Do your eyes look or feel weird after blepharoplasty (cosmetic eyelid surgery)? An eyelid lift or blepharoplasty can rejuvenate your appearance. However, the eyelids are very delicate and complications from eyelid surgery are often difficult to repair. When can revision blepharoplasty be performed? How does surgery on the upper eyelids differ from surgery on the lower eyelids?
Individuals unhappy with eyelid surgery seek revisional eyelid surgery to resolve concerns associated their original blepharoplasty procedure. Problems can occur after upper lid surgery as well as lower lid surgery but, as a general rule, problems with the lower eyelid are more difficult to repair.
Problems with upper eyelid surgery are usually easier to improve than complications of lower blepharoplasty. If too little skin was removed, it is quite simple to remove more. It is uncommon to have too much skin removed from the upper eyelids but if it happens then addition of skin in the form of a skin graft is necessary which may leave unsightly scars. Two more subtle problems are:
As we get older we almost all get excess, wrinkled skin in the lower eyelids. So we just have it removed, right? Well, it’s not that easy. The lower lid margin, where the lashes are, is not very strong and if too much skin is removed the lid may sag causing an unsightly and uncomfortable situation that may be tricky to fix. Some of the complications of lower blepharoplasty are as follows:
The swelling and bruising around your eyes can linger for a few weeks following the original procedure. It is recommended that patients should wait until the swelling has healed before seeking revisional eyelid surgery. You can expect the swelling to resolve by 3 months after the initial procedure.
While it is always important to work with an experienced surgeon, it is particularly true when it comes to eyelid complications. Dr. Charles Thorne has been practicing plastic surgery for more than 30 years and is happy to provide advice about your situation. Schedule a consultation today.
Dr. Thorne is the Editor-in-Chief and the author of several chapters in Grabb and Smith's PLASTIC SURGERY, 7th Edition.