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the elegant eyelid Blepharoplasty
Eyes are one of the most, if not THE most, identifiable features of the face. Your eyes allow you to stand out in a way no one else can. Dr. Basci believes the goal of any facial aesthetic procedure is to draw attention to and never distract away from the eyes.
Did you know that decisions like how you wear your hair, how you apply your make up and even what photo you choose to post online are unconsciously impacted by how they enhance the appearance of your eyes? Whether or not your eyes are your favorite feature, beauty, confidence, and charisma often start with them. What they say is true; it’s all about the eyes!
What they say is true; it’s all about the eyes!
the scoop
The peri-orbital area is also one of the most dynamic parts of the face. Our eyes are essential in facial expressions, conveying emotions, and protecting the globe with actions like squinting, sneezing and yawning. Repetitive muscle pull on exquisitely gauzy eyelid skin leads to dynamic and eventually permanent creases which can make you look tired or angry. It doesn’t help that as we age, the eyebrow begins to push down on the upper eyelids, accentuating redundant skin.
Ideally, when light bounces off the face, the transitions from the brow to the upper eyelid and then the lower eyelid to the cheek should be smooth and imperceptible. Contour irregularities related to aging, changes in skin texture or volume disrupt the natural light reflex.
Upper Blepharoplasty
Upper blepharoplasty is a cosmetic surgical procedure aimed at rejuvenating the area between your brow and upper lash line by removing excess skin and revealing a visible upper eyelid. Sometimes puffiness in the inner upper corner of the eye is due to protruding fat in one area with loss of fat in neighboring areas, which emphasizes the appearance of an unwanted bulge. The solution, in simple terms, is to rebalance and redistribute the volume around the eyes to restore smooth contours descriptive of youth.
Lower Blepharoplasty
Lower blepharoplasty is aimed at achieving a smooth junction between the lower eyelid and cheek. Often the appearance of a distinct crease or puffiness under the eye, disrupts facial harmony. By removing excess skin and bulging fat and by tightening the loosened muscle sling, a more seamless transition from lower eyelid to cheek is restored.
Under-eye “bags” can present at any age and are often inherited. Puffiness under the eye can incorrectly give the impression of aging or fatigue in an other vibrant youthful face.
*Disclaimer: Results may vary from person to person. Editorial content, before and after images, and patient testimonials do not constitute a guarantee of specific results.
the elegant eyelid blepharoplasty
the skinny
Effective Solution For:
- excess eyelid skin
- improving eyelid symmetry
- looking less tired and more refreshed
- rebalancing volume around the eyes
- increasing eye aperture
- Smoothing lid-cheek junction
- decreasing the appearance of bags
- restoring up-tilted eye shape
The Basics by Basci
Pre-op Appointments:
- Consult – 1hr with Dr. Basci to evaluate aesthetic goals, examine anatomy, and customize treatment options.
- Pre-Procedure Visit – Confirm the plan and priorities, 3D medical studio photography simulations.
Length of Surgery:
- 1-2 hours – depending on the individually tailored operation and combined procedures
Anesthesia:
- General Anesthesia – performed by a licensed physician in a fully accredited OR facility
Aftercare:
- Outpatient procedure. Recover in the comfort of your home immediately after surgery.
Downtime:
- 7-10 Days until “Restaurant Ready”
– Return to work, light exercise, and casual social events with close friends
– Expect temporary bruising, moderate swelling and areas of numbness and tingling - 3-6 Months until “Camera Ready”
– Resume unrestricted exercise, enjoy attending formal events and posing for pics as the new you
– Expect persistence of mild swelling and gradual improvement in numbness and tingling. - 12 Months until “Complete Healing”
– The body has concluded mending and remodeling. Incisions are fully mature and swelling resolved.
– Appropriate time for any minor revisions or touch-ups
Unable to Impact:
- heavy set or low brows
- dynamic frown lines
- deep lines present at rest
- crows feet
- Fine lines and crepey skin
- skin pigmentation, sun damage
- skin texture irregularities
Expected Enhancements
Did you know that everyone has asymmetry of their face? These differences can be especially pronounced around the eyes. The correct operative sequence for one eyelid may be different from the other. Dr. Basci works to improve the balance from side to side, but perfect symmetry is not the goal, because a naturally beautiful face is distinguished by subtle variations.
Meticuluous adjustments around the eyes can cause dramatic changes in your overall appearance. Dr. Basci firmly believes the hallmark of successful eyelid surgery is restoring a more youthful version of you, leaving you refreshed and recognizable.
Dr. Deniz Basci has advanced fellowship training in cosmetic surgery of the eyelids and is meticulous in her approach to designing your treatment. Precisely repositioning lax skin and elegantly rebalancing volume in essential areas allows her to achieve a polished and harmonious result.
During Surgery
Every person has individual aesthetic desires and eyes are especially varied in morphology from person to person and even side to side in one patient. Dr Deniz Basci has advanced training and expertise in eyelid blepharoplasty surgery and will design a customized treatment plan based on your needs. During your blepharoplasty consultation, Dr. Basci will precisely analyze your face and determine a specific operative sequence based on your unique anatomy.
