Eyelid Surgery (Blepharosplasty)
Hospital or in-office procedure?
Upper eyelids usually, in the clinic. Lower eyelids in the hospital.
Recovery time (home rest)?
7 days.
Incision and Scar?
The wound is hidden in the upper eyelid fold, inside the lower eyelid and becomes invisible after one month.
Operation time?
Upper eyelid 30 minutes. Lower eyelid 30 minutes
Discharge from hospital?
Same day of surgery.
Facts about the Surgery:
Many factors contribute to the appearance of aging signs in the area surrounding the eye, and thus sagging of the eyelids. To start, the eyelids’ skin is the thinnest skin in the whole body, and it loses its elasticity as we age. In addition to the genetic factors, sleeping habits, excessive exposure to sunlight, and others.
Blepharoplasty serves both cosmetic and functional purposes. The most important cosmetic reasons are to treat hooded eye appearance and sagginess, reduce puffiness caused by the accumulation of fat or fluid deposits in the eyelids, and increase the general harmony of facial features since eyes are considered the most important aesthetic features of the face. Regarding functionality, heavy and sagging eyelids can cause discomfort and fatigue. The blepharoplasty surgery improves vision, since sagging eyelids’ skin in the upper eyelids impairs vision, and alleviates discomfort.
1- Upper eyelid surgery (upper blepharoplasty): The duration of this operation is approximately 30 minutes. In most cases, it is performed under local anesthesia inside the clinic. The incision is made in a hidden way within the natural crease of the upper eyelid, then excess skin is removed, the fatty protrusion, if any, is eliminated, and the muscles are tightened. Dr. Tarek Copty uses the single-stitch technique for suturing, this suture will be removed one week after the operation. The scars gradually disappear until they become unnoticeable over time. Following upper blepharoplasty, the eyelids appear more rejuvenated and youthful, with a reduced hooding, improved eyelid contour, and a more open and alert eye appearance. It’s important for the surgeon to distinguish between upper blepharoplasty and brow lift surgery candidates, if mistakenly the wrong candidates were selected for the wrong operation, complications and unsatisfactory results are inevitable.
2- Lower eyelid surgery: The duration of this operation is approximately half an hour. It is performed under general anesthesia. It can be done in two ways. The first is through an internally hidden incision across the conjunctiva of the eye (trans-conjunctival blepharoplasty). This procedure is designed to get rid of eye bags without leaving a visible scar. It is currently the most suitable option when the patient has accumulations of fat but no excess skin. dissolvable (absorbable) surgical sutures are used. The second way is through a thin incision along the lash line, where excessive lax skin in the lower eyelid is removed, in addition to muscle tightening and fat pads removal. Dissolvable threads are also used. Interestingly, in many cases, after removing the fat pads, the surgeon injects nanofat in a smooth way to prevent hollowness.
Eyelid operations require great experience and extreme precision in determining the amount of skin and fat to be removed and the degree of muscle tightening. If they are performed by an amateur surgeon who does not have sufficient experience, complications may occur such as the difficulty or inability to close the eyes, abnormal eye opening, or asymmetry, as well as other more serious complications. Therefore, choosing the best plastic surgeon for blepharoplasty surgery is the first essential step to grant the success of the procedure. Dr. Tarek had the best results in his previous experiences with performing eyelid surgeries. He has performed hundreds of successful eyelid plastic surgeries.
In many cases, the upper and lower eyelid lift operations are combined at the same time, and they are also often combined with a forehead lift, endoscopic brow lift, or face lift operations.
In general, eyelid lift operations do not cause pain after the operation. It is normal for bruising and swelling to occur in the area surrounding the eye for 7-10 days but after that it all disappears gradually. It is preferable to refrain from wearing makeup, rubbing the eyes, sleeping on the face, or exercising during the first two weeks after the surgery.