Eyelid Surgery
The eyes are an incredibly important facial feature. When we approach someone, the first thing we do is make eye contact. If a person has excess upper eyelid skin or puffiness of the lower eyelids, they can be misinterpreted as tired, angry, or sad. Our Washington DC eyelid surgery, also known as blepharoplasty, typically addresses three components: Excess skin, Protruding fat, and Lax muscle tone.
Types of Eyelid Surgery
- Upper lids: Removing excess skin and fat while redefining the fold above the lashes creates a more youthful, rested appearance.
- Lower lids: There may be extra skin, puffiness due to protruding fat, and decreased tone of the lower eyelid. In the past, surgeons were aggressive with fat removal, generating a flat lower eyelid, but accentuating the bony orbital rim. This made the patient appear less tired, but also gaunt and less youthful. The goal today is to preserve fat to minimize this transition.
Eyelid Surgery Procedure
Our Washington DC blepharoplasty procedure is performed on an outpatient basis, under local anesthesia with sedation or general anesthesia.
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What Is Recovery Like after Blepharoplasty?
You will be asked to limit your activity for two weeks from the day of your Bethesda blepharoplasty, after which you may gradually start resuming your usual routine with the expectation of being back to normal at approximately three to four weeks. Swelling and bruising typically resolve over one to two weeks. If a midface lift is performed, this will delay the recovery slightly.
The skin of the eyelids will be numb for a period of months. The sensation slowly returns, although it may not achieve 100 percent.
Eyelid Surgery Risks and Complications
Although very uncommon, complications with your Washington, D.C. blepharoplasty may occur, including, but not limited to:
- Infection
- Bleeding
- Scarring
- Chemosis—swelling of the clear layer that covers the white of the eyeball
- Lid malposition
- Sensory changes of the overlying skin
- Blindness (extremely rare)
- Need for revision in the future
Tear Trough Deformity
When a distinct valley exists between the eye and cheek, this is called a tear trough deformity. Methods currently available to address this cosmetic issue include a tear trough implant, natural fat injection, fat transposition from the lid to the tear trough, and a midface lift.
Midface Lift
There is a triangle on the cheek bounded by the lower eyelid above, laugh lines (nasolabial fold), and cheek bone, called the midface region. If there is a tear trough deformity, a prominent nasolabial fold and deficiency of the cheek bone, you may be a candidate for a mid-facelift.
How is a Midface Lift Performed?
A midface lift procedure is performed as follows:
- The midface is approached as an extension of the lower lid using an incision that extends a short distance outside the corner of the eye.
- A tunnel is created along the orbital rim and extending behind the soft tissue of the cheek.
- These tissues are then advanced in a vertical direction and attached to the deeper layers for support.
- Excess skin is conservatively removed below the lash line.
What Can I Expect with a Midface Lift in Washington, DC?
Results of a midface lift are quite dramatic; during recovering, swelling can last for up to four to six weeks. A special eye surgery, called a “canthopexy” is commonly performed at the same time, which not only lifts but also tightens the outer corner of the eye. This is always over-corrected, as it settles over four to six weeks.
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