"Dr. van der Veen explained me very clearly how the surgery would be performed and I immediately decided to put me in his hands. The result looks perfect and his manners are flawless. I recommend him 100%." Upper eyelid blepharoplasty; Lidia, Barcelona
Blepharoplasty is one of the most commonly performed facial cosmetic procedures in which we get rid of the excess skin, muscle and possibly fat from the upper eyelids. In the upper eyelid, the excess skin is positioned between the eyelashes and the eyebrow. More precisely, the frank excess of skin lays between the naturally present upper eyelid fold and the eyebrow. While the skin almost always needs to be excised, the fat can also be moulded or displaced to reach an optimal, youthful and above all, natural result. During your intake consultation dr. van der Veen will discuss with you personally which technique suits your needs and wishes the best. You will talk about whether you are a good candidate for this type of surgery and how the surgical procedure will take place, what precautions need to be taken before and after the intervention and what technique or combination of techniques will give the most satisfactory result.
Male blepharoplasty – Blepharoplasty surgery in men requires an equivalent approach to that in women, but one should exercise restraint in skin and fat excision. The male upper eyelid and eyebrow have a typical more straight shape and form than that of women, which is important to maintain post-operatively as not to hollow and feminize the upper eyelid. One should strive for a fresher, more rested appearance without giving the patient an operated or more feminized look.
How does the surgery take place and what anaesthesia do I get?
An upper eyelid correction is usually performed with local anaesthesia and sedation, but can also perfectly be performed with local anaesthesia alone. First of all the natural eyelid fold and the amount of skin to be excised is marked with a surgical marker. Afterwards the local anaesthetic is injected in the operation site. When the anaesthetic medication has taken its effect, the operation is started and the skin is excised. Where necessary fat will be removed, moulded or transposed, after which the incision will be closed with a suture that will be removed after 5-7 days in the clinic. After the operation, you will either have some small strips covering the incisions or have antibiotic ointment placed over the incisions and you will be instructed to apply this ointment and cold compresses for a number of days postoperatively.
What can I expect postoperatively?
Directly postoperatively you will notice some swelling and stiffness of the eyelids because of both the local anaesthesia and the postoperative swelling of the tissues, which is normal. Also, you may notice blurred vision because of the protective ointment that is applied on the ocular surface during surgery to protect the eyes from drying out. This subsides rapidly.
When looking in the mirror you will see a small suture in the eyelid that will be removed after one week approximately, and you may see some bruising. This is normal and the swelling and bruising will decrease in the week to come.
What can I do myself before the surgery for an optimal result?
There a number of things you could do at home to prepare yourself optimally for a blepharoplasty procedure. Such as resting sufficiently and eating and drinking healthy.
Patients that smoke will be advised to stop smoking preoperatively for a number of weeks, as studies have shown that smoking has a direct negative effect on wound healing (next to having other serious health consequences). Undergoing elective surgery is a great motivator for people to stop smoking and many are happy to have done so afterwards.
Patients on anticoagulant medication will be urged to stop using these a number of days before the intervention if deemed safely by their prescribing physician. Every drug has its own wash out time, and the advice differs therefore from patient to patient.
What can I do after the surgery to take the best care of my eyelids?
The most important thing you can do yourself at home is take-it-easy. No busy schedule, no heavy lifting or sports and no work in the household for a at least 5-7 days. Since physical effort increases the blood pressure significantly, this should be avoided to prevent unnecessary haemorrhaging and bruising because this can influence the result of the surgery in a negative way.
Many people also benefit from applying cool packs onto their eyelids for several minutes each hour, for the first two days. This also helps in reducing post operative swelling.
An antibiotic ointment is prescribed which should be used two times daily for the first 7 to 10 days after the surgery. Depending on the type of intervention and whether the eyes close easily directly after the surgery, the same ointment can also be used to put onto the eye itself to prevent it from drying out, for instance before going to sleep.