The process of performing blepharoplasty of the lower eyelids

Unfortunately, the signs of aging primarily appear on the face, specifically around the eyes. The skin of the eyelids is very thin and delicate, so it is prone to sagging and the formation of bags under the eyes. The reasons for this can be various - a wrong way of life, bad habits, hard work, constant lack of sleep, weather conditions, as well as an unfavorable environmental situation in the city. One cream around the eyes will not be enough to solve this problem; the help of a plastic surgeon is needed here.

Lower eyelid surgery, or lower blepharoplasty, is an operation that removes excess skin around the eyelids and fatty tissue in place of the bags, and tightens the muscles around the eyes. The operation helps to restore a natural look, not weighted by the influx of skin, to change the contour and size of the eyelids, to correct the position of the lacrimal gland and to raise the corners of the eyes.

Each type of operation has its own characteristics, so only a doctor should select it for a particular patient.

This method of blepharoplasty is considered the safest and most gentle. An incision is not made in the skin of the eyelid, but an incision is made in the conjunctiva. This method is mainly used to remove excess fat deposits under the eyes. It is only suitable for young patients when the skin still has sufficient elasticity.

Transconjunctival blepharoplasty has a number of significant advantages. The operation does not require general anesthesia; local anesthesia is sufficient. In this way, many side effects associated with systemic anesthesia can be avoided, so rehabilitation after surgery will be faster and easier. The procedure is fast enough and takes no more than an hour in time. Such manipulation does not leave visible traces, so the patient can go home immediately after the procedure and there already undergo postoperative rehabilitation.

With the traditional method of correction, an incision is made along the lash line. Through the incision, in accordance with an improved fat-preserving technique, the subcutaneous fat is not excised, but redistributed to serve as a natural filler and to form the infraorbital cavities. In the presence of excessively sagging skin, it is removed, muscle tissue is tightened, then a cosmetic suture with a bandage is applied.

Laser blepharoplasty is considered a relatively new way of performing plastic surgery. The surgeon uses a laser beam, rather than a scalpel, to make an incision in the eyelid tissue, which significantly reduces the risk of damage to the eyeballs and cornea. At the same time, the laser scalpel has a soldering effect on small vessels, so the operation is bloodless. The risk of postoperative edema and hematomas is reduced, and the postoperative rehabilitation of patients is reduced.

If the laser technique is used in conjunction with the transconjunctival method, then the incision along the conjunctiva is made with a laser, and the suture is not applied after the operation. The mucous membrane of the eye has a high healing capacity, therefore, plastic surgery performed with a combination of these two methods is seamless. The patient can return to daily life almost immediately after the surgery.

This method of blepharoplasty is non-surgical, because the doctor does not make an incision or suture. Special substances - fillers are injected under the skin of the lower eyelid using a syringe or cannula. They include hyaluronic acid or biometric peptides. Hyaluronic acid has a more filling effect, allows you to model the surface of the skin and fill in wrinkles. Peptides can have a fat-breaking effect, relieve swelling and stimulate the production of its own collagen and hyaluron. The injection method is used to smooth out the relief of the skin, fill gaps under the eyes and remove bags.

The indications for the procedure are different.

They are of a medical and aesthetic nature, namely:

1. the presence of bags under the eyes and overly stretched skin;
2. shallow and deep mimic wrinkles;
3. age-related and congenital prolapse of the outer corner of the eye;
4. excess fatty tissue under the eyes;
5. various defects of the skin of the lower eyelid, both congenital and acquired;
6. asymmetry of the eyes;
7. thinning and flabbiness of the skin;
8. the desire to change the shape of the eyes to give the skin a more youthful look.

Unfortunately, the procedure cannot be called completely harmless.

Like all operations, lower eyelid plastic surgery is limited by many contraindications:

• pregnancy and breastfeeding;
• oncology;
• immune system diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis;
• hypertension;
• infectious diseases in the acute stage;
• conjunctivitis and inflammation of the eye and eyelid;
• disruption of the thyroid gland;
• dry eye syndrome;
• increased eye pressure;
• violation of blood clotting;
• diabetes mellitus of any type;
• renal failure.

