Eyelid Surgery
A Foundation for Lasting Beauty
If you have signs of aging or cosmetic concerns about your eyelids, cosmetic medicine could be your path forward. With eyelid surgery in Miami, Dr. Sarah Avila provides a way to see lasting improvements that give patients a safe and effective path toward a restored, youthful look.
Eyelid Surgery: An Overview
Eyelid surgery, or blepharoplasty, is a cosmetic procedure that allows patients to craft a revitalized appearance without compromising their natural look. Dr. Sarah Avila provides two options, each designed to work with specific concerns for either the upper or lower eyelid areas.
Upper Blepharoplasty
Upper blepharoplasty surgically enhances the appearance of the upper eyelid area. Age-related changes in this area can appear early on in your life due to factors like genetics, eye-rubbing, or excess sun exposure. The skin can become looser, the eyelids might start to droop, and inevitable wrinkles begin to appear. This procedure aims to correct each of these concerns, among others, by building a refreshed appearance through precise adjustments in the delicate structures of the eyelid.
Both procedures have several benefits that patients can see when working with a board-certified surgeon, including:
- Incisions are hidden in natural eyelid creases for no visible scarring
- Lasting boosts to self-confidence
- Natural-looking, youthful appearance
- Restoring an alert and lively expression
- Easily combined with other procedures
What It Can Do
Upper blepharoplasty may be right for you if you want to:
- Remove excess or loose skin
- Reduce or eliminate wrinkles
- Create a more alert expression
- Improve ease of applying makeup
- Remove or reposition fat deposits
- Enhance facial symmetry
Lower Blepharoplasty
Lower blepharoplasty targets the lower eyelid and area immediately under the eye. This area is notorious for developing cosmetic concerns, such as under-eye bags or dark circles, even at a younger age. Though the area is small, it plays a significant role in one’s appearance, and issues with it can lead to a tired or aged appearance. Through surgery, Dr. Avila can provide subtle changes that sculpt a newly rejuvenated look with long-lasting benefits.
What It Can Do
Lower blepharoplasty may be right for you if you want to:
- Restore lower eyelid position
- Smooth out wrinkles
- Eliminate dark circles or bags
- Restore lost volume
- Remove or reposition fatty deposits
- Restore an alert, expressive appearance
Can You Combine Procedures?
You can! Many patients find the best results come from combining eyelid procedures in what is called quad blepharoplasty. Signs of aging rarely impact only one area of the face, so combining procedures allows patients to address multiple concerns with a single procedure for results that look natural and balanced.
Key Combination Advantages
- Only a single recovery period
- Enhanced results
- A more balanced look
What Your Day of Surgery Will Look Like
Preparation
Dr. Avila will provide comprehensive instructions on how to prepare for your procedure. These can vary slightly, depending on your plan, but typically include a few straightforward steps to help your procedure go smoothly, prove safe, and deliver optimal results. These can include pausing certain medications, obtaining bloodwork, avoiding smoking, and addressing any eyelid-related health concerns (e.g., infection).
Anesthesia
Patients will receive anesthesia with every procedure, and we have several options available.
- Local anesthetic is the mildest and is best for shorter, less complex procedures. You will remain awake, but the anesthetic prevents you from feeling any pain. Whenever possible, we use this type because it can shorten recovery times and put less strain on the body.
- Sedation: This allows you to stay comfortable by being either lightly or heavily sedated. It is typically combined with local anesthetic to ensure you feel no pain.
- General anesthesia allows patients to be fully unconscious for the procedure and is best for longer, more complex surgery. For general anesthesia, we work with certified anesthesiologists to secure a pain-free and safe procedure for patients.
Surgery Process
When you arrive, Dr. Avila will review each detail of your plan with you to ensure it meets your expectations. If everything matches up, then you will receive anesthesia and she will begin the procedure. Though the outline can vary, the typical step-by-step process for surgery involves:
- Creating incisions in hidden areas
- Removing excess skin or pockets of fat
- Repositioning and tightening underlying tissues or muscles
- Closing the incisions
Duration
The time spent in surgery will depend on the complexity of your procedure plan. For example, combined procedures on both eyelids can take longer than working on a single eyelid. On average, patients can expect a duration for blepharoplasty between 2 and 3 hours.
