Beautiful eyes are within your sight
How eyelid surgery, Pittsburgh, can transform your entire face
We have all heard the tired cliché, “The eyes are the windows to the soul.” They are the most expressive parts of our faces, not to mention, eyes make the biggest first impression. They provide a means for how we see the world, along with how the world sees us. So, it is no mystery why eyelid surgery in Pittsburgh, or as it is medically known: “blepharoplasty”, is among the more commonly performed plastic surgery procedures and gives you a high degree of natural-appearing improvement and self-satisfaction.
Unfortunately, for us, the eyes are the first areas weathered by Father Time and Mother Nature. The delicate skin around the eyes is vulnerable to wrinkles, sagging, puffiness and discoloration. To make matters worse, the crisp, youthful upper eyelid crease begins to hide beneath drooping skin. This loose skin over the eyes and the “bags” under them make you look more tired, serious and older than you feel inside.
Blepharoplasty is a procedure to remove or redistribute the excess fat and tighten loose skin and muscle from the upper and lower eyelids. This can correct hanging upper lids and puffy bags below your eyes -features that surely make you look older and more tired than you feel. Occasionally the upper lid skin can hang over to the point of interfering with your vision.
While blepharoplasty can be performed at any age, typically patients in their thirties and older are candidates. It can be done alone, or in conjunction with other facial surgery procedures such as a browlift or mini- or full facelift. When performed appropriately, the results are dramatic.
Ultimately, the question as to whether you are a good candidate for blepharoplasty is for your plastic surgeon and you to decide together. However, just the fact that you are reading this may indicate you are unhappy with the appearance of your eyelids. Do you feel like you look tired, despite how much sleep you’ve gotten? Do you have a puff or pillow in your lower lid? Do your eyes look turned-down or sad? Can you not see the crease of your eyelid when you look in the mirror? These are some indicators that blepharoplasty may be the solution to a refreshed you.
There are many types of blepharoplasty incisions that can be performed, usually hidden in lid creases or inside the lid. After discussing your goals and concerns, your plastic surgeon will select the best surgical procedures for you. The procedure will not remove crow’s feet or eliminate dark circles under the eyes; other solutions exist for these through your plastic surgeon.
Blepharoplasty is an outpatient surgery, typically in an accredited surgical facility, under light general anesthesia or sedation. All surgeries come with risks of complications, so it is important that you go into surgery informed and educated. Excess skin and fat are removed with fine incisions and tightening sutures. The scars will lighten as you heal, and will be concealed in the new crease of your upper eyelid, along the lower eyelash line, or inside the lower lid. The procedures for both upper and lower lids together usually take less than two hours.
Recovery time is typically a little over a week with little pain, and all sutures are usually removed around five days after surgery. When the incisions are healed, you are ready for a little concealer and a refreshed outlook on the world. Like they say: “Seeing is Believing.”
Dr. Brian Heil is a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. He has offices located in Washington County at 455 Valleybrook Road, McMurrary, PA and in Allegheny and Butler Counties. He is also the medical director of Acqua Blue Medical Spa and Skin Care Center. He can be reached at 724-264-3608, or via e-mail, [email protected]. For more information about plastic surgery or Dr. Heil’s practice, visit www.PremierPlasticSurgeryPA.com.
