Cosmetic Eyelid Surgery in Gainesville, FL
The eyes are often the first to know ... and tell. Puffy, hooded upper eyelids and baggy lower eyelids may be those initial and unwanted signs of aging. As we age, our skin just naturally gets looser and begins to sag. Because the eyelids have the thinnest skin in the human body and often get the most sun, they are generally also the first to show those telltale signs.
However, if you are starting to notice some signs of aging around the eyes, don't despair. Eyelid surgery, which is known as an eye lift or blepharoplasty, can take away that tired look as well as reduce bagginess and get rid of excess skin. It can't remove crow's feet or dark circles under the eyes, but it can make you feel more youthful and energetic ... and look that way too. It can also help to improve sight in older people whose sagging skin has blurred vision around the upper eyelids.
Who Should Get Eyelid Surgery?
Upper eyelid surgery removes the extra skin that has grown and now "hangs" over the eye. Once healed, the incision, which is in the natural fold of the eyelid, is all but invisible. Lower eyelids surgey removes puffy bags, mostly through the inner eyelid so that incision is not seen.
The procedure is recommended for people:
- in good general health
- age 35 or older, although the surgery may be done earlier for those with a family history of droopy or baggy eyelids
- with excess skin that hangs over the upper eyelids
- with excess skin that hides the natural fold of the upper eyelids
- with puffiness around the eyes that adds to a tired, aged appearance
- with realistic expectations.
This is not "Peter Pan" surgery; it can correct problems only so far and will have to be repeated in 5-7 years for upper eyelids and rarely, if ever, for lower eyelids.
Recovering from Eyelid Surgery
Recovery time is usually quick, and patients are back to normal living within a week. Stitches around the upper eyes are removed in about 3-5 days, and small pieces of tape, called steri-strip, are gone within seven days. Any bruising around the eye usually disappears by the end of a week. Normal exercise routines can be followed within 3-4 weeks after the eyelid plastic surgery in Gainesville.
It is recommended that you have someone drive you to and from cosmetic eyelid surgery and that someone stay with you for the first recovery night. Be sure to have ice cubes and an ice pack at home as well as eye drops and over-the-counter painkillers. Ask your doctor to recommend both. Do not take such medicines as Advil or Aleve after surgery because of bleeding risks.
Gainesville Cosmetic Surgeon
If you are bothered, physically and/or cosmetically, by drooping or sagging eyelids, if you want to remove some of that tired appearance, contact our plastic surgery center in Gainesville, FL today. Our Gainesville eyelid surgeon will discuss what can be done to change not only the way you look, but also the way you feel.