Beverly Hills Laser Eyelid Surgery
What is Laser Eyelid Surgery?
Laser eyelid surgery, or as it is otherwise known blepharoplasty, is a plastic surgery solution to improve the appearance and functionality of the upper and lower eyelids. Eyelid plastic surgery focuses on the eye-area of the face where the effected eyelid is treated by removing excess skin and fat tissue as well as the tightening of muscles and tendons surrounding the eyelid area.
Before having any plastic surgery it is essential to find and consult with a fully certified plastic surgeon. Dr. Warren Lent is a Beverly Hills certified plastic surgeon fully approved by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. He will carry out a full evaluation and then guide you through all steps of the plastic surgery.
Who should have Laser Eyelid Plastic Surgery?
Blepharoplasty is often recommended to patients wanting to get rid of the “your eyes are so tired” look and who wish to reduce the bags under their eyes. In some cases the appearance of the eyes is not the only factor in opting for eyelid plastic surgery. Patients suffering from extreme excess skin can have trouble with their field of vision while extreme droopiness of the lower eyelid can result in dry eyes and potential infection.
Heavily hooded upper eye lids can be caused by aging or excess sun exposure and result in loss of elasticity of the delicate eyelid skin. Saggy lower eye lids can be attributed to external factors as well but there are a number of patients who are genetically predisposed to saggy or baggy, swollen eyelids even at a young age. In addition, laser eyelid surgery patients can include Oriental patients who are looking to acquire a “double eyelid” effect which generally characterizes Caucasian eyes.
Laser Eyelid Plastic Surgery vs. Traditional Scalpel Plastic Surgery
In the blepharoplasty plastic surgery procedure the laser is often used very much like a scalpel and the two types of procedures can, at first glance, appear to be very similar. However, there are a number of advantages to laser eyelid plastic surgery over the more traditional scalpel procedure.
During traditional lower eyelid plastic surgery an incision is placed on the outside of the lower eyelid which can result in the drooping or dragging down of the affected area. This can be avoided in by opting for the laser procedure. Due to the precision and minimally invasive nature of laser plastic surgery there is very little swelling, bruising or general discomfort experienced by laser eyelid surgery patients. In addition, laser plastic surgery allows the combination of two techniques – the cutting laser is used as a scalpel, allowing for the removal of extra skin and fat from the upper or lower eyelids, while the pulse mode laser can be used to improve the texture of the surrounding skin to reduce fine wrinkles and smooth the eyelid skin. Finally, patients undergoing laser procedures can look forward to a significantly shorter recovery period and can expect to return to work and other every day activities sooner.
Procedure – Step by Step
Eyelid plastic surgery procedures are most often performed under local anesthetic without the risks associated with general anesthesia. In upper eyelid surgery the surgeon makes incisions along the natural creases of the eye so that any scars remain well camouflaged after surgery. On the lower eye lid there is a possibility for the plastic surgeon to make an incision on the inside of the lower eyelid to extract fat from the area. The treatment of excess skin is performed by vaporizing the wrinkled skin with the laser, causing it to tighten. This is far safer than using a scalpel to remove skin.
Most blepharoplasty plastic surgery procedures take only 1-2 hours and the patient is free to leave the clinic on the same day. Although swelling and bruising often appears in the eye area directly after the operation, this subsides within one or two weeks. It is important to keep in mind that the final results of the laser eyelid surgery appear after a few months when all the incisions are completely healed and there are no more swollen areas.
As with any type of plastic surgery the patient’s individual characteristics will also determine the final outcome of the surgery. The patient’s age, skin condition and other underlying medical issues will all influence the recovery time and the final result of the surgery.
The longevity of laser eyelid surgery results is also individual to most patients. Lifestyle factors such as diet, sun exposure, smoking and exercise habits all make an impact on the delicate eyelid skin. Wrinkles and further loss of elasticity may happen with aging but fatty bags typically do not return over time, as fat cells do not have the ability to reproduce themselves.
Possible Side Effects
Although laser eyelid plastic surgery is a relatively low risk procedure, as with any plastic surgery there are risks and complications that all patients should be aware of. Possible complications include abnormal eyelid position, dry eyes, scarring, the inability to close the effected eye, infection and problems with vision.
To best understand all the factors involved in laser eyelid plastic surgery it is best to book a full consultation with Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Warren Lent, a double board certified plastic surgeon who operates in the Los Angeles area.