Upper Blepharoplasty - SM Plastic Surgery

Upper blepharoplasty refines the skin, muscle and fat draped over the lid; ptosis correction adjusts the strength of the levator muscle. The approach differs with whether the sagging is a skin problem or a muscle-strength problem, and where both causes overlap the two are combined. The decision follows a detailed assessment.

Where stretched skin covers the eye and narrows the field of vision, or the forehead is used to open the eyes, the descended tissue is excised, aiming to ease these burdens. Results vary from person to person with the degree of sagging and the lid, and we confirm at consultation.

It is judged by the degree of lid sagging rather than age. Where sagging is clear it can be considered from the forties; where it is slight, another method may be recommended even at an older age. Whether the brow has descended too is examined together before deciding.

The incision follows the crease so the scar sits within the line, becoming less noticeable with time. How well it heals varies from person to person with constitution and care.

It matters to avoid over-excising skin and to plan the extent carefully so the ability to close the eye remains. The procedure follows the degree of sagging precisely, and the course of recovery and the result can differ from person to person.

It is considered when sagging skin on the upper lid makes the field of vision feel heavy, when you have to lift your forehead to open your eyes comfortably, or when the drooping skin pushes the lashes into the eye. The judgement is based on the degree of drooping and discomfort rather than on age. We first separate whether the cause is the skin, the strength of the muscle that lifts the lid, or the position of the eyebrow, and then decide.

Tidying the skin that was covering the eye can help reduce the effort of lifting the forehead to open the eyes. If ptosis with weakened lid-lifting muscle is also present, however, treating the skin alone is not enough, so ptosis correction is reviewed together. Which factor is dominant is determined after a detailed examination.

When sagging upper-lid skin presses the lashes downward so that they touch the eye, the aim is to relieve that pressure while tidying the drooping skin. If the problem lies in the direction in which the lashes grow, the approach may differ, so we decide after examining the lid directly. Results and recovery differ from person to person.

Because the incision is placed along the double-eyelid line so that the scar sits within it, the line can end up looking more defined. The purpose, however, is not to create a new line but to tidy the drooping tissue covering the eye, so if you have a preferred line shape it is best to mention it at the consultation. The line that can be made depends on the condition of the eyelid.

The operation takes around an hour and is performed under local or sedation anesthesia. We generally guide one to two follow-up visits, and return to daily life is taken as around five to seven days. This may vary with the extent of excision and the pace of recovery, and is explained during the consultation.

About a week is the standard for stitch removal, sometimes as early as day five and as late as two weeks. The timing is set according to how the incision is healing, so it is advised as we follow your progress. Even after the stitches are out, follow-up continues to check eyelid closure and swelling.

When drooping skin covers the double-eyelid line, the line can look shallow or disappear, and makeup may crease uncomfortably. Tidying the sagging skin can reduce that folding, though how much changes depends on the degree of drooping and the thickness of the eyelid. We assess the lid at the consultation and advise accordingly.

Upper blepharoplasty tidies tissue that has already loosened, but it does not stop the changes in skin and eyebrow position that continue with age. Drooping can therefore appear again over time, and its degree and timing differ from person to person. If eyebrow descent becomes the main cause, it is re-examined separately from a brow lift.

Upper blepharoplasty tidies the drooping skin together with as much muscle and fat as needed, so it can be planned even for thicker lids after assessing the condition. How much to remove must be decided within the limit that preserves the ability to close the eye, so the extent of excision is designed carefully. Lid thickness and fat volume are checked by detailed examination.

When the degree of drooping differs between the two sides, the extent of excision is designed differently for each in order to balance them. Whether to operate on one side or to review both is decided after checking the difference in drooping and in lid-lifting strength. The two sides may still not become perfectly identical, so the result is followed over time.