An eyelid lift is one of the most common procedures in plastic and aesthetic surgery. The aim of an eyelid lift is to give the eyes a younger and more radiant appearance. An eyelid lift is usually performed on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia. The procedure takes 1 to 1.5 hours and costs 1,500 euros or more. You can find more information and selected eyelid lift specialists here.
An eyelid lift is a plastic surgery procedure that is used to remove
is used. The aim of the procedure is to achieve an even and symmetrical result.
The extent of the eyelid lift depends on the individual condition of the patient's eyelids. By removing the excess skin, the skin and muscles are tightened automatically.
The natural ageing process or a family predisposition can cause
can develop. This leads to an undesirable change in the eye area and an impairment of the ideal appearance.
An eyelid lift is therefore almost always performed for aesthetic reasons. Most people opt for an eyelid lift because they want their eyes to look fresher, younger and brighter.
In extreme cases, however, changes to the eye area can also result in pathological visual field restrictions. In these cases, we speak of a medically indicated eyelid lift.
An eyelid lift removes drooping eyelids and wrinkles © Alessandro Grandini | AdobeStock
After an eyelid lift, the upper eyelids are significantly smoother, making the gaze more open and the eyes appear brighter. The lower eyelids no longer have wrinkles after an eyelid lift , but they do when smiling.
A fine, thin line remains in the natural creases of the eyelid, which is barely noticeable. However, it is not possible to lighten or tighten dark or extremely thin skin on the lower eyelids with an eyelid lift.
It goes without saying that an eyelid lift must not cause any damage to the retina or the back of the eye. An ophthalmologic examination is therefore necessary before the eyelid lift operation.
The findings of this preliminary examination must be submitted to the clinic before the eyelid lift is performed. In the two weeks before the operation, the patient must refrain from
alcohol.
To prepare for the time after the eyelid lift, the patient should obtain two to three soft cooling elements or a migraine mask.
The patient should come to the operation appointment without make-up and rested and bring dark sunglasses.
Before the actual eyelid lift, the plastic surgeon first plans the optimal incision for the procedure. To do this, he draws an exact sketch on the patient's skin with a pencil.
An eyelid lift is usually performed on an outpatient basis and under local anesthesia. The patient is first given a sedative injection to reduce nervousness and excitement. The medication puts them into a kind of half-sleep. The local anaesthetic is then administered with four tiny, barely noticeable punctures in each of the four eyelids.
The plastic surgeon then uses a scalpel to remove
As a rule, as much excess skin is removed as can be grasped with two fingers.
Finally, the skin incisions are sutured intracutaneously with continuous, extremely thin sutures. The duration of such a surgical eyelid lift is one to one and a half hours.
The patient can leave the clinic immediately after the eyelid lift. Anxious patients can also be operated on under general anesthesia. However, this is associated with additional risks.
In the first one to two days after the eyelid lift, there is usually more or less severe swelling of the eyes. However, this subsides shortly afterwards. There is also bruising around the eyes, which settles in the lower eyelids. They usually disappear again within 7 days.
The suture of the skin incisions is usually barely visible 8 days after the eyelid lift. When the eyes are open, it lies exactly in the resulting eyelid folds. If the incision extends beyond the outer limit of the eye socket, the additional scars, which are around 1 to 2 centimetres long, may remain red for a few weeks.
Due to the swelling, the palpebral fissure may also appear slightly smaller for a few weeks after the eyelid lift.
No creams, ointments or make-up should be applied directly to the eyes and the fresh scars in the first week after the eyelid lift. To conceal any bruising, dark sunglasses should be worn instead.
To alleviate swelling and speed up the healing process after the eyelid lift, the patient can use
masks. These should be placed on the eyes as often as possible for around 1 to 2 days. Blood residue on the suture can be carefully removed with a moist pad.
The stitches are usually removed in the clinic five days after the eyelid lift operation.
Possible complications that can occur during an eyelid lift include
The lower eyelid may temporarily protrude slightly after a lower eyelid lift. At the same time, increased tearing may occur. Both depend on the extent of the bruising and scarring.
These complications mainly occur in older patients and second operations. If they do not resolve on their own within six weeks, they may necessitate another minor operation.
Some patients have a predisposition to excessive scarring. As a result, the lines of the skin incisions may be somewhat rough and red for a few weeks.
It is normal for the eyes to be slightly dry after the eyelid lift. However, if severe irritation and redness of the eyes occur, it is best to consult an ophthalmologist.
It is important to prevent complications during an eyelid lift. The patient should therefore inform the surgeon before the eyelid lift if they
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