The thin, delicate skin of your eyelids is one of the first areas where the signs of aging appear. Eyelid surgery – also called blepharoplasty or an eye lift – is a restorative procedure. Dr. Ronald Schuster, a board-certified plastic surgeon in the Baltimore area, tailors the procedure to flatter you as an individual, taking into account your age, ethnicity, gender and overall facial appearance. In this way, he can create the most natural, restorative results. To learn more, please call our practice at 410-902-9800.
What to Expect from the Consultation
Dr. Schuster wants to listen to your goals first, and then discuss the best surgical method of producing your desired results. That is the purpose of your one-on-one consultation at our office.
To prepare for your consultation, we recommend taking some time to look at your face and pinpoint the areas you would like to change. Is there too much skin above or below your eyes? Are there bags of fat below your eyes, or wrinkles on the lower eyelids? Is there another area of your face that is bothering you or causing you to look older? Discuss your thoughts with Dr. Schuster.
Another way to prepare for your consultation is to look for photos of people your age, whose eyes have the characteristics you want to emulate. If you can bring these images with you, it gives Dr. Schuster a way to discuss your expectations with you and make sure you know what the results will look like.
What to Expect from the Surgery Day
Most often, blepharoplasty is an outpatient facial procedure, which means you leave to go home the same day of surgery – no overnight stay involved. Depending on the specifics of your procedure, you’ll most likely be administered a local anesthetic, so you’ll remain awake but relaxed throughout the appointment.
We’ll make sure you know how to prepare for surgery, including:
- What clothes to wear (something loose and comfortable)
- If/when to stop taking certain medications
- Not to wear face or eye cosmetics
- Arranging for someone to drive you home
The procedure itself involves removing and sometimes repositioning excess skin, fat and muscle that is causing the eyelids to look droopy, saggy and puffy. Dr. Schuster makes these adjustments through small incisions made discreetly along the fold of the upper eyelid, along the lower lash lines or on the inner surface of the lower eyelid. Once they heal, the incisions are almost impossible for anyone to see and recognize.
What to Expect as You Recuperate
The recovery from eyelid surgery is generally fast and involves minimal discomfort. Most patients need only an over-the-counter pain reliever for a day or two, and a narcotic painkiller is not generally necessary. During this time, it’s also normal to experience:
- Eyes that feel dry, itchy and sticky
- Sensitivity to light
- Soreness around your eyes
After surgery, the area around your eyes will be bruised and swollen. We’ll recommend icing the area for the first 48 hours. Your spouse or family member will drive you home, where you should rest. You’ll want to stay home from work and social obligations for 4-7 days. The bruising could last as long as 1-2 weeks, at which point you’ll be able to apply facial cosmetics to cover up any discoloration that remains. Most people make a decision about when to return to work based on how they feel about people seeing the bruising around their eyes.
To stay on track with your recovery, make sure you follow all of our instructions for keeping the area clean. You’ll need to take it easy and get plenty of rest for several days. We’ll ask you to keep your head elevated with pillows when you are laying down. If you wear contact lenses, you’ll need to switch to glasses for at least 2 weeks. Don’t rub your eyes during this time.
What’s Next? Your Consult in the Baltimore Area
If you are interested in an eye lift or eyelid surgery to restore a more youthful facial appearance, please contact the practice of board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Ronald Schuster at 410-902-9800. Our elegant, state-of-the-art practice is located in Lutherville-Timonium, and we proudly provide care for patients from across Baltimore, Maryland, and the entire country.