A typical blepharoplasty involves removing excess crêpey skin, re-distributing fat, and tightening the orbicularis muscle if it is lax. For patients who need additional blending of their lid-cheek junction, facial fat grafting may bed indicated. Choice of surgical technique depends largely on your anatomy and effective results can be obtained by any of the following techniques, pros and cons of each will be reviewed during your consultation
Upper Eyelid Surgery
Upper blepharoplasty is a relatively quick and straightforward procedure that can even be performed in the office under local anesthesia. In most cases, upper blepharoplasty is under an hour procedure during which an elegantly designed pinch of deflated skin is removed, fat is redistributed, and in some cases eyelid muscles are tightened. Patients routinely go home the same day and take 1-2 weeks off work until bruising and swelling resolves.
Lower Eyelid Surgery
Upper blepharoplasty is a relatively quick and straightforward procedure that can even be performed in the office under local anesthesia. In most cases, upper blepharoplasty is under an hour procedure during which an elegantly designed pinch of deflated skin is removed, fat is redistributed, and in some cases eyelid muscles are tightened. Patients routinely go home the same day and take 1-2 weeks off work until bruising and swelling resolves.
Routine Recovery
Just as every individual procedure is distinct, so is every personal recovery. Most patients will go home the same day as their blepharoplasty procedure. You will need a family member of friend to stay with you the first evening for your safety and comfort
You may shower the day after surgery. Any non-dissolving sutures will be removed in the office at your first a post-operative visit. You will need to apply a thin layer of ointment to your incisions once a day until they are fully healed. Talk to Dr. Basci about when it is safe to begin wearing make-up.
You should supplement your regular balanced diet with protein shakes or bars for 3-6 weeks after surgery to help improve healing. This is not the time for diets or nutritional restriction. Your body needs vital amino acids and building blocks for healing.
Dr. Basci recommends you sleep with your head propped up on several pillows or semi-upright in a recliner for the first week after surgery to minimize pain and swelling. You should expect to be moderately swollen during the first two weeks. This will gradually improve along with any bruising, numbness and tingling. It typically takes 6-12 months for the swelling to fully resolve and at least 12 months for the incision scars to fully mature.
You will need to begin gently walking several times a day the evening of your surgery. This is to promote circulation and prevent blood clots. If you have a personal or family history of blood clots or other bleeding disorders be sure to speak with Dr. Basci.
After four weeks, you may begin light cardio activity but be sure to avoid heavy lifting, yoga, pilates and any other intense exercise for six weeks. Typically Dr Basci allows brow lift patients to resume full activities six weeks after surgery depending on the nature of their treatment and whether they have undergone other combined procedures.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I know if I need a blepharoplasty?
- Am I too young to have eyelid surgery? Or is it too late?
Many patients have trouble articulating what specifically about the appearance of their eyes has changed, but they no longer enjoy photos of themselves or may find it difficult to apply eyeshadow. Dr. Basci can help determine how to effectively reverse the signs of peri-orbital aging. She often uses with VECTRA® H2 3D photography to educate patients and to simulate possible results of treatment.
Dr. Basci will give you an honest assessment of whether you’re an appropriate candidate for the procedure after understanding your goals, priorities, acceptable down time and evaluating your anatomy.
- Will I have a better eyelid result if I have blepharoplasty performed "early"?
Tissue quality is only partially determined by age; genetic factors, repeated weight loss/gain, and sun damage among other factors all play significant roles in how your soft tissue changes over time.
A patient who has the procedure in their 40s will look younger in her 50s than her peers. A patient who has the procedure in her 50s or 60s may see a more dramatic change, because the starting points are different.
After surgery, aging continues at the same rate as it would have depending on your genetics, lifestyle, and life experiences. The decision of when to have this procedure is a personal decision that must be made in the context of what else is going on in your life.
- How long will my results from blepharoplasty last?
Typically, a blepharoplasty is said to help you look 10 years younger. You will continue to age after surgery, at a similar rate to how you aged before surgery. After ten years, most patients still look better than they did when they first had the procedure.
Some patients elect to have secondary procedures or touch ups, but the timing varies from person to person.
- I’ve already had a eyelid procedures in the past, am I still a candidate for a finesse facelift?
Dr. Basci will meet with you, review your surgical history and determine whether another procedure is appropriate.
Secondary procedures are different than primary blepharoplastyc because you never know what kind of scar tissue you will encounter in the operating room and you can not replace tissue that has been removed.
Often secondary procedures are challenging and limited by the amount of skin available. Facial fat grafting and other adjunctive procedures can be especially helpful in these cases. The best way to find out is to schedule your consultation with Dr. Basci.
- What is recovery like after blepharoplasty?
The majority of the discomfort after eyelid surgery is related to swelling and bruising, which varies from person to person. Swelling usually increases for the first 3-5 days after surgery, before it gradually improves to the point where it’s not noticeable after a couple weeks.
Sutures are removed in the office at 5-7 days after surgery. Your incision will not be fully healed for 4-6 weeks and it takes about a year for all of the swelling and tissue remodeling to completely finish healing.
- What about my brow? Do I need laser resurfacing? Is it better to address every area at once or separate my procedures?
Rejuvenating the entire peri-orbital region often leads to a more harmonious and natural result. Because blepharoplasty can not adequately address brow position or skin texture changes, Dr. Basci may recommend these additional procedures.
- I have an important event coming up (i.e. a wedding, a trip abroad, my son's graduation, my high school reunion), how far in advance should I schedule my eyelid surgery?
*Disclaimer: Results may vary from person to person. Editorial content, before and after images, and patient testimonials do not constitute a guarantee of specific results.