The Results Are In… And The Eyes Have It!

Whether or not the eyes are truly the windows to the soul may be debatable, but it’s easy enough to see how the proverb gained its fame.  When we are first introduced to a person, we look into their eyes to establish a connection.  When we have something to say to someone, it is their eyes that we focus on while we are talking.  The more earnest our message, the more we attempt to hold the link.  It is the eyes we study when we are trying to comprehend someone’s motivation or their sincerity in a matter.  We can never really know what is going on in someone else’s head, but we trust the eyes to provide at least some semblance of revelation.  And we trust our own eyes to reinforce our verbal convictions.

Unfortunately, some of the signs of aging—the force of gravity, the loss of elasticity—as well as, in some cases, hereditary factors and sun damage, can draw attention away from all this communication that emanates from the eyes.  Hooded or drooping lids above the eyes or puffiness below them can blur the message that we are trying to get across.  Instead of heralding our emotions, they can appear to herald fatigue or sadness that we don’t necessarily feel.  They can obscure the sparkle that conveys our core energy level.  And in addition to making us look older, severely sagging skin around the eyes can even impair peripheral vision.  No wonder eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures available today.

Blepharoplasty repairs droopy eyelids and/or the baggy/puffy skin under the eyes by removing or repositioning fat deposits and then removing excess skin and any stretched out muscle so as to improve the contour of the eyes.  It is a procedure that can often be done on an outpatient basis, and the results are very long lasting.

Work on eyelids is usually performed with a local anesthetic.  Plastic shields, similar to contact lenses, can be used to protect the eyes during surgery.  The incision guidelines for upper eyelid procedures are drawn to follow the natural fold of the eyelid, thereby ensuring that any scarring will be inconspicuous.  Once the fat and excess skin have been removed (sometimes along with a small strip of muscle), the surgeon will close the incision with absorbable or non-absorbable sutures.

Lower eyelid blepharoplasty works virtually the same way: Fat deposits are either removed or repositioned, and excess skin and possibly muscle are removed.  However, in lower lid surgery, incisions can be on the outside or inside of the eyelid.  In the case of the latter, the lower lid is pulled away from the skin and fat deposits are removed through a very tiny incision in the conjunctiva.  This is appropriate for people who have little or no excess skin in the area.  Sutures may not even be necessary.

It is worth noting that not everyone is a candidate for eyelid surgery.  People who may be at risk are those who suffer from glaucoma, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and more.  Your risk factors can be determined during a consultation with your plastic surgeon.  Once you know you are a candidate, there are other considerations.  While many people are happy enough with blepharoplasty, others may opt to have face lifts at the same time.  They can choose from a range of lifting procedures, from traditional lifts to a revolutionary, minimally invasive and exceedingly popular procedure called the QuickLift™.  Others who undergo blepharoplasties may opt to have Botox injections to soften lines on the forehead.  And still others may decide to have their brows lifted, especially if sagging brows have contributed to the sagging around the eyes in the first place.

The sky’s the limit when it comes to the possibilities of cosmetic surgeries that can be administered to improve one’s appearance.  Surgical teams such as Marin’s Plastic Surgery Specialists have perfected the ability to achieve results that look absolutely natural and truly offer recipients the priceless gift of self-confidence.  Twenty-twelve is an election year.  Be sure to cast a vote for you!