'I am so happy I got Blepharoplasty surgery'
“Three months after, I forgot I even had a surgery. Everything had returned to normal! My eyelids were once noticeably droopy and now they are so much wider and more weightless on my eyes. The slight pinkness left from the incisions went away a few months later too.”
Aging is a natural process of life that we should all wear proudly. However, aging can make many of our patients feel less confident and can even negatively impact their quality of life. The eye area is typically the first indication of age and there is only so much creams and injections can do past a certain amount of facial aging. The lower eyelids can become puffy with excess fat and the upper eyelids may begin to fall or droop over the eyelid area, putting unnecessary weight on the eye itself. This is exactly what happened to longtime Contour patient, Carley*, once she turned fifty.
Contour Dermatology can help the appearance of aging eyes with the blepharoplasty treatment. This surgical procedure corrects droopy or puffy eyes caused by excess fat or skin in the eye area. Blepharoplasty is only performed on the upper and lower eyelids.
Carley’s Before and After Photo
Preparing for Treatment
The thought of undergoing eyelid surgery may sound like a daunting experience. Carley reflects on her pre-treatment experience; “I have used many of Contour Dermatology’s services before such as Botox in the lips, CoolSculpting for the thighs, and various spa services but have always thought I would never get any actual surgery.” Choosing to undergo surgery is not a trivial decision, and many of our patients require some time to decide if they are ready.
For Carley, the slight pressure on her eyes was noticeable every time she would blink. “Dr. Jochen assured me that the surgery would not only enhance my quality of life but would take off years of aging from my face. His expertise combined with being allowed to take time to decide if I truly wanted the surgery is what made me feel confident enough to go through with it. Once I decided to commit, the Contour nurses prepared me for all of the requirements going into surgery. I felt pretty ready by treatment day.”
Treatment Day
Patients cannot eat or drink on the day of surgery and should follow all medication instructions going into the operation. “I’ll be honest, I was a little scared going in for my surgery that day,” Carley mentions as she recalls being given intravenous sedatives and local anesthesia along the eye area. “The anesthesia allowed me to be awake through the surgery, but I really had no idea what was happening, and I definitely felt nothing throughout the surgery. Then a few hours later, I began to feel some pain as the anesthesia wore off after the surgery had finished.”
During surgery, Dr. Jochen creates a simple incision that follows the natural crease of the eyelid before separating the skin from the fatty tissues and muscle underneath the skin. Once these areas separate, Dr. Jochen removes any fat and trims excess sagging skin and muscle. Sutures close the incisions back together with the surrounding skin. The surgery typically takes between one to three hours to complete.
Lower blepharoplasty surgery follows the same design, with the incision following the natural line of the lower eyelid below the lashes instead.
Watch an Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty) Demonstration
Post-Treatment
Stitch removal occurs anywhere from two days to a week after surgery and patients can return to their daily tasks such as reading or using the computer after about two days.
Unlike our more minimally invasive treatments available, patients undergoing blepharoplasty should expect bruising and pain in the weeks following the procedure. “I did experience a lot of bruising and a lot of pain. Because of this, I took quite a bit of pain reliever and then arnica to help with the bruising,” says Carley. Bruising peaks during the first week post-surgery before being completely gone two weeks to a month afterward.
“It seemed like my body processed the effects of the surgery within a month,” Carley observes. “During that month I would use sunglasses everywhere I went because I wasn’t sure if people would notice I just had surgery. After a month I could use makeup and walk out in public freely.” Most patients feel ready to go out in public around day ten post-surgery and should avoid strenuous activity for about three weeks.
The Final Verdict
“Three months after, I forgot I even had a surgery. Everything had returned to normal! My eyelids were once noticeably droopy and now they are so much wider and more weightless on my eyes. The slight pinkness left from the incisions went away a few months later too.” Like many of our patients, the results of Carley’s upper blepharoplasty have kept the youthfulness of her eyes for years after her surgery.
If you are considering getting a blepharoplasty but are unsure if you want to follow through, do not hesitate to set up a consultation with Contour Dermatology. We are here to give you the best skin of your life on your terms!
I would like to acknowledge one of Dr. Jochen’s staff in the La Quinta Office. Her name is Sky and she is the early morning receptionist. I have been going to this office since October 2020. Every time I arrive she is there with a huge smile and a warm welcome. Even when there are quite a few patients waiting in line to check in she has the ability to address each and every one of us to let us know that she will be right with us. I sat today and just listened to how she interacted with each patient with kindness and efficiency. In fact she had an elderly patient that needed to fill out quite a few forms and she helped her to a seat in the waiting room so she could do this with ease. Sky patiently helped her to complete this task. It is a staff member like Sky that keeps a practice running smoothly and creates good experiences for the patients as well. Thank you Sky! We look forward to our next visit.