Eyelid Surgery & Brow Lifts

  .... your eyes .... a reflection of your inner beauty.


 

Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)

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Your eyes are one of the first things people notice about you. Sagging eyelids and bags underneath the eyes can be inherited, or can be part of the normal process of aging, making us look tired or sad. Changes around the eye, such as descent of the eyebrows or cheeks, can accentuate these changes even further.  Blepharoplasty can correct sagging eyelids by removing excess skin, fat, or muscle from the upper and lower eyelids.

Cosmetic blepharoplasty is designed to improve the appearance of our eyes. Blepharoplasty can sometimes be covered by insurance if felt the upper eyelids actually block the peripheral vision. For certain patients, blepharoplasty is combined with a brow lift for optimum results. 

How is the surgery done?

The surgery can sometimes be done with local anesthesia (which numbs the area around the eyes) combined with oral medication in the office. If general anesthesia is needed,Dr. Anna would undertake the surgery at the Virginia Ambulatory Surgery Center.  A Board Certified physician anesthesiologists working alongside a nurse anesthetist would administer the anesthesia. Bothare part of the group Atlantic Anesthesia.

The length of the operation depends on the extent of surgery, and whether additional procedures are done at the same time.  The incisions are made in the crease of your upper lids or just below the lashes of your lower lids and may extend into the laugh lines at the outer corners of your eyes. The excess bulging fat is removed or redistributed. The skin and muscles are then trimmed, and the incisions are closed with fine sutures.

What to expect after surgery…

There are no dressings on the eyes after surgery, other than cool wet gauzes which are changed often to decrease the bruising and swelling. Ointment can be applied to the stitches to help keep them clean. Postoperative pain is controlled with prescription medications and it is important to keep activities to a minimum for several days.

The stitches are removed within a few days following surgery. Bruising usually subsides within a week or two and may be camouflaged with makeup if needed. Most patients return to work after a week and to more strenuous activities after 3 weeks.

What are the possible complications?

All surgery runs the risk of bleeding, infection and scarring. Rarely, injury to underlying structures (such as nerves) may occur. Smokers are at increased risk for infection as well as problems with healing and scarring, and so, patients are advised to quit smoking before as well as after surgery. It is important to review and understand all of the possible complications with your plastic surgeon. 

Information on upper eyelid surgery can be found at the American Society of Plastic Surgery and at the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.


Brow Lift (Forehead lift)

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A forehead lift, also called a brow lift, can help give a more relaxed, refreshed look to your upper face.  It can open the eyes and soften the wrinkles and furrows on the forehead and between the brows.  Occasionally, patients who are concerned regarding too much skin on the upper eyelids may in fact have sagging of the eyebrows, contributing to the excess skin of the upper lids. Brow lifts are therefore often done with upper eyelid surgery.

There are different surgical techniques for Brow lifts including endoscopic brow lifts (with minimal hidden incisions), as well as the more traditional brow-lifts with scars at or in the hairline or along forehead creases.  Your plastic surgeon can explain which one would be best suited to your needs.

How is the surgery done?

The surgery can sometimes be done with local anesthesia (which numbs the forhead and brow region) combined with oral medication in the office. If general anesthesia is needed,Dr. Anna would undertake the surgery at the Virginia Ambulatory Surgery Center.  A Board Certifiedphysician anesthesiologists workingalongside a nurse anesthetist would administer the anesthesia. Bothare part of the group Atlantic Anesthesia.

What are the possible complications?

All surgery runs the risk of bleeding, infection and scarring. Rarely, injury to underlying structures (such as nerves) may occur. Smokers are at increased risk for infection as well as problems with healing and scarring, and so, patients are advised to quit smoking before as well as after surgery. It is important to review and understand all of the possible complications with your plastic surgeon. 


Detailed information about a forehead lift can be obtained from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, as well as the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.