Blepharoplasty – Traditional Scalpel Method vs CO2 Laser

Like any plastic surgery procedure blepharoplasty is traditionally performed using a surgeon’s scalpel. The surgeon makes incisions with the scalpel in the crease of the upper eyelid or close to the lashes on the lower eyelid and proceeds with removing excess skin and underlying fat tissue. Underlying muscles can be tightened too depending on the patient’s needs. Though the scalpel method is still widely used there is a modern technique that is gaining popularity due to its many advantages over the traditional method.

The CO2 laser plastic surgery technique uses a laser to make the cuts during surgery and thanks to the unique qualities of the laser patients can expect a number of improvements and advantages over the traditional scalpel method.

One of the most marked advantages of the laser method versus the scalpel method is that laser blepharoplasty patients can return to work following the procedure much sooner than traditional scalpel method would allow. The reasons for this are twofold. Firstly, laser blepharoplasty results in far less bruising and swelling following plastic surgery. Secondly, there is no need for laser blepharoplasty patients to go under general anesthetic as local anesthetic can be used and even patients with underlying conditions do not have to be monitored overnight in a hospital as sometimes would be the case with general anesthetic.

Laser blepharoplasty also allows the plastic surgeon to be even more precise in his work and there is a smaller chance of resultant bleeding using the laser. Finally, it is important to mention the costs of laser blepharoplasty versus scalpel blepharoplasty. Since there is no need to undergo general anesthesia there are no costs incurred for having an anesthesiologist on site and there are no costs incurred for an outpatient surgery center or hospital. Furthermore, laser blepharoplasty patients are outpatients and can go home following surgery without the need for costly overnight stays in clinics or hospitals.

Double board certified Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Warren Lent can carry out laser blepharoplasty plastic surgery procedures from his Beverly Hill plastic surgery clinic.