Eyelid Surgery

Choose Blepharoplasty To Help You Look More Alert & Youthful

Eyelid surgery, also known as blepharoplasty, improves the appearance of the upper eyelids, lower eyelids, or both. It gives a rejuvenated appearance to the surrounding area of your eyes, making you look more rested and alert. As you age, your eyelid skin stretches, muscles weaken, fatty deposits accumulate, droopiness occurs in your upper eyelids, horizontal forehead furrows appear and excessive wrinkling or dark discoloration of the thin eyelid skin becomes evident. Such unwelcome signs may also be accelerated by other factors including; environmental influences, hormone imbalance, smoking, alcohol intake, drug abuse, improper diet, poor health and excessive exposure to the sun. A Beverly Hills blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) procedure involves the removal or manipulation of the skin, fat, and muscle of your eyelids to give you a more youthful appearance.

Dr. Joubin Gabbay, M.D. offers aesthetic eyelid surgery as a solution to all of your aging eye problems and enjoys a very high rate of patient satisfaction.

About Eyelid Surgery

We offer a full range of surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures that can dramatically improve the appearance of your eyes. The blepharoplasty operation can be performed on both your upper and lower eyelids (separately, or at the same time). Aesthetics are not the only reason for having eyelid surgery; extra skin hanging over your eyes can sometimes impair your vision.

Conditions treated with eyelid surgery include:

Excess fatty deposits giving the upper eyelids a puffy appearance.
Loose or sagging skin creating folds or disturbing the natural contour of the upper eyelid (which can sometimes impair a patient’s vision).
The removal of excess skin and fine wrinkles from the lower eyelid.
Bags under the eyes.
Droopiness of the upper or lower eyelids, showing white below the iris.

Blepharoplasty is generally an outpatient procedure that can take 1-2 hours to complete. Eyelid surgery can be performed either under IV sedation or general anesthesia, and Dr. Gabbay will recommend the appropriate method during your consultation. Eyelid surgery scars are nearly undetectable because the incisions for an upper blepharoplasty are made in the natural crease of the eyelid. For lower eyelid surgery, the incision may be placed precisely at the lash line (again, leaving negligible visible scarring). Sutures (often dissolvable) are used in most cases to close incisions and hold the delicate skin of the eyelid together during the recovery period.

Blepharoplasty surgical options include:

Upper Blepharoplasty: This minimally invasive procedure is performed to enhance the cosmetic appearance of the upper eyelid region and/or to correct a peripheral vision obstruction caused by excess upper eyelid skin. During this procedure, Dr. Gabbay will make a small incision along the outside of your upper eyelid, and will then remove any excess skin, muscle folds, or fatty deposits. Scarring after this surgery is very minor and will be inconspicuously hidden in the crease of your eyelid.
Lower Blepharoplasty: This procedure is performed to correct aesthetic problems of the lower eyelid, such as excess skin, dark circles or a “puffy” appearance. Fluid accumulation and/or excess fatty deposits cause the “puffy” appearance of the lower eyelids, and dark circles under the eyes can be caused by dyscrhromias (discolorations) or pigmentations, fatty deposit shadows, or the protrusion of the orbital bone surrounding the eyes. Dr. Gabbay will employ different lower blepharoplasty techniques depending upon the problems that need to be addressed, and their respective causes.

It takes approximately 7-10 days for the main swelling and bruising to subside after eyelid surgery. Dissolvable stitches will dissolve on their own, while permanent stitches will be removed in 4-7 days. For the first few weeks, you may experience dry or watery eyes, blurring or double vision, and sensitivity to light but these symptoms will gradually subside. Normal activity may be resumed in 3-4 days, although you should avoid strenuous physical activity for 2-3 weeks after your surgery. If you would like more information about eyelid surgery, please contact us and we will be happy to answer any and all of your questions, and to schedule an initial, complimentary consultation with Dr. Gabbay. You may also click the link below to read a more in-depth description of the blepharoplasty procedure.

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If we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow, we aren't really living.

