Table of Contents
Blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery, is one of the most common cosmetic procedures performed in the United States. On a cosmetic level, this surgery helps to rejuvenate the appearance of the eyes. For some individuals, it also has the medical benefit of helping to improve vision.
Many people combine blepharoplasty with other cosmetic procedures like a facelift options or brow lift. But even when performed as a standalone service, blepharoplasty before and after has a refreshing effect on the entire face that’s unmatched by most other cosmetic procedures.
Blepharoplasty Before and After Look of Face
To understand why blepharoplasty has such a subtle but immediate transformative effect on your appearance, you’ll first need to understand how aging affects the face. Dr. DeJoseph, an expert on eyelid surgery in Atlanta, explains that through a consultation with your facial plastic surgeon of choice, these causes and problem areas can be addressed and targeted.
By taking a look at your eyes, listening to your goals, and analyzing your medical history, you can create a collaborative treatment plan that reflects your goals and get the blepharoplasty before and after effects.
Here are eight must-try antiaging tips for your skin and get the dermatologists recommend for a healthy and clearer skin.
Sagging Chin, Cheeks, Eyes
It’s an unhappy fact of life: As you get older, your skin starts to sag. Though there’s an entire industry built around anti-aging creams and serums to keep skin youthful, there’s no escaping Father Time. The culprit is collagen.
Collagen is the substance responsible for making your skin elastic and taut. But the older you get, the lower your collagen levels become. This causes the skin to become looser and begin to sag, which is what leads to drooping and wrinkles.
The eyes are where most expression and emotion shows. When looking for someone’s true feelings, many people instinctively look at another person’s eyes. However, the eyes are also the first part of the face to show obvious signs of aging. It’s not just wrinkles in the corners, though those do tend to be noticed first.
After Blepharoplasty Skin Becomes Less Elastic
Instead, the issue is with the eyelids. As the skin becomes less elastic, the eyelids begin to droop. It’s impossible to hold them open as easily as you used to because the muscles controlling your eyelids also progressively weaken.
The weakening of these muscles makes room for the body to begin storing fat. When you were younger, there probably weren’t any fat deposits around your eyes; if they were, they weren’t very large.
But the weakened eye muscles become home to excess fat deposits. Ever wonder why the puffy bags under the eyes don’t go away no matter how much sleep you get? It’s because they aren’t signs of tiredness – they’re fatty tissues that have changed the shape of your face.
How Droopy Eyelids Affect the Face Shape
To be clear, drooping eyelids don’t rearrange the shape of your face. Your bone structure and facial features stay exactly where they’ve always been. But drooping eyelids have a profound effect on other people’s perception of your face.
The biggest change is that the appearance may make you look tired and haggard. Even if you’re alert, people won’t see the spark of interest in your eyes because they’re covered by your eyelid. Even a mildly sagging top lid gives a lazy, relaxed air.
For more severe drooping, you may constantly look like you’re falling asleep. The puffy bags below the eyes just add to this. Not only do they give the incorrect impression that you haven’t slept enough. But they cast shadows along your face that make you seem much older and more gaunt.
The Effect of Blepharoplasty on Your Appearance
Blepharoplasty can be performed on both eyelids or just one. When it’s performed on both, the result erases some of the subtle and obvious signs of aging. It makes you look years younger and much happier and more engaged.
A successful blepharoplasty will have the following rejuvenating effects on your face:
- Your eyes will be bright and alert, and people will be able to see the gleam in them
- Your eyebrows will be less shadowed and seemingly displeased
- Your face will look less tired thanks to the erasure of sleepy eyelids and under-eye bags
- Your cheeks will be smoother and more youthful since they aren’t shadowed by eyebags, making you look younger even if you’ve lost collagen in the area
- The skin around your eyes will be tight and youthful rather than wrinkled
The transformation is massive. With drooping eyelids, it can be unbelievably frustrating to interact with people about your passions and social endeavors. Some people might feel like their levels of enthusiasm or alertness are constantly being questioned. Getting a blepharoplasty done allows you to be the life of the party.
What Happens During the Procedure
Assuming you have surgery done on both eyelids, the surgeon usually starts with the upper lids. They will make an incision and carefully remove any excess skin, muscle, and fat. If the lid droops severely enough to interfere with your vision, they may combine this with an additional procedure to reinforce your eyebrow muscle.
With the lower lid, a cut is made along the natural crease of the eye below the eyelashes. The surgeon removes the sagging skin, unneeded muscle, and excessive fat. Then the cut is closed.
The procedure allows the surgeon to remove any of the elements causing wrinkles, drooping, puffiness, shadows, and sagging. What’s left are smooth cheeks, smooth eyebrows, and youthful eyes.
The Long-Term Outlook
The majority of people who undergo this procedure express that they’re satisfied with the blepharoplasty before and after results. They enjoy a more youthful and rested appearance, and they report having more self-confidence in their day-to-day life. Some individuals continue to benefit from the surgery for the rest of their lives. For others, the eyelids may begin to droop again over time as the aging process continues.
It takes a few weeks to fully recover from the procedure. The swelling and bruising tend to go away anywhere from ten to fourteen days. It does often take several months for the scars from the incisions to fade completely.
About Louis M. DeJoseph
Louis M. DeJoseph, MD is a triple board-certified plastic surgeon based in Sandy Springs, GA, operating at his practice, Premier Image Cosmetic & Laser Surgery since late ‘02. As one of the most sought-after surgeons in the area, he provides beautiful and natural-looking results for his many patients time and time again.
For more beauty hacks and lifestyle tips, explore more on our beauty section’s blog.
