BLEPHAROPLASTY
Material: CMA chirophane with sedation and AL, soft tissue box with fine Axon forceps
Blepharoplasty of the upper eyelid
The objective is to achieve a rejuvenation of the look without losing identity.
The ageing of the upper third depends on three areas that make up the eyes: the eyebrow, upper eyelid and lower eyelid.
Who is an upper eyelid blepharoplasty for?
This is due to the laxity of the upper eyelid, which creates a double fold in the eyelid crease, sometimes the excess skin is so large that it prevents the patient from seeing properly, this is what we call blepharochalasis, referring to heaviness in the eyes.
In general, patients’ eyes appear smaller due to the excess skin, making them look less “alive”.
The ideal candidate is one who wishes to rejuvenate the eyes, gaining ocular aperture and rejuvenating the gaze. A blepharoplasty may not be required and simply with botox and hyaluronic acid, giving the patient a more youthful appearance. It will all depend on the area of skin wear and tear.
HOW IS AN UPPER BLEPHAROPLASTY PERFORMED?
The surgical technique of the upper eyelid usually requires the removal of excess skin and resection of the medial fat pad. When there is ptosis of the lacrimal gland, we fix the lacrimal gland.
To treat the upper eyelid as a whole, we can resect the corrugated muscles via the transpalpebral route in the same procedure. This is a facial muscle located on the inner side of the superciliary arch. By removing part of this muscle, the wrinkles between the eyebrows can be permanently improved.
What is eyelid ptosis?
Eyebrow ptosis needs to be corrected whenever there is less than 1 cm between the eyebrow and the upper eyelashes at the eye opening.
We can use two techniques
-Direct elevation of the eyebrow, with direct excision of the skin, indicated for men, the elderly and those with thick skin on the forehead.
-Transpalpebral elevation of the eyebrow, when performing blepharoplasty we use the same approach, this is indicated in women, when we do not require a significant elevation, or in young patients.
¿Cuando es necesario realizar una blefaroplastia superiro?
La ptosis de la ceja es necesario corregir siempre que observemos menos de 1 cm entre la ceja y las pestañas superiores en apertura ocular.
What is the postoperative period for an upper blepharoplasty?
Recovery is usually quick. There will be some bruising and swelling in the area which may last between 7-15 days. The patient will be able to lead a normal life after about five days.
After the operation, some discomfort may appear, such as tightness around the eyes, tearing and sensitivity to light and wind, which usually does not last more than a couple of weeks.
The stitches are removed between the fifth and seventh day. And the scars usually become imperceptible two weeks after the operation.
Lower eyelid blepharoplasty
There are two ways to access the lower eyelid. The transconjunctival approach is indicated in young patients to maintain muscular integrity. The transcutaneous approach is reserved for older patients who require skin excision and muscle tightening, providing a “lifting” effect on the gaze.
In those patients in whom skin excision is performed, we always complete the treatment with lateral tightening of the lower eyelid by canthopexy, thus avoiding the “fish eye” or “scleral show” caused by retraction of the lower eyelid during scarring.
Festoons or malar bags is a highly effective surgery. It is performed under general anaesthesia to reposition all the supporting layers (skin, orbicularis oculi muscle, external canthus).
Material: CMA under AG and AL, blepharoplasty box
HOW IS LOWER BLEPHAROPLASTY PERFORMED?
Festoons or malar bags is a longer surgery, lasting 2 hours, because a greater tightening and lifting effect to obtain better results.
A blepharoplasty surgery patient will not usually take more than 7 to 15 days to fully recover. This time may be even less if there are no minor problems such as bruising or swelling in the area. In any case, five days after the operation, the patient will be able to lead a normal life.
Slight discomfort may appear after the operation, such as tearing, increased sensitivity to light and wind, or tightness around the eyes; these symptoms do not last for more than one or two weeks.
Five to seven days after the procedure, the stitches are removed, leaving scars that usually become practically imperceptible after two weeks.
The effects of blepharoplasty are long-lasting and can be combined with other complementary techniques or cosmetic procedures such as platelet-rich plasma or vitamins to give more luminosity.
A fundamental ally in the rejuvenation of the eyes is laser or peeling to reduce the fine wrinkles of the lower eyelid.
Transconjunctival Blepharoplasty
Indicated
Also people with dark circles under the eyes or large bags under the eyes.
Treatment
Canthopexy
It is normally performed simultaneously with upper and/or lower blepharoplasty.