Blepharoplasty: eyelid surgery, functional and aesthetic
The changes are called dermatochalasis, and they can be corrected surgically.
As elsewhere on the body, the skin of the eyelids changes with age. It shows as bagging under the eyes, excess skin and drooping of the upper lids, and the lines at the outer corners known as crow’s feet. These ageing changes are called dermatochalasis.
Excess skin and bagging around the eye are corrected by the eyelid operation called blepharoplasty.
How it is performed
The excess skin of the lids is marked out first. The lids are then anaesthetised with an injection, or the procedure is carried out under general anaesthesia.
In the upper lid the incision is placed in the natural crease; in the lower lid it is placed just beneath the lashes, where it is hidden by them. Excess skin and, where required, protruding fat are removed, and the incision is closed.
After the operation
The eyes are not bandaged; thin tape is applied to the incisions and removed the next day. Cold compresses are used for the first 24 hours, the lids are swollen and bruised for about five days, and water should be kept off them for a week. The stitches come out after seven days, and return to work follows.
The problems that can occur are temporary dryness of the eye, bleeding in the fat around the eye and infection at the incision.
The non-surgical options
Botulinum toxin softens the lines around the eye caused by muscle activity rather than by excess skin, and filler can be used in the tear trough for hollowing beneath the lower lid.
These treat different problems from blepharoplasty. Which is appropriate — one, the other, or both — is decided from what is actually causing the appearance.
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This article is for general information only and does not replace a medical examination or personalised medical advice.