EYELID REJUVENATION

INTRODUCTION TO MICHIGAN BLEPHAROPLASTY
An eyelid lift, also called by its medical term, blepharoplasty, is an elective cosmetic surgery procedure for men and women who desire a more youthful facial appearance, specifically in the eye area. It involves lifting and tightening specific muscles around the eyes and excising loose skin. For patients with bulging in the lower lid area, removal of the excess fat in that area can also be done. A blepharoplasty can be performed only on the upper or lower lids, but is most often performed on both at the same procedure. Depending upon the patient’s aging pattern, the eyelid lift may need to be paired with an endoscopic forehead lift if there is a great deal of forehead drooping. Traverse City plastic surgeon Dr. F. Matthew Smith has many years’ experience performing eyelid lift procedures. During your consultation at Dr. Smith’s Traverse City, MI plastic surgery office, he will evaluate your skin and muscle tone and seek to understand your final goals before recommending a specific eyelid rejuvenation plan.

APPROPRIATE CANDIDATES FOR TRAVERSE CITY EYELID LIFT
The best candidates for an eyelid lift procedure are healthy men and women who have wrinkles and drooping in the eye area that cannot be treated effectively with Botox and dermal fillers. In general, an eyelid lift is needed as one ages; however, there are some individuals who, because of genetic tendencies, may have upper eyelid drooping and/or lower lid puffiness at a fairly young age that can be treated with an eyelid rejuvenation procedure. In summary, healthy men and women who are emotionally mature, who understand their motivations for the procedure and who have realistic expectations are generally good candidates for an eyelid lift procedure. It’s important to remember that an eyelid rejuvenation procedure will not affect the rest of your face—if you have significant facial aging, it may be best to consider a face lift as part of your rejuvenation plan to create an entirely satisfactory result.

HOW AN EYELID SURGERY PROCEDURE IS PERFORMED
Dr. F. Matthew Smith performs most of his cosmetic surgeries, including eyelid lifts, in the accredited surgery suite at the Munson Medical Center. With the latest, cutting-edge equipment and a fully trained staff, the Munson Medical Center is an ideal place for his patients. An eyelid rejuvenation procedure is typically scheduled for 1-2 hours. Because Dr. Smith wants to ensure a well-controlled and safe surgical experience that is comfortable for his patient, general anesthesia is always used for eyelid rejuvenation that includes both upper and lower lids. If your rejuvenation is limited to the upper eyelids only, it’s possible for this to be performed under local anesthesia plus sedation. The main goal is that you be as comfortable and stress-free as possible during the procedure. Therefore, the exact details of your specific eyelid lift procedure, including the final decision about sedation versus general anesthesia, upper or lower versus both, and whether or not a forehead or brow lift would be appropriate will have been discussed and confirmed at your cosmetic surgery consultation with Dr. Smith in his Traverse City plastic surgery office.

Once anesthesia has been accomplished, Dr. Smith will make a small semi-circular incision along the upper eyelid crease or inside the lash line of the lower lid area. The excess fat, skin and muscle are removed and tiny sutures are placed. Dr. Smith places the incisions in as inconspicuous a location as possible.

RECOVERY FROM AN EYELID LIFT IN TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN
You should expect some swelling in the eye area that may last for a week or more. In general, however, recovery is not painful. You will find that for the first few days, sleeping upright will keep your eye area from swelling, and ice packs (or frozen peas) are wonderful to reduce the swelling and make you most comfortable. Tylenol is usually enough for discomfort but Dr. Smith will prescribe something stronger if you have undergone a face lift or other procedure with your blepharoplasty. Your vision may be slightly blurry for a few days, and you will want to wear dark glasses to protect your eyes from wind and sun. If you wear contacts, Dr. Smith recommends you avoid them for the first week or so. Within a week, you can wear makeup to conceal any remaining discoloration. You should be back to work within ten days.