CURRENT
Facial Plastic Surgery
CURRENT
Facial Plastic Surgery
Upper Blepharoplasty
Current Facial Plastic Surgery is a destination for blepharoplasty surgery in Myrtle Beach and the Carolinas. Dr. Novis is an expert in surgery of the delicate eyelid area and uses her training and experience to provide natural results with minimal recovery.
What is A BLEPHAROPLASTY HEAVY/UPPER EYELID SURGERy?
With normal aging, an excess of upper eyelid skin will often develop. This gives the eyes a “heavy” or “tired” appearance. Upper eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) is a simple procedure that can give the appearance of being “better rested” or “more awake.”
Am I a candidate for a Upper Blepharoplasty?
Ideal candidates for an upper blepharoplasty, or upper eyelid surgery, are individuals who show concerns with sagging or drooping eyelid skin that may impair vision or create a tired/aged appearance. Individuals with hooded eyelids, where excess skin folds over the natural eyelid crease, obscuring the eyelid and reducing the appearance of the eyes may also benefit from this procedure. An upper blepharoplasty can give you a rejuvenated look, tightening the skin and giving a youthful, awake appearance.
Procedure
In general, you will be given an arrival time on the morning of your planned surgery. We ask you to not drink coffee or highly caffeinated drinks on the day of your procedure. Wash your face thoroughly. Do not apply makeup or creams to your face on the morning of surgery. Eat a good breakfast! Having food in your stomach will make you more comfortable and is helpful to prevent nausea when taking the medications needed for surgery. Wear a shirt that is easy to take on and off (it will need to fit over the head dressing after surgery) buttons or zipper closures are often best. Wear hair up/back We will have you change into a wrap or robe to wear during surgery. Do not wear earrings, necklaces, watches, or other jewelry. Do not wear contact lenses on the day of surgery.
One week before surgery stop all aspirin and all aspirin-like products (ibuprofen, Advil, Motrin, Aleve, etc.) Two weeks before surgery stop all forms of nicotine/smoking and alcohol. You will need an adult driver on the day of your surgery to bring you and take you home. If your companion wishes to leave a cellular telephone number, we can text him or her with updates and pick-up time.
Upon your arrival, Dr. Novis’s staff will greet you and review your medical history, looking for any new changes since your initial consultation. Dr. Novis and her staff will get you ready for your procedures being performed, and those areas will be marked with you sitting upright in a chair.
Upper blepharoplasty is performed as a simple in-office procedure that takes about an hour. You will receive both local anesthetic and oral sedation. Dr. Novis carefully measures and marks to determine the appropriate amount of skin for excision. Muscle excess and fat pad herniation are addressed in patients with these issues. The incisions are meticulously closed with hair-fine sutures which are removed one week after the procedure. Swelling and mild bruising peaks at 24-48 hours after surgery and resolves in 1-2 weeks. Patients report minimal pain and often do not require any medication.
Your Recovery
Apply 1-2 drops of lubricating drops in each eye, followed by bacitracin to incision sites at least twice a day with q-tip. It is normal for your eyes to be dry or slightly irritated after this procedure. If your eyes are watering, it likely means that they are dry and you need to use additional eye drops, as needed. You will have swelling the day of the procedure from the lidocaine that was injected. This will go down in the first 8 hours, however, you will start to have surgical swelling at this time and that will peak at 48 hours postop. Apply ice/bag of peas to the eyes for 15 minutes and the rest of the hour off. Do this for the next 24-48 hours except while sleeping. Swelling/bruising will also occur below the eyes, this is normal. We recommend sleeping with your head elevated for at least the first week after surgery, as this will help with swelling. You may start pain management after the procedure if needed – you can take plain Tylenol (acetaminophen 500mg every 4-6 hours). You may shower the next day like normal, but avoid scrubbing or putting soap around the eye area. No make-up directly on incision sites until all crusting has resolved, which is usually 10-14 days.
There is normal swelling around the eyelids which peaks at 24-48 hours after surgery. Patients are usually able to look at a screen or work on a computer after 3 days. Sutures will remain in place for 6-7 days after upper blepharoplasty and will be removed in the office. Patients generally return to work after suture removal and to full normal activity at 2 weeks.
If you experience extreme pain or swelling, nausea, vomiting, or are uncertain about something, please call our office at 834-371-1610
Result
FAQ
Is a blepharoplasty painful?
Patients rarely report pain after upper lid blepharoplasty. However, swelling, “tightness”, and a heavy lid feeling is common and will resolve with time.
Are there scars after blepharoplasty?
Dr. Novis meticulously plans and closes incisions to optimize healing and scar appearance. The incision line in an upper blepharoplasty is created over where the natural eyelid crease should be, and the scar will fade into this natural line. The incision is closed with extremely fine sutures, which will be removed at your one week post-operation appointment. The incision lines may remain pink for a couple of weeks after your surgery.
Does blepharoplasty last forever/ Is blepharoplasty permanent?
Upper eyelid blepharoplasty is the permanent removal of the excess eyelid skin and gives results that last many years, often 10 or more. With normal continued aging, recurrent skin excess can develop over time, and repeat blepharoplasty can be performed if needed.