Eyelid Lift

Blepharoplasty or eyelid rejuvenation is a procedure designed to correct drooping skin around the eyes as well as bulges that may appear with age or due to heredity. Drooping skin is often most evident in the upper eyelids, where it can hide the normal skin crease above the eyelashes and even impair vision. "Bulging" seen in the upper or lower eyelids is actually due to normal pockets of fat which have become more pronounced with age. Together, these factors may combine to give the eyes a tired, aged look, which may be out of proportion to the rest of the face.

An eyelid lift can produce dramatic improvement in appearance, restoring a more youthful and energetic look. Good candidates for eyelid lift are patients with normal tear production and good eyelid tone and function. Contact lens wearers may be asked to refrain from lenses for one to two weeks.

Upper eyelid lift or upper blepharoplasty is often done at the same time as lower eyelid lift at San Diego Face Medical Spa, although either procedure may be done alone, or in combination with other cosmetic procedures.

Both procedures may be performed with mild oral sedatives for patient comfort in the relaxed setting of our spa. All procedures are performed by Dr. David, who is one of San Diego's most experienced experts in eyelid rejuvenation. An upper eyelid lift takes only between 20- 30 minutes!

UPPER EYELIDS

Upper eyelid rejuvenation is commonly performed using local anesthetic and a mild oral (by mouth) sedative for patient comfort. The excess skin is carefully marked for removal, usually in an oval shape just above the natural eyelid crease. The final incision line will actually lie within the crease, making it very difficult to notice once healing is complete.

Recovery from upper eyelid lift in our La Jolla spa is generally rapid, with patients resuming regular activities in several days to one week.  Bruising is either absent or very mild. The incision line may remain slightly red while healing, but due to its location in a natural crease is often hard to notice after suture removal.

Example of Upper Eyelid Surgery

LOWER EYELIDS

For lower eyelid rejuvenation, patients are offered gentle sedation, although this procedure can also be comfortably performed with only local anesthetic.

For patients with prominent fat bags of the lower eyelids and only a small amount of excess skin or muscle, the lower eyelid surgery can be performed with no external incisions.   No sutures are required for this approach, and patients are asked to use a topical eye drop for one week to aid healing.

When excess skin and wrinkles are present around the lower eyelid, an external incision approach may be chosen. This incision  is made just beneath the lower eyelashes, which easily camoflage it during the healing phase. Through this lower eyelid incision excess skin and muscle, as well as fat, may be removed. The incision is then closed with suture which is removed in approximately one week. Bruising and swelling are slightly more common with lower eyelid surgery, however this generally resolves within one week. Regular activities are resumed within one to two weeks.