Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)

If your eyes are beginning to show age-related changes, including crepiness, wrinkles, or bulges, eyelid surgery can help. Eyelid surgery or blepharoplasty can restore a youthful, refreshed, and rested appearance.

The tissue around the eye weakens as you age. The skin in this area loses elasticity, and the lower eyelids become puffier. If your eyes have a fatigued appearance, it could be because your upper eyelids are sagging, and you may need blepharoplasty to improve the hooded look.

As a plastic surgeon focusing strictly on facial plastic surgery, Dr. Greco has considerable experience providing patients with the look they want for their eyelids. Call our office to schedule an appointment.

Benefits of Eyelid Surgery

All patients interested in eyelid surgery must complete an eye evaluation to ensure they are good candidates for the procedure. Patients are encouraged to express desires and concerns during this session, so they are well informed about what to expect during the procedure.

Blepharoplasty is often combined with facelifts and brow lifts and can significantly improve the appearance of an aging face. Benefits of eyelid surgery include:

  • Brighter Eyes - Excess, drooping skin, and puffiness can obscure the eyes, decreasing the amount of light that reaches them. This may make them appear duller. Eyelid surgery reduces sagging skin and allows light to reach the eyes, making them more luminous. 
  • Improved Vision - Sagging eyebrows and extra skin can obstruct your vision. By tightening the tissues around your eyes, eyelid surgery allows you to open your eyes more fully, improving visual quality. Therefore, even if your primary aim is aesthetic enhancement, you will likely enjoy an expanded field of vision after eyelid surgery.
  • More Youthful Forehead - Restricted field of vision due to sagging skin around the eye may have caused you to squint and furrow your brows or raise your eyebrows to get more light. This constant movement can cause significant wrinkling of the forehead. Eyelid surgery will reduce the need for so much facial activity and give your forehead a break. 

What to Expect During Eyelid Surgery

During a blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery), Dr. Greco will eliminate unwanted tissue, excess fat, and loose skin from around the eyes. He may tighten the eyelids laterally with a procedure called a canthoplasty. 

Upper eyelid and lower eyelid blepharoplasty surgeries address specific concerns. 

Upper Eyelid Surgery

It fixes excess upper eyelid skin and fat and involves an incision placed below the eyebrow, in the natural fold of the lid, where lax and crepey skin can be removed for a tighter, more youthful result. It may involve the repair of a muscle in the upper eyelid to improve drooping of the eyelid.

Lower Eyelid Surgery

It reduces sagging skin and bags below the eyelid and involves an incision inside the lower lid. Lower eyelid surgery provides a smooth lower eyelid contour that blends with the cheek. This incision allows Dr. Greco to reposition or remove fat and other tissue as necessary without leaving a visible external scar. 

After removing the excess fat, he tightens the eyelid muscle to create a smooth contour. The lower lid can be tightened to improve lateral rounding of the eye with a canthoplasty. 

Dr. Greco can also use video imaging to create a realistic portrayal of the patient's appearance after the procedure. It can give patients the opportunity to experience their post-surgery results before the procedure!

Post-Operative Care

Local anesthesia and conscious sedation are used before the procedure begins. Local anesthesia can cause some patients to experience dryness or sensitivity to light immediately after surgery. 

The exact recovery timeline will depend on the patient and the extent of the surgery. In most cases, patients can return to work about ten days to two weeks after the procedure. It is recommended that patients wait at least ten days before using makeup and wearing contacts. 

There is minimal discomfort in blepharoplasty recovery, but some bruising and swelling can be expected, and it is normal within the first week. Applying a cold compress intermittently for three days can help reduce swelling.

Patients should take special care of their eyes as they recover from eyelid surgery. Dr. Greco and his team will give you detailed aftercare instructions once the procedure is complete. 

Here are five important recovery tips from Dr. Timothy Greco for aftercare.

  1. Use the prescribed eye drops or ointments, such as antibiotics, steroids, and artificial tears, to ward off infections and stop inflammation. You can also take pain medication to reduce any discomfort.
  2. Prevent damage to your eyes from exposure to sunlight or wind during your ride home from surgery or anytime you go outside afterward by wearing dark-tinted sunglasses. Sunscreen is beneficial after the eyelid skin has healed from surgery.
  3. Take time to rest and limit your activity. You will want to limit your phone and computer usage. Don’t do any heavy lifting, bending, or physical exercise during the first two weeks after the procedure. This can cause excessive bruising and swelling and adversely affect the result of the surgery.
  4. To help with post-procedure swelling and bruising, ice the eye area often throughout the day with cold compresses for the first three days. This will provide soothing relief to the eyes and help decrease bruising and swelling.
  5. Be careful about your sleep position to avoid swelling. Sleeping with your head elevated on pillows and in a semi-upright position after surgery is ideal. This ensures that you keep your head higher than your heart to decrease swelling.

Eyelid surgery is known to yield natural-looking, long-lasting results. The effects of upper eyelid surgery generally last for around five to seven years, while lower eyelid surgery results may last longer.

Blepharoplasty Procedures in Philadelphia

Dr. Timothy Greco is Philadelphia’s leading facial plastic surgeon, skilled at all types of cosmetic procedures that help counter the effects of aging. He is double board-certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ABFPRS) and the American Board of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery (ABOto). 

Dr. Greco focuses solely on plastic and reconstructive surgery of the face, head, and neck at his in-office, state-certified aesthetic surgical center. If you're looking for a younger, fresher appearance customized to your facial structure, Dr. Greco can help!

Get in touch today to schedule a consultation with Philadelphia’s leading facial plastic surgeon. For appointments, call (610) 664-8830 or check the doctor’s schedule online. 

2 Bala Plaza | 333 E. City Ave
Suite PL-15
Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004
Phone (610) 664-8830
Fax (610) 664-8812

Mon-Fri 9 am-5 pm
Sat & Sun Closed

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