Wrapping Up & Returning Home
After the incisions are closed and you are woken up (if you had general anesthesia), you can spend some time in the recovery room. Once you are ready, you can return home that same day with a friend or family member to drive you.
What to Expect from Blepharoplasty Recovery
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- Initial Recovery: Blepharoplasty operates on a small part of the body, but that does not make the recovery period any less vital. Recovery begins with about 1 to 2 weeks of downtime, which means time away from work and all physical activity. As with any surgery, some pain, swelling, and bruising are normal. Dr. Avila will provide instructions for medication and homecare that can help manage these effects while you heal.
- Follow-up Appointments: A couple of weeks after surgery, Dr. Avila sees each patient for a follow-up visit. She will go over your progress so far and provide any updated instructions if needed.
- Returning to Your Routine: After the initial downtime, patients can make a gradual return to physical activity. Start with only light activities such as short walks or moving around the house. As the weeks pass (and depending on your follow-up results), you can begin resuming your normal routine, usually by about 6 to 8 weeks after surgery.
Seeing & Maintaining Your Eyelid Surgery Results
Starting out, the swelling and bruising will mean that your results will not be evident right away. However, the majority of swelling and bruising should resolve within a couple of weeks, and then you can start to take in your rejuvenated appearance. Your expression should look livelier, more youthful, and generally refreshed.
However, keep in mind that even minor residual swelling will alter your appearance slightly. This residual swelling will not be entirely noticeable, but it still needs to fade before your eyelid tissues will be in their final settled position. A typical timeframe for seeing your final results is about 2 to 6 months, depending on how quickly your body heals.
Dr. Avila uses techniques that are designed for creating results that can last for years. However, aging never stops, so there are a few ways to promote longer-lasting benefits and a continued youthful look.
- Lifestyle Factors: Excess sun exposure, an inactive lifestyle, and tobacco use can all lead to premature aging, which is reflected in one’s appearance. By living a healthy lifestyle (and using suncreen), you give yourself an advantage.
- Professional Cosmetic Measures: If your results begin to fade, that does not necessarily mean you will need a second surgery. Dr. Avila offers non-surgical rejuvenating treatments such as fillers, laser treatments, and IPL that can improve the appearance and texture of the eyelid areas.
FAQs
Am I a candidate for eyelid surgery?
The two biggest qualifiers for candidates are that they be in good health and have realistic expectations. The former is to promote patient safety, and the latter allows for a healthier approach to your results and experience.
Can blepharoplasty fix a droopy eyelid?
Yes, it can. Depending on the cause of your droopy eyelid (ptosis or merely excess skin), Dr. Avila will recommend a specific approach.
Can I repeat eyelid surgery?
We offer eyelid revision surgery for patients who are dissatisfied with the results from another surgeon. Additionally, revision surgery can be an option for patients who want to fully restore the results of a previous eyelid procedure.
Learn more about our approach to blepharoplasty and its benefits by contacting Dr. Avila’s office today. You can book your consultation by phone or through our online form to discuss your goals and begin building a tailored treatment plan. Sculpt a refined facial aesthetic through eyelid surgery in Miami with a leading, board-certified oculoplastic surgeon.
Sarah Avila, MD
Specialization: Eyelid Surgery & Aesthetics
Dr. Sarah Avila is an oculofacial plastic surgeon in Miami, Florida. After completing medical school, Dr. Avila completed a residency in ophthalmology at the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, followed by a highly competitive two-year ASOPRS-accredited fellowship in reconstructive and cosmetic oculofacial surgery at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. During this fellowship, Dr. Avila focused on plastic surgery related to the eyelids, brows, lacrimal duct system, orbit, and face.
