Your eyes are one of, if not, the most expressive features on your face. So are you expressing youth, energy, and excitement, or fatigue, sadness, and aging with your eyes?

If your eyes are making you look older than you feel, then you may be a candidate for blepharoplasty, more commonly known as an eyelid lift.

So what causes your eyes to lose their youthful glow? Factors can include:
• Aging process
• Heredity
• Skin type
• Environmental factors (such as sun damage)
Any one or combination of these factors can cause the eyelids to sag and droop, or create bags and a heavy, puffy appearance, all of which can leave you looking sad, tired, or older than you truly are.

An upper blepharoplasty procedure can reduce the appearance of droopy or saggy upper eyelids.

The skin on your upper eyelids is among the thinnest anywhere on the body. A layer of muscle is located just beneath the eyelid skin and is separated from fatty tissue by a thin tissue membrane called the orbital septum. Muscle layers and the orbital septum weaken and sag with age. And fat deposits shift in response to weakened muscle, causing puffiness and drooping. Additionally, the collagen and elastin that provide support to the skin break down over time. This causes the skin to lose elasticity and become lax. Furthermore, eyebrows may droop with age, causing the upper eyelids to sag.

So what is an upper blepharoplasty?

During the procedure, Dr. Massry typically removes or redistributes fat deposits, as well as removes excess skin and muscle to improve the contour and shape of the upper eyes. Upper blepharoplasty is most commonly performed under local anesthesia with sedation at a Beverly Hills outpatient surgery center. Dr. Massry will make an incision in the fold of the upper eyelid and carefully remove the excess skin. In some cases, a small strip of muscle will also be removed. To reach the fat deposits, a small incision is made in the orbital septum so that Dr. Massry can reposition or remove the fat. While older blepharoplasty techniques exclusively removed excess fat, today, Dr. Massry repositions the fat to replenish volume in the proper areas of the upper eyelid, resulting in more natural outcomes. Finally, the incisions are closed with sutures and a lubricating ointment and bandage are applied.

What is the recovery like after blepharoplasty?

Patients may experience some mild pain, bruising and swelling after the procedure. Dr. Massry recommends applying cold compresses and taking some pain medication to keep you as comfortable as possible. You will need to avoid strenuous activity, such as exercise and heavy lifting, for a few weeks to allow your body to heal properly.

Upper eyelid surgery can provide beautiful anti-aging results that are long lasting. If you are interested in learning more about upper blepharoplasty with Dr. Massry, call our office to schedule a consultation – 310.657.4302!