Blepharoplasty
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Plastic Surgery Queensland
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Mater Private Clinic
550 Stanley Street
South Brisbane QLD 4101
Plastic Surgery Queensland
Gold Coast
109 W. Burleigh Road
Burleigh Waters QLD 4220
Have your eyelids sagged and your expression changed? Do your eyes give you a tired or sad expression and make you look older? Blepharoplasty or eyelid surgery can correct drooping skin over the upper or lower eyelids so your eyes look wider and you look younger.
Blepharoplasty Brisbane
What is blepharoplasty?
Your eyes express emotion without words. The skin around your eyes is very thin. Sagging tissue of the upper eyelids and puffy bags below your eyes can make you look tired or sad. For some of you, droopy eyelids interfere with your vision.
Blepharoplasty can correct this. It’s the surgical excision of excess or drooping skin over the upper or lower eyelids to restore a youthful, more alert gaze. It is also useful to restore the tone of the eyelids.
Prior to surgery, we will talk about your concerns and goals. It is important to have realistic expectations of what you can achieve and this will be discussed during your consultation. We will also discuss if you have any visual problems: whether you are wearing glasses or not and recent eye tests. Then we talk about your medical and surgical history, medications (blood-thinning drugs should always be mentioned), allergies, the risk of eye surgery, potential complications and expected recovery after eyelid surgery.
Plastic surgeon Brisbane & Gold Coast
Types of blepharoplasty
There are two main options:
- Upper blepharoplasty.
- Lower blepharoplasty.
These two types have different approaches and we will discuss this during consultation.
Healthy men and women who have excess eyelid skin would be suitable for this procedure.
Where do you operate?
Blepharoplasty procedure
Blepharoplasty: step by step
Anaesthetic
You will be given a general anaesthetic and once you’re asleep we’ll start the procedure by making a tiny incision. The procedure is day surgery only and performed under general anaesthesia.
Incisions
We use a small curved incision in the upper or lower eyelid to excise an appropriate amount of skin (usually between 8-15mm) to restore the tension of your eyelid.
Removing excess fat and bulges
Sometimes, only fat and bulges need to be removed with minimal skin. Scars are hidden as much as possible in the natural crease lines of your eyelid. Scars on your upper eyelid are usually only visible when you close your eyes. The lower eyelid scars are placed below the lash line to minimise the scar however this scar is more present.
Closing the incisions
After the excess fat and skin are removed, I will close the small incision.
Result
You will see final results 4 to 6 weeks following surgery.
Avoid blood-thinning medication (however discuss this with me during your consultation), avoid smoking, remove contact lenses if worn routinely, and maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle.
The results are long-lasting however some degree of relapse is common over 3-5 years. The degree to which this occurs is variable.
Blepharoplasty treats wrinkles of the upper eyelid. Wrinkles of the lateral canthus (crows’ feet) will not be removed by this surgery. However, there are non-surgical options for this condition.
I use very small dissolving sutures.
Blepharoplasty recovery
Recovery after blepharoplasty
Blepharoplasty is not painful. After surgery, avoid sport and any form of exercise for 2 weeks, don’t smoke, rest in a cool, dark and quiet environment, and take occasional pain relief and anti-inflammatories if you’re able to.
After your surgery, the eyes will bruise and swell for up to 2 weeks. This is very normal given the excellent blood supply around the eyelids. Around day 4, the swelling will settle and bruises will migrate down the cheek. By day 8, most swelling will be settled. Puffy eyelids can persist until day 14.
Soft face wash is suitable for cleaning after 36 hours. A topical antibiotic ointment will be given to you to use 3x per day for 7 days.
Simple pain relief will suffice.
Working, bathing, exercising and driving?
- Working is usually fine after 1 week.
- Bathing and showering are fine after 36 hours.
- Driving is fine once visual blurriness has been resolved, this usually happens 2 to 4 days following surgery.
- No exercising within the first two weeks after surgery.
Blepharoplasty risks
Risks and complications
The following risks are associated with blepharoplasty:
- Bleeding.
- Bruising.
- Scar.
- Swelling.
- Infection.
- Asymmetry of skin.
- Itchiness.
- Changes in vision are often temporary. There is a 1:40,000 risk of blindness however this is associated with high-risk eye disease, smoking and excessive straining post-surgery.
Upper eyelid scars are only visible when your eyes are closed. These will fade to a small faint white line over time. Lower eyelid scars are more visible and will fade over time. Often both eyelids do not need treatment at one time; this surgery is far more commonly used to treat upper eyelid skin excess.
Blepharoplasty cost Brisbane
What does the procedure cost?
I’m all about making eyelid surgery affordable and accessible to patients who opt for this procedure. It’s important to know that you’ll get a medicare rebate if there is visual obstruction confirmed (ptosis) by an optometrist.
There are many low-cost options both in Australia and overseas and great care should be taken when dealing with a surgeon who is not an ASPS / AHPRA / FRACS recognised plastic surgeon.
Unfortunately, many patients confuse plastic surgeons with cosmetic surgeons (as mentioned in the ABC Four Corners report) and the training differs significantly.
A plastic surgeon has undertaken over 12 years of post-medical specialist training. That’s an important indicator when it comes to choosing a specialist for eyelid surgery.
Plastic surgeon Brisbane & Gold Coast
It’s also recommended to always seek second opinions if you have concerns. Ultimately you should feel comfortable with the plastic surgeon you are seeing.
About Dr Andrew Hadj, Plastic surgeon Brisbane
Plastic surgery is the ultimate expression of art and science
Is there any difference between a plastic and cosmetic surgeon
Finding the right surgeon for cosmetic procedures can be a daunting experience if you don’t know what to look for.
