What is it?
The main function of the eyelids is protecting the eye from external agents (excessive light, foreign bodies, etc.) and distributing tears on the eyeball. But we should not forget that they also play a key role in facial expressions and aesthetics. Over time, the tissues around the eye age, the skin becomes loose and tends to fall, giving our look a sad and tired appearance.
Blepharoplasty is the surgery which corrects the excess skin and bags on both the upper and the lower eyelids. With this surgery we achieve rejuvenating ones look.
Symptoms
Youth is characterized by a clean, smooth, direct and vivid look. This clarity of the gaze is lost over the passage of time, by the overgrowth of skin on the upper eyelids, or the appearance of thick “bags” on the lower eyelids, or wrinkles such as crow’s feet, which obscure and sadden the look’s expression. In some cases, excess skin is so abundant that it can compromise a person’s vision. This natural process can be accelerated by hereditary factors, stress, sleep disorders, skin diseases, or excessive sun exposure.
Treatment
It is an outpatient surgical procedure that is performed under local anesthesia and sedation. The upper blepharoplasty is performed through a small incision along the crease of the eyelid, in order to avoid scarring. In the lower lid, if a large amount of excess skin is present, an external incision is also performed following the natural lines just below the lashes; but instead, if the patient reports “bags” but without excess skin, an internal incision is made through the conjunctiva without a surgical scar.
During the first few days after surgery, there may be some degree of inflammation. If we proceed during the first week of surgery with a few sessions of the Vodder method lymphatic drainage, we help eliminate the accumulation of fluid, thereby shortening the postoperative and favoring a speedy recovery.
Within two weeks the patient can resume normal life, and within three months a definite final result can me perceived.
Prevention
Currently we achieve excellent cosmetic results with blepharoplasty, cosmetic eyelid surgery, and the application of botulinum toxin to enhance expression and periocular wrinkles. However, the results could be optimized previously improving skin texture, aged by the passing of time. In the Barraquer Ophthalmology Centre we offer a latest generation procedure: the radio frequency Thermage CPT System. This is a non-surgical technology designed to tighten skin in a non-invasive and customized way, achieving results in one session; the results present a rejuvenated look. After treatment, which can be performed at any time of year and in any skin type or color, we can continue or daily routine without alterations.
DOCTORS
1. Professor Federico Hernández Alfaro
2. Dr. JAVIER DE BENITO (INSTITUTE OF BENITO)