Modern eyelid surgery can rejuvenate the eyelids and remove tired eyes, bags under eyes, eye hoods, dark circles and eye wrinkles with much less down time and fewer complications than ever before. New laser eyelid surgery is faster with less bruising and no change in eyelid shape after surgery. Expecting an eye cream to remove eye bags is like putting an aspirin on top of your head to cure a headache.
What is also new is that the laser is used for eyelid surgery and a visible incision on the lower eyelid is no longer required. The new technique is called transconjunctival blepharoplasty meaning the incision for the lower eyelid surgery is made on the inside of the eyelid-thus no visible scar and no change in eyelid shape.
What Can Modern Laser Transconjunctival Blepharoplasty Achieve?
o Remove Eye Hoods and Tired Eyes– As our eyes age loose skin develops on the upper eyelid and the tissue falls down over the eye lashes. This is called Dermatochalasis, but is commonly called eye hoods or tired eyes. New laser blepharoplasty uses the laser to remove the loose skin and reveals a bright, refreshed awake and youthful look to the eyes.
o Remove Bags under Eyes and Puffy Eyes– Eye bags and puffy eyes are corrected through a tiny laser incision made on the inside of the eyelid through the pink tissue called the conjunctiva-thus the term transconjunctival blepharoplasty. The benefits of the transconjunctival approach to eyelid surgery are:
1. No visible incision on the eyelid
2. No change in eyelid shape-traditional blepharoplasty through an external incision weakens the lower eyelid. The eyelid turns down at the outside corner creating a sad eyed or hound dog look. The modern transconjunctival eyelid surgery does not damage eyelid support so the beautiful lower eyelid shape is not changed
o Remove Dark Circles under the Eyes-The new transconjunctival laser blepharoplasty can also be used to remove dark circles under the eyes. A structure called the arcus marginalis which holds or tethers the lower eyelid skin to the bone of the eye socket and creates the dark circle under the eye, is released. Protruding eyelid fat which is causing the bag or puff under the eye is removed and a small piece of the fat is placed back into the eye to plump the dark circle. This new eyelid surgery technique has revolutionized surgery to remove dark circles under the eyes.
o Remove Eyelid Wrinkles and Crow’s Feet– New fractional laser resurfacing techniques can smooth eyelid wrinkles and crow’s feet with much gentler lasers and a third of the down time of traditional laser resurfacing techniques. Botox(TM) is used to quiet the muscles that cause crow’s feet and eyelid wrinkles after the laser has smoothed the skin.
What are the Benefits of Tissue Conservation Blepharoplasty Surgery?
o No Hollow eyes after eyelid surgery-Older excisional blepharoplasty techniques removed skin and fat and often left the eyes looking hollow and turned down at the corners. The new transconjunctival tissue sparing approach to blepharoplasty has avoided this problem.
o No change in eyelid shape-Older blepharoplasty methods that removed skin shortened the eyelid and weakened eyelid support. The result was a sad eyed look.
o Plumping the depressed cheek-As we age our cheek near the lower eyelid sinks in because fat and skin sag down lower in the cheek. By repositioning eyelid fat into this depression instead of throwing the fat away, the lower eyelid and upper cheek are plumped and rejuvenated.
How Long Is Recovery?
The only recovery is the time it takes for swelling and bruising to go away usually a week to ten days although many patients do not have bruising when the laser is used. The laser seals blood vessels as surgery is done thus there is less bruising with the laser.
It is important to rest with your head elevated the first few days. This helps get rid of swelling. No heavy lifting or exercise the first week as these activities could result in post operative bleeding.
Most people are ready for eye makeup by day four, and many people are comfortable in public wearing sunglasses after a day or two.
Who Should I Consult for Eyelid Rejuvenation?
I recommend a board certified plastic surgeon that specializes in laser surgery and eyelid rejuvenation. The laser transconjunctival blepharoplasty with tissue preservation and fat grafting or repositioning is a fairly new procedure and not many plastic surgeons are familiar with this technique.
Even fewer plastic surgeons are using the laser technique.
You will have to do your homework. Search for laser transconjunctival blepharoplasty and fat grafting or fat repositioning.
Try to consult at least two surgeons and as to see photos of their results with the newer technique. Ask how many of these operations they have done and evaluate their response.
Modern transconjunctival and laser blepharoplasty techniques with tissue conservation are a vast improvement over techniques that were available just two to three years ago. Beautiful eyelid rejuvenation with quick recovery and normal eyelid shape post operatively is possible today. Bags under eyes, puffy eyes, eye hoods, eyelid wrinkles and crow’s feet can be removed with a minimal down time and very little evidence that you have had surgery.
Do your homework and find a surgeon who is up to date on the latest techniques.
