Cosmetic eye surgery is becoming increasingly popular in Asia and South America, where people, predominantly women, continue to change the shape of their eyes towards a more Western look. While this has drawn criticism from several quarters and has given eyelid surgery something of a bad rep, there are a number of procedures that aim to reduce signs of aging rather than the shape of the eye itself.
These include the following:
- Upper eyelid surgery to improve sagging or puffy upper eyelids
- Lower eyelid surgery to improve puffy bags below the eyes
- Non-invasive options like Botox, fillers and Latisse
It’s also possible to combine non-invasive and surgical procedures to achieve a result that is more pronounced. For example, surgery on the lower eyelid alone cannot reduce the dark shadows under the eyes or remove crow’s feet, but combining surgery with fillers may well help both of these issues.
What Does Cosmetic Eye Surgery Involve?
Eyelid surgery, or blepharoplasty to give it its correct name, is a surgical procedure to remove excess fat from the upper and/or lower eyelid. For the upper eyelid, the primary aim is to reduce sagging of the upper eyelid skin, something which is linked with the aging process but may also be a hereditary condition.
The lower eyelid, however, concentrates on helping to reduce bags under the eyes with the key aim to make you look rested, younger and more alert. It is important to realize that there are limitations, and while the smoothing out of some wrinkles and reduction in that puffy, overtired look that can be one of the first signs of aging will be apparent, Dr. Vitenas may well recommend combining the surgery with other procedures. Prospective patients may like to browse through the collection of blepharoplasty before and after photos which show both cosmetic eyelid surgery on its own and in combination with other procedures such as facelifts, brow lifts and fillers.
As with all his surgical procedures, Dr. Vitenas aims for an all-natural, un-operated look as far as possible so that patients appear naturally younger rather than bearing evidence of cosmetic surgery. Of course, your closest friends and family will notice a change for the better, but to everyone else the aim is to simply appear younger than you really are and better rested, as if you’ve just come back from a good holiday.
Recovering from Eyelid Surgery
The surgery itself involves incisions that can be hidden within the natural eyelid creases, along the eyelash line or even inside of the lower eyelid. So long as the natural contours of the eye are followed, these incisions ought to become nearly undetectable over time.
However, it is important, as with all surgery, to follow the precise before and after care instructions given by Dr. Vitenas and his team in order to get the best results. Patients should be aware that full recovery may be measured in months, and that work and strenuous activities need to be avoided for a period of time. Immediately following the surgery, your eyes will also appear puffy and slightly bruised, especially if you have combined the blepharoplasty with other procedures.
Non-Invasive Options for the Eyes
Fillers and Botox injections are a popular ways to help reduce the appearance of crow’s feet and other wrinkles around the eyes, but they are not the only non-invasive procedure that can be used to enhance the eyes. Another popular option is Latisse eyelash lengthening, which is available only by prescription.
The topical product stimulates the growth of the eyelashes, with full results appearing after around 16 weeks of nightly application. The results are an impressive thickening and lengthening of eyelashes, visible after only four weeks.
The difference between Latisse and regular cosmetics is that while makeup can make the lashes appear thicker and longer, Latisse actually makes the lashes grow, making it a perfect complement to your newly youthful eyes.
For more advice on blepharoplasty, as well as, all aspects of plastic surgery and anti-aging treatments, Vitenas Cosmetic Surgery, based in Houston, Texas, can be reached at (281) 484-0088.