Our experienced specialists at Blue Illusion Beauty offer an extensive range of cosmetic treatments. We pride ourselves in providing high-quality care with cutting-edge technology. If you’ve been considering an eyelid lift, our team would be happy to answer your questions and help you decide if this treatment may be a good fit for you. We have offices in Carlsbad, San Diego, and Murrieta, CA.
How Does an Eyelid Lift Work?
The First Step of Treatment
An eyelid lift is also known as blepharoplasty. It’s a surgery that can improve the functionality and appearance of the eyelids. Eyelid surgery can be carried out on both the upper and lower lids, depending on your goals and needs.
For the first step, we’ll want to ensure optimal comfort for each of our patients. We can go over medication options with you, which can include local anesthesia and oral sedation.
The Second Step
For your upper eyelid, an incision will be made along the natural crease of the eyelid. This incision can be used to make corrections, such as repositioning or removing fat deposits, getting rid of excess skin, or tightening underlying muscles.
The incision for the lower eyelid can be placed just under the lash line to camouflage it. As with the upper eyelid, this incision is used for removal of fat and skin, or tightening and repositioning purposes. Another technique that doesn’t involve any skin removal is the transconjunctival incision. This incision would be made inside the lower eyelid. It can be used as an alternative way to remove or redistribute fat, or correct certain lower eyelid conditions.
The Final Step
Sutures or skin glue can be used to close these small incisions. After that, the treatment is complete.
Usually, this process can be completed in two hours or less. That said, how long the process takes partly depends on what concerns are being addressed, and whether both the upper and lower eyelids are being treated at once. After a consultation, we’ll be able to give you personalized answers on how much time you can expect it to take.
Who Is a Good Candidate?
If you’re in good health and want to either address functionality issues with your eyelids, or want to make aesthetic corrections, this could be a good fit for you. When you come in for a consultation, there are several things we’ll take into consideration to make sure this treatment will fit your needs.
If your brow is contributing to the issues, you may want to consider pairing the eyelid lift with a brow lift for the best possible results. It can also be paired with a facelift. Overall, we’ll go over what you want from the treatment, and take your facial anatomy and budget into consideration as we suggest the best treatment options for you.
Why Seek Out an Eyelid Lift?
Vision Issues
If the skin of the upper eyelids begins to lose elasticity and droop over the eye, this can cause vision impairment. Whether it’s minor enough to just be considered an inconvenience, or severe enough that your ability to drive is impacted, having your vision affected in any way can be frustrating. It can get in the way of completing important tasks or enjoying your hobbies.
Consider Side Vision Too
When you think of obstructed vision you may be thinking of the pupil itself. However, this condition may also affect your visual perception and reflexes even when the drooping is only affecting the outer corners of your eye. That’s because side vision is a crucial part of how we perceive the world around us.
Even if only a small portion of your eye is covered with skin, your vision could be more impacted than you realized. This is a very legitimate reason to have your vision tested and look into treatment.
Heavy Eyelids
Eyelids that have weakened or grown heavy with time can start to strain muscles around the eyes and eyebrows as the patient fights to keep their eyes open. This could lead to headaches, strain, and discomfort. Gently lifting those heavy upper lids can help relax the face as a whole.
Effects of Aging
The skin around our eyes is very thin and delicate. It is also heavily used when we make almost any expression. Both of these factors can contribute to the fact that the skin around our eyes is often one of the first areas to show signs of aging.
As this skin begins to age, it can “weigh down” our facial expressions, making us appear more tired and less alert than before. Removing excess fat or skin from around the eyes can lift, brighten, and have an overall youthful effect on the entire face.
Sun Exposure
Prolonged sun exposure can prematurely age the skin, and that could start with your eyes. If the skin around your eyes is making you look older than you really are, this surgery can help undo some of that skin damage so you can reclaim your youthful complexion.
Weight Changes
Weight fluctuations may affect the appearance of your eyelids. Excess weight can sometimes cause puffiness around the eyes, or weigh down the upper eyelids over time. On the other hand, losing weight can sometimes cause some sagging if the skin has lost elasticity. This treatment can help you correct cosmetic concerns caused by weight fluctuation.
A Boost in Confidence
Whether you have bags under your eyes that you want to address, or you have some wrinkles, folding, and lines you want to improve, this treatment can help give patients a confidence boost.
An Easier Time With Makeup
Some people don’t enjoy applying makeup, which is perfectly fine. However, makeup is an important form of self-expression for many people across the globe. It can be a lot of fun to apply eye makeup, and play with different ways to make your eyes “pop” or pull together the colors of your outfit.
Every artist benefits from a smooth canvas, so eyelid surgery can help make the makeup application and even removal process much easier.
Lasting Results
The improvements made to your eyelids are expected to last for a very long time. Many of the improvements can be considered permanent, although the surgery won’t stop the natural aging process. To protect your results, good skin care and protection are crucial. Simple steps like wearing sunglasses or sunscreen to protect the skin around your eyes from sun damage can be very helpful.
We want you to be thrilled with your results. After your surgery, we will send you home with instructions and information on how to get the most out of your treatment and enjoy the benefits for the long run.
FAQ About Eyelid Surgery
1. What’s the Ideal Age for Blepharoplasty?
Each person’s skin is individual, and people all age at different rates and in different ways. If you have a family member who has struggled with eyelid issues, you may find yourself seeking out treatment earlier than you’d expected to.
Some patients come in when they’re in their 30s, while others wait until they’re over 40 before they consider treatment. In fact, elastin and collagen production begins to drop in the mid-twenties, so it’s not at all uncommon for people in their 30s to start looking into eyelid treatments. Once the eyelid drooping is pronounced enough to be considered moderate, that’s a sign that it might be time to consider surgical corrections.
2. Can This Surgery Be Considered a Medical Necessity?
An eyelid lift can be considered a medical necessity when the condition of the eyelid is obstructing your vision. During a consultation, we can help you determine if your case could be considered a medical necessity. A routine eye exam could also be able to verify this. It’s not uncommon for surgery to be recommended to patients by their regular eye doctor.
3. Can I Have the Shape of My Eye Changed?
Whether or not this surgery can be effectively used to alter the shape of your eyes will depend on several individual factors. During a consultation, feel free to bring in pictures of how you’d like your eye to look. This is a great opportunity to go over goals and expectations so we can let you know what’s possible.
4. How Common Are Eyelid Surgeries?
This is one of the most common reconstructive surgeries out there. Many eye surgeons consider it to be routine. Since the surgical incisions are so well hidden, you may not realize how many people around you have gotten this surgery.
Ready for More Answers?
If you have more questions, we can help you find the answers. Our professional staff is ready to guide you through the process and make it as seamless and stress-free as possible. Reach out to us at Blue Illusion Beauty in Carlsbad, San Diego, and Murrieta, CA, today to set up a consultation.