UPPER BLEPHAROPLASTY

An upper eyelid blepharoplasty is presently one of the most commonly performed plastic surgeries and because the 'all so important to us' eyes are involved, it's considered a major part of what we call 'global facial rejuvenation'. It is said that almost everyone is in need of one for one reason or another. Most frequently an upper eyelid surgery is designed to target heavy feeling eyelids, puffiness of the upper eyelids, sagging eyelids or droopiness of the eyelids (with or without an impairment of peripheral vision). The surgery removes mostly excess skin from the upper eyelids, but also, in some cases, small amounts of muscle and bulging fatty tissue.

The ideal candidate for an upper blepharoplasty is at least 18 years old and is physically healthy, emotionally stabile and well-informed about the procedure, risks and expectations of an upper eyelid blepharoplasty or surgery in general. There are some contraindications for having an upper blepharoplasty that may include high blood pressure, glaucoma, dry eyes or any other syndrome that could be aggravated by having eyelid surgery.

With a scalpel, a small incision is made in upper eyelid in the area of the natural eyelid crease in order to remove excess skin, muscle and/or bulging fatty tissue. Once this has been completed, the skin above and below the wound area will be sutured back together creating a fine scar line designed to heal exactly within the crease of the upper eyelid.

In general we can say that an upper eyelid blepharoplasty takes between 45-60 minutes to complete.

Unless combined with a more extensive procedure like a face lift, endoscopic forehead or brow lift or lower blepharoplasty, an upper eyelid blepharoplasty is usually performed with local anesthetic and a mild oral relaxant. This means you will be awake for the duration of the procedure but will not experience any pain.

Although very rare, an upper blepharoplasty is surgery and all surgery comes with risks and complications. The following can occur with upper eyelid surgery: infection, bleeding, wound separation, asymmetry, visible scar line, insufficient or excessive skin, muscle or fat tissue removal. We advise that you research as much as possible about risks and complications of upper eyelid surgery before you travel and ask your surgeons about any concerning questions at your personal consultation.

After surgery, your upper eyelids will be taped and sutured for 5-7 days. In most cases you will feel your eyes to be swollen, red and bruised for up to a week. For the first few days after the surgery, heavy reading and computer work may be uncomfortable due to swelling and therefore should be avoided. Vision bluriness may also be present. There are no other restrictions for light activities. Most patients look their worst on the second or third day after surgery, with a marked improvement over the next couple of days. Contact lenes can be resumed after 1 week.
Normal recovery time with return to work and full activity is about 10 days. Heavy strenuous activity, especially involving straining and bending over should be avoided for several weeks. Bruising above the eyes may remain for up to 2 weeks and can be easily camouflaged with a make-up concealer.

Yes, all the stitches should be removed by the treating surgeon by around the 6th day.

The recommended stay time in Hungary is 1 week for an upper blepharoplasty.

Under normal healing circumstances and by following all post-treatment instructions from your doctor, there should be no need for any further follow-up care when you return home.

Healing times vary from individual to indivdual and much depends on your current state of health. As a general rule you will see 70% all healing and results of the surgery within the first 4-6 weeks and the final 30%(scars) take place over the course of several months lasting even up to a year. As swelling and bruising will dissipate rather quickly in a matter of weeks, scars gradually smoothen and fade over the course of many months.

No, if the healing process is free of any complications, there is no need to return to Hungary.

As a part of the face and facial global rejuvenation treatments, an upper eyelid blepharoplasty is commonly combined with a lower eyelid blepharoplasty for removal of excess skin and fatty puffy undereye bags, fat grafting and repositioning into the sucken lower eye- and cheek regions, face lifting to tackle the sagging effects of gravity in the mid- and lower face regions, forehead- or brow lifting for muscle loosening and drooping in the forehead and eyebrow regions, Botox for crows feet wrinkles around the eyes and forehead wrinkles, dermal and/or fat fillers for deep naso-labial folds, cheeks, upper lip and face itself, and facial laser skin resurfacing and skin tightening treatments to improve the overall complexion and texture of your facial skin. For more information about any of these treatments, ask your Meditours consultant.