- Gail Sheehy

Anatomy of the Eyelid

There are two primary types of eyelid muscles: eyelid elevators, and eyelid depressors. These muscles include:

Levator Oculi Superioris: this thin muscle is responsible for lifting the eyelid
Muller’s muscle: this superior tarsal muscle also lifts the eyelid, but is controlled by the involuntary sympathetic nervous system
Orbicularis Oculi: this muscle closes the eyelids when we go to sleep or blink

Is Blepharoplasty the Right Choice for Your Needs?

Eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) is performed to remove the excess fat, muscle, and skin from both the upper and lower eyelids. As with all facial plastic surgery procedures, good health and realistic expectations are important to achieve a successful surgical outcome. Patients with circulatory, ophthalmological or serious medical conditions are generally not ideal candidates for this surgery. During your consultation with Dr. Gabbay, he will assess your surgical goals and the current state of physical health in order to ascertain whether or not blepharoplasty is right for you, and whether any additional complementary procedure would enhance the results of your blepharoplasty procedure.

Whether you are considering blepharoplasty surgery for functional or cosmetic reasons, your choice of a qualified facial surgeon is crucial. You can expect a comprehensive initial consultation and an open and honest exchange with Dr. Gabbay, which will establish the basis for a successful surgical outcome. During your consultation, Dr. Gabbay will evaluate your eyelid anatomy and will determine the appropriate technique to utilize for your blepharoplasty procedure.

Complementary Procedures

Based on his assessments of your facial structure and aesthetic goals, Dr. Gabbay may recommend one or more of the following procedures to be performed together with your blepharoplasty surgery:

Brow lift
Mid-facelift
Facelift
Dermal fillers
Laser resurfacing
Neurotoxin

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for a consultation!

Gallery

Specifics About the Procedure

In general, blepharoplasty is an outpatient procedure that takes approximately 1-2 hours to complete and is performed under local anesthesia with IV sedation or general anesthesia. The upper or lower lids can be treated alone; however, if necessary, all four lids can be treated at the same time.

During upper eyelid surgery, Dr. Gabbay will first mark the lines and creases on the natural folds of your lids in order to keep the scars as inconspicuous as possible. Once the incision is made, Dr. Gabbay will remove any excess fat, muscle and loose skin, before closing the incision with sutures.

For lower eyelid surgery, Dr. Gabbay will make the incision in an inconspicuous site along with your lash line (or inside your lower eyelid if a transconjunctival blepharoplasty is performed), and will then remove a small amount of excess skin and fat before tightening the underlying muscle to produce a more youthful looking lower eyelid. The skin in and around the eyelid tends to heal very nicely, and with time, blepharoplasty scars become very faint and inconspicuous.

Recovering from Eyelid Surgery

Immediately after your eyelid surgery, cold saline compresses will be applied to your eyelids. Your eyes may feel tight and sore as the anesthetic wears off; however, this can be easily controlled with pain medication. Bed rest and head elevation will be required to help relieve swelling, and chilled eye pads will also provide comfort from any residual soreness. Most swelling and bruising will subside approximately 10-14 days following your procedure. You will be able to clean your eyes gently with water but will be advised not to rub your eyes or to wear contact lenses until your sutures have been removed. You will need to apply antibiotic ointment to your eyes for the first five days and will return to the office one week after your procedure to have any permanent stitches removed.

For the first few weeks you may experience dry or watery eyes, blurring or double vision and sensitivity to light; however, these symptoms are temporary and will gradually subside. Normal activity and work schedules may be resumed in 3-4 day, but rigorous physical activity should be avoided for an additional 2-3 weeks.

Potential (although rare) complications following blepharoplasty surgery include: infection, hematoma, blurred or double vision, chemosis, swelling, eyelid ectropion, eyelid asymmetry. Factors that affect the functional and cosmetic outcomes of your eyelid surgery include the individual anatomy of your eyelids, adjacent tissues, skin elasticity, and age.

Call us today at (310) 205-9500 to schedule your initial consultation. We are proud to help our patients feel rejuvenated and confident at every stage of their lives!