Your eyes attract a lot of attention. When they hide under sagging eyelids or if they display unsightly wrinkles, they undermine your facial beauty. Eyelid surgery (Blepharoplasty) is designed to rejuvenate and brighten tired, puffy eyes, and drooping lids. The procedure delivers fantastic results by extracting excess fat, skin, and muscle from the upper and lower eyelids.

Eyelid Surgery enhances the appearance of the lower and upper eyelids. It rejuvenates the adjacent areas of the eyes, so you look alert and rested. With age, the eyelids may experience:

  • Dark discoloration
  • Excessive wrinkling
  • Forehead furrows
  • Droopiness
  • Fatty deposit
  • Weak muscles
  • Stretched skin

Cosmetic concerns are not the only issues for having blepharoplasty; excess skin hanging over your eyes may impair your vision as well.

For more information about blepharoplasty eyelid surgery in Chicago and the surrounding areas, please contact board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. David Dreyfuss today.

Blepharoplasty Procedure Candidates

Eyelid surgery is designed to remove the excess skin, muscle, and fat from the lower and upper eyelids.  As with any surgical procedure, realistic expectations and good health are critical to achieving a successful result. Patients with ophthalmological, circulatory, or severe health conditions are not good candidates for this surgery. 

Whether you are considering eyelid surgery for an aesthetic or functional concern, choosing a qualified, board-certified plastic surgeon is crucial. During your consultation, Dr. Dreyfuss will assess your eyelids to determine the proper technique necessary to provide the best results.

Eyelid Surgery Techniques

Dr. Dreyfuss can perform blepharoplasty on your lower and upper eyelids simultaneously or each as a standalone procedure. Eyelid surgery is an outpatient procedure which takes up to two hours to complete. It is performed under general anesthesia or an IV sedation. Blepharoplasty scarring is concealed in the upper eyelid crease for upper blepharoplasty and the lash lines for lower eyelid surgery. Dr. Dreyfuss uses dissolvable sutures in most cases for closing incisions.

It takes up to ten days for the bruising and swelling to subside after blepharoplasty. Dissolvable sutures will diminish on their own; permanent stitches will be removed within a week.  For a few weeks after surgery, you may experience sensitivity to light, blurred or double vision, or watery eyes, but these effects are temporary and will subside in time. 

Regular activities may be resumed after four days, although you should avoid strenuous physical activity for about three weeks after surgery.

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If you want to find out if you’re a good candidate for Eyelid Surgery or to learn more about the procedure please reach out to Dr. Dreyfuss.

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Eyelid Surgery Recovery

Following surgery, we apply a cold saline compress to your eyelids. Your eyes may feel sore and tight as the anesthesia subsides; however, you can control this easily with an oral pain prescription. Your post-surgery instructions include resting with your head elevated to relieve swelling, and ice packs.  Most bruising and swelling will subside two weeks after blepharoplasty. You can clean your eyes with water – gently but are advised not to rub them or wear lenses until we remove your sutures. You will apply antibiotic ointment to your eyes initially, and return for a follow-up visit after a week.

Complementary Procedures

Blepharoplasty is often combined with other facial surgeries like a facelift or a brow lift or can be done as a standalone procedure. Non-surgical treatments like Botox® may also be done concurrently with eyelid surgery to raise the eyebrows or reduce the appearance of wrinkles, crow’s feet or dark circles under the eyes. Blepharoplasty is usually performed under local anesthesia with sedation, or under general anesthesia. Most patients recover fully within two weeks.

If you want to find out if you’re a good candidate for Eyelid Surgery or to learn more about the procedure, please reach out to Dr. Dreyfuss.

CONTACT US TODAY!

Chicago Eyelid Surgery - FAQ

Blepharoplasty is a safe surgical procedure, but as with every surgery, it does carry risks which include bleeding, infection, and scarring. If any of these occur after blepharoplasty, you should call Dr. Dreyfuss immediately.

Blepharoplasty is considered a cosmetic procedure in most cases; however, if Dr. Dreyfuss determines the sagging brow or excess skin of your upper eyelids result in visual impairment, he will recommend your optometrist or ophthalmologist perform a visual field test.  Insurance may cover blepharoplasty if there is sufficient documentation to assess visual field impairment.

Several of our patients who have dark circles have pigmentation in the lower eyelids, which we can’t remove.  However, some cases involve shadowing under a bulging lower eyelid. When this is the case, eliminating these bulges via lower eyelid surgery can help diminish these dark circles. Ask Dr. Dreyfuss if he thinks lower eyelid surgery is the best approach.

Any bruising should abate within ten days, and swelling should diminish within four weeks. You will realize the aesthetic benefits in a couple of months, with any scarring continuing to fade for up to a year. Results vary patient to patient.

The primary benefit of eyelid surgery is the elimination of unsightly bags under the eyes. This benefit will immediately improve your appearance by making you look alert and refreshed. Your eyelids will be tighter and firmer, and your vision will be clearer after drooping eyelids are corrected.

Wrinkles will diminish, and your eyes will look clearer, brighter, and alert. Your confidence and self-esteem will improve because of the physical and cosmetic benefits afforded to you by eyelid surgery.

You will need to refrain from wearing contact lenses for at least two weeks after blepharoplasty in which time you may wear your glasses.

Because we blink tens of thousands of times per day, the eyelid skin is thinner than other skin on your face. It contains fewer moisture glans and is prone to stretching and drooping. Rubbing your eyes, squinting, and sun exposure contributes to the situation.

Also, aging brings adjacent fat bulges and since fat retains water, you undereye bags appear. Multiple factors, including heredity, are responsible for these cases.

The primary distinction between upper eyelid surgery and lower eyelid surgery is the eye area each procedure targets. Lower blepharoplasty addresses the lower eyes, while upper blepharoplasty targets the upper eyelid.

There is no age requirement for upper or lower eyelid surgery. However, if you are pursuing the procedure due to aging, you’ll usually get the best results after age 40

While all surgeries have a risk of scarring, eyelid surgery has very minimal scarring comparatively. During upper eyelid surgery, Dr. Dreyfuss is careful to make his incisions along the eyelid’s natural crease.