Because the skin around your eyes is so thin and delicate, your eyelids are susceptible to wrinkles and sagging – often, long before the rest of your face shows any signs of aging. This natural process can make you look constantly angry, tired, or both. If you seek a solution to these facial imperfections or if excess skin is compromising your line of vision, blepharoplasty is a surgical procedure that can alleviate these issues.

But what happens after surgery? The recovery process can vary from person to person. Many factors affect healing, including pain tolerance, general health, your body’s natural response, and the blepharoplasty technique performed. But in general, here are three things you expect after going through this procedure.

1. You’ll Look Younger

Your skin’s elasticity decreases with age, and underlying muscles get weaker. As a result, your eyelids may sag, and bags or dark circles could develop in the lower eyelids. Blepharoplasty can correct these problems and give you a more rested and alert appearance.

2. You’ll Still Look Like You

Blepharoplasty can’t change your eye shape or size. The surgery is not a reconstructive procedure, and it won’t fix sagging eyebrows, eye symmetry, or crow’s feet. But Dr. Dreyfuss can combine eyelid surgery with other treatments to help you reach your cosmetic goals. When you talk with him about what blepharoplasty can do for your appearance, be sure to ask about all your options.

3. You’ll Enjoy Long-Lasting Benefits

Eyelid surgery won’t stop the aging process, but the results are typically long-lasting. If sagging reappears on your eyelids, it is most often because of sagging brows. Botox or a forehead lift can correct this problem. Bags and puffiness on the lower lids typically don’t reappear after eyelid surgery. You can do your part to maintain a youthful appearance by avoiding sun exposure, reducing stress, and refraining from smoking.

Have Realistic Expectations for Your Recovery

Immediately after blepharoplasty, you will experience mild pain, swelling, bruising, and possibly blurred vision. While discomfort and vision issues may subside within a few days, puffiness and bruising will take a few weeks to resolve. Ask Dr. Dreyfuss about managing your pain and what to expect during blepharoplasty recovery. Most patients return to work or their normal activities within a couple of weeks. However, it can take up to a year to see the full range of benefits from eyelid surgery.

Contact us to schedule your eyelid surgery consultation in Chicago at our state-of-the-art surgical facility located in Orland Park. Call (815) 806-9400 or arrange a virtual consultation today.

On social media and during video calls, your eyes are the first facial aspect people notice about you. Quite naturally, the features surrounding your eyes — including the upper and lower eyelids — play a vital role in projecting how attractive, attentive, and alert you appear. Sunken or droopy eyelids can make you seem tired, sad, or even angry.

With the skin surrounding the eye area being extremely delicate, signs of aging like fine lines, fatty deposits, and sagging skin can be more prominent. In contrast, smoother, well-contoured eyelids can project a youthful, happier, more alert, and attractive appearance.

Unfortunately, aging can also take its toll in this area, and over the years, many of us lose our smooth and well-defined eyelids. To rejuvenate your look, a simple lifting surgery can improve the appearance of your upper lower eyelids.

Learn more about eyelid surgery with Dr. David Dreyfuss by reading this article, then scheduling a consultation by calling (815) 806-9400 or contacting us online.

What Is Blepharoplasty Surgery?

Blepharoplasty is the blanket term used to describe all types of eyelid surgery. As with all procedures performed by Dr. Dreyfuss, blepharoplasty is never a cookie-cutter experience. Since aging happens differently for everyone, your eyelid surgery may be unique from another patient’s procedure.

Types of Eyelid Surgery

What types of eyelid surgery does Dr. Dreyfuss perform?

Upper Eyelid Blepharoplasty

An upper eyelid lift addresses droopiness, puffiness, and wrinkling, all undesirable features that can make a person look aged, fatigued, or sad.

Dr. Dreyfuss strategically places incisions for upper eyelid surgery within the eyelid crease, making them virtually invisible once healed. Depending on your needs, he can tighten tiny eye muscles, remove excess skin, and reposition or eliminate fat to ensure the most natural-looking results.

Upper eyelid surgery typically takes one to two hours to perform, with a recovery time of about one to two weeks. Aside from improved peripheral vision, patients can expect a more rested, alert, and youthful appearance, with the effects of the surgery lasting for at least eight years.

Lower Eyelid Blepharoplasty

Muscle elasticity under the eyes diminishes with age, leading to baggy lower eyelids. Dark circles and shadows may also appear, further presenting an aged and gaunt appearance. A lower blepharoplasty improves these issues.

After making an incision in the outer edge of the lower eyelid, just below the lash line, Dr. Dreyfuss then removes excess eyelid skin and fat to create a firmer lower eyelid and improve its shape.

The surgery typically takes one to two hours to perform, with a recovery time of about 10 days to two weeks. As with an upper blepharoplasty, the effects of a lower blepharoplasty should last eight years or more.

Bilateral Eyelid Blepharoplasty

It’s possible to perform upper and lower eyelid procedures separately. However, if you need rejuvenation in both areas, you can opt to combine the surgeries into a bilateral blepharoplasty. The dual procedure reduces the time spent in surgery and recovery and may save you money. Dr. Dreyfuss may recommend this procedure if you have sagging skin in your upper and lower eyelids, refreshing your look for a more proportional, youthful, and alert appearance.

Additional Non-Surgical Treatments

Ask Dr. Dreyfuss for his recommendations on further improving your eyelids’ appearance. Some patients may benefit from the addition of non-surgical treatments, including dermal fillers or Botox®.

Contact Dreyfuss Plastic Surgery to Schedule Your Eyelid Surgery Consultation

Tired-looking eyes? Restore a youthful eyelid appearance with an eyelid lift by contacting us at Dreyfuss Plastic Surgery or calling (815) 806-9400 to learn more or schedule a consultation.