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Eyelid Surgery: Fact vs. Fiction

Do you have sagging eyelids that make you appear older or more tired than you really are? Are drooping eyelids beginning to interfere with your sight? Sagging or drooping skin in the eyelid area is a common sign of aging for those in their 50s and 60s. Fortunately, there is something you can do about it. Eyelid surgery, more formally known as blepharoplasty, can correct drooping eyelids by removing excess skin and tightening the area for a more rejuvenated appearance.

Curious about what eyelid surgery is and if it’s right for you? There are many myths involving eyelid surgery from what all it can accomplish to how difficult it is to recover from. Here are the facts to educate you and better help you make a decision whether or not eyelid surgery is right for you.

Eyelid Surgery Fact: There’s More Than One Type of Procedure

Some people think the relative ‘simplicity’ of the eye region means surgery is a cut and dried process that is always the same. That’s not true. Cosmetic surgeons rely on different eyelid surgical techniques depending on the area of the eyelid receiving treatment and the desired results.

An upper eye lift reduces excess skin and fat on higher parts of the eyelid. Surgery is designed to prevent the eyelid from sagging and drooping. In contrast, lower eye surgery targets either the excess fat deposits under the eyes or the lower eyelid, which can droop and expose the inner eyelid. If both areas need work, eyelid surgery can target both the upper and lower lids at the same time. During your consultation, your surgeon will determine which type of eyelid surgery is best for your needs.

Eyelid Surgery Myth: Scarring Will Be Very Noticeable

Some believe incisions around the eye area will quickly turn to unsightly scars that will not heal. This isn’t true. In the hands of an experienced plastic surgeon, eyelid surgery patients will walk out of an operating room with well-hidden incisions and very minimal scarring.

At the Virginia Center for Plastic Surgery, the team is extremely careful when carrying out eyelid surgery. Dr. Eric Desman understands the impacts of scarring and is careful to make incisions as small as possible. Incisions are made in the natural creases and folds of the eyes so that scars, when properly healed, are barely noticeable.

Eyelid Surgery Myth: The Use of General Anesthetic Will Be Required

People believe the delicate nature of an eye lift will require the use of a general anesthetic. This opens up worries about the costs of anesthesia or additional fears about being put completely to sleep before surgery.

The truth is that IV sedation is much more commonly used than general anesthesia in eyelid surgery. An IV sedation is generally considered safer for patients and is easier for patients to recover from. General anesthesia is only used for patients who are undergoing additional cosmetic procedures in conjunction with an eye lift or who prefer to be completely put under for their surgery. During your consultation, the team at VCPS will talk to you about the different anesthesia options to find out which is best for you.

Eyelid Surgery Fact: The Results of the Procedure Are Long-Lasting

Lower eyelid surgery rarely needs to be repeated in a patient’s lifetime and upper eyelid surgery generally lasts five to seven-year. If the lids begin to droop again, a full facelift or forehead lift may also be performed to provide better results. Timing the surgery correctly for the patient’s age and amount of sagging is imperative to ensure the results are as long-lasting as possible. During your consultation, the surgeon will perform a physical examination as well as ask questions about your desired results to ensure that now is the proper time for surgery and that eyelid surgery is the best option for your unique situation.

Your Consultation with VCPS

If you are bothered by drooping or sagging in the eyelid area, you should consider an eyelid surgery with VCPS. Dr. Eric Desman has performed thousands of plastic surgical procedures on his patients and maintains the highest level of patient care. If you’d like to find out what eyelid surgery can do for you, schedule a consultation today.