc.) and he/she should have had a consultation with the surgeon before. He/she will ask you about everything important – allergies, diseases, medications, bleeding manifestations, and so on and he/she will recommend the optimal procedure. A calm mode is necessary after the surgery – mainly cooling of the operated areas. It is possible to perform the surgery as an out-patient procedure as well as with one day stay in hospital. Blood bruises around eyelids, swellings and sometimes even irritated conjunctiva can be expected. It should fade out in 10-14 days, although final effect of the surgery can be expected after approximately half a year.
What are the complications of the procedure?
Like every surgical procedure even this one has a whole range of risks. Those are general and specific risks that result from operated area. The general risks are for example bleeding, inflammation, ugly scars. The specific risks are especially the possibility of so-called ectropy of lower eyelid creation. It is not nice looking “separation” of too shortened or strongly scarred lid from the eyeball. In case of bleeding into the area of eye socket even the whole eye can be endangered. Such complication is luckily only absolutely rare.
Who should perform the surgery?
Certainly a plastic surgeon or an ophthalmologist with great surgical experiences. Only a specialist with full education in the field (specialized certification) is able to objectively evaluate the suitability of the surgery and all the risks and to act eruditely in case of some complications. Don’t be shy to ask your surgeon on his/her specialization, qualification and experiences with facial surgery. The selection of the surgeon only by price could be a big fault.