Although eyelids seem like a minor part of the body, they dramatically affect your appearance. Drooping, saggy lids make you appear older than you are and can give you a perpetually tired look. No amount of eye cream can reverse the effects of time and raise sagging eyelids – but a simple blepharoplasty can.
What Is an Eye Lift?
Blepharoplasty is the technical name for the procedure known as an eye lift. A plastic surgeon may perform blepharoplasty on the upper lids, lower lids or both. The plastic surgery procedure removes loose skin, bags, and wrinkles from around the eyes. Blepharoplasty corrects many complaints people have about their eyes, with results typically lasting for around 15 years.
How Does Eye Lift Surgery Work?
The first step in eye lift surgery is a consultation. Your plastic surgeon should ask about what bothers you about your eyes’ appearance and discuss your medical history and current medications. He may also take photos, talk you through the steps of the procedure and give you a realistic idea of the results you can expect. Your doctor can talk to you about eyelid surgery costs and what you can expect your expected blepharoplasty surgery cost to be. Finally, he should give you instructions on how to prepare for your surgery and how to minimize the risks associated with the procedure.
On the day of the procedure, plan to have someone drive you to the surgery center. Your doctor will answer any questions and talk you through the procedure again. He’ll make marks on the lids to use as a guide.
Next, you’ll receive anesthesia. Usually, local anesthesia is adequate for blepharoplasty, but some patients undergo general anesthesia. (Your doctor will talk to you about the options.) Once you’re relaxed and can’t feel pain, the doctor will start the procedure. If you’re having work done on your upper lids, he’ll probably start there. Depending on what you’re having fixed, your doctor may cut away strips of excess skin. He may also remove fatty deposits, reposition fat or tighten the structures under the skin.
Finally, your doctor will close any incisions using sutures or skin glue. The entire procedure typically takes somewhere between one and three hours.
You’ll stay and relax for a little while under observation. Once the doctor determines that you’re healing without complications, you’ll be ready to go home. Your plastic surgeon should give you instructions on postoperative care and what type of pain medications you can take. You should also expect to go in for a follow-up appointment to have the sutures removed and to have your doctor evaluate your recovery.
Often, patients notice bruising, swelling and irritation after blepharoplasty, but those symptoms should disappear after the first two weeks.
Who Needs Eye Plastic Surgery?
Both men and women make good candidates for eye lift surgery. Some people who choose blepharoplasty do so because they’ve noticed that their eyelids have started to droop or sag with age. That’s why the procedure is popular with middle-aged and older patients. However, many patients in their 30s and 40s also choose to have eyelid surgery.
But people of all ages undergo blepharoplasty for different reasons. Younger patients sometimes request the procedure because they have permanent bags under their eyes or because they don’t like the way the outer corners of their eyes droop. Sometimes patients of Asian heritage request blepharoplasty to create a more prominent crease in the eyelid.
And while blepharoplasty can improve the appearance of the eyes, some patients seek out eyelid surgery to improve their sight. Drooping lids and under-eye bags can impair a person’s vision. Blepharoplasty is a low-risk way to correct that impairment.
How Much Is Eyelid Surgery?
Eyelift surgery can dramatically improve your self-esteem and give you a more youthful appearance. For many patients, eyelid surgery cost is worth every penny. It’s essential to feel sure about your decision to undergo blepharoplasty because insurance typically doesn’t cover the procedure unless it’s medically necessary.
Blepharoplasty surgery cost varies from place to place. The exact price of the procedure depends on a variety of factors, including the extent of the work, the type of anesthesia you need and the number of employees involved in your surgery.
Average Cost of Blepharoplasty
The average cosmetic eye surgery cost is around $3,000. That’s just a guide, however. For some people, the procedure costs closer to $2,000. More complicated cases that require extensive work on both the upper and lower lids may cost closer to $5,000 or even higher.
While some clinics may promise to perform the surgery for $1,500 or less, remember inexperienced doctors may do substandard procedures. Paying a reputable plastic surgeon to repair a botched blepharoplasty can cost thousands of dollars and cause unnecessary discomfort and embarrassment.
Your eyes are everything. Trust them to a doctor who has a proven track record of performing successful eye lift surgeries. To learn more or to schedule your consultation, contact Dr. Schusterman’s office at 713-794-0368 or email us today.
Disclaimer: *Individual results are not guaranteed and may vary from person to person.