After the patient undergoes all the preparatory procedures, tests, examinations for contraindications, the doctor sets the date for blepharoplasty. A week before the operation, it is necessary to exclude the use of alcohol and potent drugs, not to subject the body to heavy physical exertion.

Immediately before the operation, the doctor conducts a control examination, then the patient is sent to the hospital. Blepharoplasty is usually performed under general anesthesia. An exception is the injection method - it uses local anesthetics - creams with anesthetic effect.

The surgeon marks the incision site with a dotted line, makes an incision directly under the lower eyelashes. Then, according to indications, removes or redistributes excess adipose tissue, if required, then removes stretched or sagging skin, then the incision is sutured.

Blepharoplasty, in comparison with other cosmetic operations, is considered a rather serious surgical intervention, therefore, it is necessary to know in advance and be prepared for postoperative consequences.

Some time after the operation, complications appear that can be considered the norm - swelling and redness around the eyes. These phenomena disappear by themselves, without outside interference, within a few days. If the swelling persists for longer, you should seek medical attention.

Immediately after the operation, there may be a feeling of blurred eyes, a feeling of a foreign body, double vision. Headache and nausea may appear.

If a large vessel was damaged during the operation, bleeding begins. Blood can collect under the eye or behind the eyeball. If it has accumulated under the lower eyelid, then a puncture is performed. Its accumulation behind the eyeball is called a transbulbar hematoma. This complication is considered serious and requires additional medical procedures and follow-up by an ophthalmologist.

Another complication that appears soon after the operation is the eversion of the lower eyelids. In this situation, the lower edge of the eyelids is turned downward, because of this, the eye cannot fully close. This can cause excessive dryness of the eye and the development of inflammatory diseases.

Sometimes complications appear later, during or after the rehabilitation period.

Late complications include the following problems.

• Disruption of the lacrimal glands... This leads to increased tearing due to the narrowing of the lacrimal tubules or their displacement. The problem may go away on its own as the puffiness subsides, or it may require medical intervention.
• Seam divergence can occur through the fault of the surgeon with incorrect suture or through the fault of the patient in case of accidental injury or non-compliance with rehabilitation recommendations. When using threads that dissolve on their own, the possibility of this complication increases. It is necessary to re-suture, pre-sanitizing the wound area.
• Hot eye syndrome"Manifests itself in insufficient hydration and drying of the eyeball due to an incompletely closed eyelid. The patient feels heat and dryness in the eyeballs. It is necessary to carry out a second operation and prescribe tear substitute drugs.
• Seals along the seam line... Cysts are formed if, after surgery, the surgeon left extra epithelium during suturing. Usually, the cyst resolves itself after a couple of months, but sometimes this complication may require surgical intervention.

• The upper eyelid may drop and hang over the eye... The medical term for this complication is blepharoptosis. It occurs mainly in elderly patients or when the muscles that support the upper eyelids are damaged. If the drooping of the upper eyelid was due to edema or hematoma, then this does not require surgical intervention, the complication will take place in the course of reducing the edema and eliminating the hemorrhage.
• Asymmetry of the eyelids leads to a change in the palpebral fissure... This may be due to improper scarring or poor quality postoperative stitches. In this case, a second operation is required to correct the asymmetry of the eyes.
• The appearance of scars... As with any operation, blepharoplasty does not exclude the appearance of scars and scars during the healing process.

Within a few hours after the operation, the patient is in the hospital under the supervision of doctors to eliminate the risk of complications.

All rehabilitation can take up to three weeks. At first, the suture must be closed with a sterile plaster. For several days, when washing your face, you should not touch the area around the eyes. Decorative cosmetics can be used only after complete healing of the seam and with the permission of the doctor. You can not visit the sauna and swimming pool in order to avoid infection and inflammation of the seam area.

A few days after blepharoplasty, the doctor removes the stitches and conducts a postoperative examination. At this stage, swelling still persists, there may be hematomas, which dissolve on their own over time.

In order to avoid complications, you need to follow simple recommendations: for a speedy recovery, it is not recommended to drink alcohol, play sports, lift weights and strain. It is undesirable to overextend your eyes, watch TV and read. It is necessary to protect the area around the eyes from direct sunlight using sunglasses for at least the first weeks after the operation.

For more information on lower eyelid blepharoplasty, see the next video.