Eyelid Reduction

With upper eyelid corrections (upper blepharoplasty) the aim of surgery is to reproduce this ideal by removing excess skin and/or muscle and recontouring away fatty bulges. In most cases the scar is inconspicuous. This surgery can be undertaken under either local or general anaesthetic and when undertaken alone is usually a daycare procedure.

Eyelid bags and wrinkles at rest result from a combination of skin and muscle laxity and/or excess, and fat excess or weakness of the supporting tissues allowing the fat to bulge outwards. With lower eyelid corrections (lower blepharoplasty) the skin and muscle is tightened and fat bulges corrected by either removal or repositioning or a combination of both. The scar sits just underneath the lash margin and extends laterally for few millimetres. It will in most cases rapidly become inconspicuous.

In certain cases lower blepharoplasties may not be the most appropriate treatment and either a chemical peel or laser resurfacing procedure would be more beneficial. This will be discussed at the initial consultation.

Prior to surgery patients will have been seen at consultation and the exact technique being used should have been discussed. Patients who smoke are at greater risk of complications including bleeding and wound infection and are therefore advised to refrain from smoking for 6 weeks prior to surgery and 2 weeks postoperatively. Patients should also avoid Aspirin and equivalent anti-inflammatory agents for 2 weeks prior to surgery as these can increase the risk of bleeding.