If your face looks tired and sad all the time no matter how rested or happy you are, it may be because your upper and lower eyelids are sagging. Drooping upper eyelids may make you look tired and may even inhibit your field of vision. Sagging lower eyelids can make you look sad and depressed even when you are not. Eyelid surgery called blepharoplasty is a relatively simple cosmetic treatment that can have a dramatic effect on your appearance. Dustin C. Derrick, MD is the lead plastic surgeon at Cosmetic Surgery of DFW for eyelid surgery and Mommy Makeovers in Fort Worth, TX.
Why Do Eyes Sag?
During the natural aging process skin gradually loses elasticity. This means it doesn’t bounce back when it is pulled out of shape. Gravity has a constant pull on your body and the sensitive skin around the eyes is one of the first places to show the results. Sometimes, the effects are so slow that you don’t even realize you are compensating for drooping eyelids. You may tilt your head back a bit to see better. You may realize you can’t wear contact lenses anymore because your lower eyelid won’t hold them in place.
What is Eyelid Surgery?
Also called an eye lift, the surgery can be done on both the upper and lower eyelids. It will not eliminate crow’s feet, dark circles or wrinkles but can be done in conjunction with other cosmetic surgeries. Upper eyelid surgery involves an opening made in the natural crease of your eyelid. Through the opening, our surgeon will remove excess fat and skin and tighten the underlying muscles.
For lower eyelids, the opening is made just under the lash line or on the inside of the lower eyelid. The opening inside the eyelid will not be visible after the surgery. Excess fat will be removed and the muscles tightened. For some people, the fat may be redistributed to make a smooth surface under the eye. Our surgeon may soften and remove fine lines around the eyes with erbium or CO2 laser. In most cases, it takes about two hours to do the upper and lower eyelids. The upper eyelid may be done first. Our surgeon will give you any medications such as eye drops as well as instructions for your recovery period.
How to Prepare for Eyelid Surgery
To be a good candidate for eyelid surgery, you should be in good overall health. During your consultation with our specialist, you may be asked about any medications you are taking and about your cosmetic goals. It is important to have any cosmetic procedure because you want it and not because someone else is pressuring you to change your appearance.
Get In Touch with Us for More Information
To learn more about what eyelid surgery may be able to do for you, we warmly invite you to reach out and make an appointment with Cosmetic Surgery of DFW! If you have any questions about eyelid surgery or other procedures such as the Mommy Makeover and would like to schedule a consultation with Dustin C. Derrick, MD at Cosmetic Surgery of DFW, give us a call at 817-562-7979!
