thy, psychologically stable, and probably have passed your 35th birthday (although younger people with a family history of baggy eyelids also have the operation). An important step during the preoperative consultation with your surgeon is to discuss your expectations frankly and in detail.

The preparation stages

Before your surgery, you’ll need to show the surgeon your complete medical history and say whether you smoke. Your health record should specify if you have any allergies and are taking any vitamins, medications (prescription or over-the-cou

We’re all young at heart, but often our bodies insist on suggesting otherwise. With age our skin loses its lift and elasticity and our muscles slacken. The result around our eyes is a baggy and droopy look that wasn’t there before. What can be done to correct this and restore our youthful confidence?

Appearances can be deceptive. You may be well rested and in good spirits, yet appear to be tired and sad, all because of the way the skin looks around your eyes. Your eyes are a powerful communication tool and one of the most noticeable features in your face. If the eyelids or frames of these windows of facial expression have loose skin folds that hang down and slightly obstruct your vision; or ‘bags’ that sag downwards, they can seriously detract from the expression of your eyes. Many women also find that in these circumstances the use of eye makeup, instead of enhancing their appearance, often has a counterproductive effect instead.

Many of these problems can be corrected with surgery on the eyelids (blepharoplasty). An oculoplastic surgeon performs a relatively straightforward operation to remove the surplus skin and re-contour the protruding fat pockets. This is a popular procedure that ‘freshens up’ the eyes and gives a new look to an ageing face. As the thin skin around the eye area tend to age about 10 years ahead of the rest of the face, in many cases, people choose to do eyelid surgery first and then may consider a full face-lift many years later.

What to expect from a blepharoplasty?

Properly proportioned upper and lower eyelids should certainly rejuvenate your face and give you a more alert look. If you have suffered from excessive skin on your upper eyelids, the procedure should also improve your peripheral vision. For many ladies, removing the loose excess upper eyelid skin allows a more ‘stable platform’ for the application of eye make up. However a blepharoplasty procedure cannot remove crow's feet or other wrinkles, eliminate dark circles under your eyes, or lift sagging eyebrows. Blepharoplasty, however can be combined with other treatments such as Botox and fillers, which may be more effective in treating these other problems. Who is a good candidate for such surgery? You should be physically healthy, psychologically stable, and probably have passed your 35th birthday (although younger people with a family history of baggy eyelids also have the operation). An important step during the preoperative consultation with your surgeon is to discuss your expectations frankly and in detail.

The preparation stages

Before your surgery, you’ll need to show the surgeon your complete medical history and say whether you smoke. Your health record should specify if you have any allergies and are taking any vitamins, medications (prescription or over-the-coun

your face. If the eyelids or frames of these windows of facial expression have loose skin folds that hang down and slightly obstruct your vision; or ‘bags’ that sag downwards, they can seriously detract from the expression of your eyes. Many women also find that in these circumstances the use of eye makeup, instead of enhancing their appearance, often has a counterproductive effect instead.

Many of these problems can be corrected with surgery on the eyelids (blepharoplasty). An oculoplastic surgeon performs a relatively straightforward operation to remove the surplus skin and re-contour the protruding fat pockets. This is a popular procedure that ‘freshens up’ the eyes and gives a new look to an ageing face. As the thin skin around the eye area tend to age about 10 years ahead of the rest of the face, in many cases, people choose to do eyelid surgery first and then may consider a full face-lift many years later.

What to expect from a blepharoplasty?

Properly proportioned upper and lower eyelids should certainly rejuvenate your face and give you a more alert look. If you have suffered from excessive skin on your upper eyelids, the procedure should also improve your peripheral vision. For many ladies, removing the loose excess upper eyelid skin allows a more ‘stable platform’ for the application of eye make up. However a blepharoplasty procedure cannot remove crow's feet or other wrinkles, eliminate dark circles under your eyes, or lift sagging eyebrows. Blepharoplasty, however can be combined with other treatments such as Botox and fillers, which may be more effective in treating these other problems. Who is a good candidate for such surgery? You should be physically healthy, psychologically stable, and probably have passed your 35th birthday (although younger people with a family history of baggy eyelids also have the operation). An important step during the preoperative consultation with your surgeon is to discuss your expectations frankly and in detail.

