Face

Beverly Hills plastic surgery patients are often looking for ways to make themselves appear younger. Fully board certified Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Warren Lent can offer all the latest techniques, including Beverly Hills blepharoplasty and laser eye surgery to achieve fantastic results.

What is Blepharoplasty?

Blepharoplasty or eyelid surgery is a plastic surgical method designed to correct the aesthetic appearance and functionality of the area stretching from the eyebrow down to the upper portion of the cheek. Blepharoplasty patients often suffer from excess tissue, skin and underlying fat around the eye area which can result in a droopy eyelid and in its extreme form can lead to vision problems. The basic idea behind blepharoplasty is the removal of the excess tissue and in some cases the smoothing out of underlying muscles as well as the tightening of sub-skin structures to achieve a more open and youthful look for the eye area.

Blepharoplasty can be performed on both the upper and lower eyelids. It can also help with smoothing out wrinkles around the eye area as well as tackling the tired appearance by removing dark circles caused by the “hollowed out” shadow effect. In some cases blepharoplasty can also help to achieve the “double eyelid” look with patients with no eyelid crease. The eyelid plastic surgery operation can be performed in the office, a clinic or hospital setting. Both local anesthetic and general anesthesia can be used depending on the plastic surgeon’s recommendation and the plastic surgery patient’s preference.

Who can benefit from blepharoplasty?

Plastic surgery patients who are after a more youthful, radiant look often find that the key to improving their overall appearance lies in blepharoplasty. Eyelid surgery is recommended for plastic surgery patients who are genetically predisposed to heavier lids and fat build up around the eye area or plastic surgery patients who lost elasticity in their skin due to age or excess sun exposure. Beverly Hills plastic surgery patients suffering from a reduced field of vision due to excess skin on their eyelids are also good candidates for blepharoplasty.

Blepharoplasty can also be paired with other plastic surgery procedures. Patients who complain about the look of their eyelid skin can benefit from laser resurfacing on the eyelid area itself. This method allows plastic surgeons to vaporize the sun damaged, loose, wrinkled skin resulting in a smoother, tighter and younger looking appearance in the eye area.

Asian plastic surgery patients looking to achieve a more pronounced eye crease as well as a more open look to their eyes are also good candidates for blepharoplasty. By performing delicate plastic surgery on the eye area the patient’s eyes appear larger improving the overall aesthetic balance of the face.

It is important to remember that all plastic surgeries should be preceded with careful and detailed consultation with the plastic surgeon so that realistic goals can be discussed for the surgery. The patient’s overall health and genetics also determine the final outcome of the surgery. Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Warren Lent is a fully board certified plastic surgeon who can offer patients the latest and best plastic surgery techniques.

Laser versus scalpel method

Traditionally blepharoplasty is performed by using a scalpel. However, the most cutting edge technology available to plastic surgeons today means that there is an alternative to the scalpel method – the CO2 laser. When using the traditional scalpel method plastic surgeons make incisions, usually on the outside of the eyelid, using a scalpel. The CO2 laser eyelid surgery works in a similar way as a laser is also a cutting tool. However, laser blepharoplasty has a number of benefits over traditional blepharoplasty.

Laser eyelid plastic surgery allows much greater control for the plastic surgeon which in turn ensures a much safer operation. External incisions on the lower eyelid can be avoided. When using a CO2 laser there is a markedly lower risk of bleeding in the operated area. Furthermore, compared to the traditional plastic surgery method there is reduced bruising and swelling in the eye area when working with the CO2 laser and the plastic surgery patient can return to work and other day to day activities sooner. Another important advantage of laser eyelid plastic surgery is the ability to perform it under local anesthesia. Since general anesthesia comes with its own set of risks and possible complications it is a marked advantage to be able to perform laser eyelid plastic surgery without the need for the patient to go under. Finally, it is important to mention that CO2 laser blepharoplasty costs are lower than traditional blepharoplasty surgeries as the incurred costs are generally much lower and there is no need to pay for the services of an anesthesiologist.

Basic rundown of the operation

When opting for laser blepharoplasty plastic surgery there is no need for the patient to stay in hospital and the procedure can be performed at the plastic surgeon’s office. Local anesthetic is administered and the eye area is numbed. The plastic surgeon then makes an incision with the laser that he carefully places either behind the eyelid or along the eye crease so there is no visible scarring after the plastic surgery. Excess skin and fat is removed as necessary and the incision is closed. The plastic surgery patient can leave the same day and there is no need to stay overnight. The plastic surgery procedure can also involve laser resurfacing of the eyelid area for a more youthful and bright eyed look.

Stitches will be removed after about seven days following plastic surgery unless self-absorbing stitches are used. Light bruising and swelling is normal after surgery but most patients recover within one to two weeks after the operation.

Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Warren Lent is fully board certified and can carry out all blepharoplasty plastic surgery procedures from his Beverly Hills clinic.