The preparation stages

Before your surgery, you’ll need to show the surgeon your complete medical history and say whether you smoke. Your health record should specify if you have any allergies and are taking any vitamins, medications (prescription or over-the-cou

and re-contour the protruding fat pockets. This is a popular procedure that ‘freshens up’ the eyes and gives a new look to an ageing face. As the thin skin around the eye area tend to age about 10 years ahead of the rest of the face, in many cases, people choose to do eyelid surgery first and then may consider a full face-lift many years later.

What to expect from a blepharoplasty?

Properly proportioned upper and lower eyelids should certainly rejuvenate your face and give you a more alert look. If you have suffered from excessive skin on your upper eyelids, the procedure should also improve your peripheral vision. For many ladies, removing the loose excess upper eyelid skin allows a more ‘stable platform’ for the application of eye make up. However a blepharoplasty procedure cannot remove crow's feet or other wrinkles, eliminate dark circles under your eyes, or lift sagging eyebrows. Blepharoplasty, however can be combined with other treatments such as Botox and fillers, which may be more effective in treating these other problems. Who is a good candidate for such surgery? You should be physically healthy, psychologically stable, and probably have passed your 35th birthday (although younger people with a family history of baggy eyelids also have the operation). An important step during the preoperative consultation with your surgeon is to discuss your expectations frankly and in detail.

The preparation stages

Before your surgery, you’ll need to show the surgeon your complete medical history and say whether you smoke. Your health record should specify if you have any allergies and are taking any vitamins, medications (prescription or over-the-cou

skin on your upper eyelids, the procedure should also improve your peripheral vision. For many ladies, removing the loose excess upper eyelid skin allows a more ‘stable platform’ for the application of eye make up. However a blepharoplasty procedure cannot remove crow's feet or other wrinkles, eliminate dark circles under your eyes, or lift sagging eyebrows. Blepharoplasty, however can be combined with other treatments such as Botox and fillers, which may be more effective in treating these other problems. Who is a good candidate for such surgery? You should be physically healthy, psychologically stable, and probably have passed your 35th birthday (although younger people with a family history of baggy eyelids also have the operation). An important step during the preoperative consultation with your surgeon is to discuss your expectations frankly and in detail.

The preparation stages

Before your surgery, you’ll need to show the surgeon your complete medical history and say whether you smoke. Your health record should specify if you have any allergies and are taking any vitamins, medications (prescription or over-the-cou

thy, psychologically stable, and probably have passed your 35th birthday (although younger people with a family history of baggy eyelids also have the operation). An important step during the preoperative consultation with your surgeon is to discuss your expectations frankly and in detail.

The preparation stages

Before your surgery, you’ll need to show the surgeon your complete medical history and say whether you smoke. Your health record should specify if you have any allergies and are taking any vitamins, medications (prescription or over-the-counter), or other drugs. During the consultation, your surgeon or a nurse will test your vision and assess your eyes. If you wear glasses or contact lenses, be sure to bring them with you.

An important step during the preoperative consultation with your surgeon is to discuss your expectations frankly and in details. The surgeon will then discuss the scope of the procedure - which eyelids you wish to alter (all four, just upper or just lower), whether skin as well as fat will be removed, and whether any additional procedures are appropriate. Other topics will cover the place where the surgery will be performed and the risks and costs involved. Note that most insurance policies will not cover eyelid surgery unless you can prove that it is necessary for medical reasons (such as drooping upper lids that interfere with your vision). Remember to plan for someone to drive you home after your operation and help you out for a few days if necessary.

How is blepharoplasty carried out?

The upper eyelid surgery is carried out through a thin incision in the skin of the upper lid, which is later closed with fine sutures. In the lower eyelid, the incision is made in two possible places: either hidden just underneath the eyelashes where excess fat and skin has to be removed; or from the inside of the eyelid so no scar is visible on the skin (where only excess fat has to be removed).

The surgery is usually performed on a day patient basis and the procedure usually takes one to three hours. After a short rest you can be taken home. You are given local anesthesia and light intravenous sedation to relax you. This means that you will be awake during the surgery, but relaxed and insensitive to pain (however, you may feel some tugging or occasional discomfort). Some surgeons prefer to use general anesthesia; in that case, you'll sleep through the operation. In any case, this is a point to discuss.

After your surgeryBear in mind that every kind of surgery gives the body some kind of trauma, from which it has to recover. After the operation, your surgeon will probably lubricate your eyes with ointment and may apply bandages over both eyes for some hours to minimize the bruising. They will be removed so you could see your way home. It is normal to experience bruising and swell