Upper Eyelid Blepharoplasty
Blepharoplasty is eyelid surgery which involves the removal of excess skin and fat pockets in the upper and lower eyelids. In the upper eyelids, excess skin can result in a tired appearance to some, while in others, it can actually result in difficulty seeing in the top gaze of your vision (also referred to as limitations in super visual field). Dr. Zoumalan will meet with you during your consultation and perform a comprehensive oculoplastic examination.
The Upper Eyelid Surgery Procedure
Both you and Dr. Zoumalan will go over the plan and what to expect from the surgery. An upper lid blepharoplasty can often be performed in the office using only local anesthesia While you are awake but relaxed and made comfortable right in our own office! It is a painless procedure that we do in our very own procedure room in the office. However, in cases where additional surgery is performed, Dr. Zoumalan will perform the procedure under sedation within an operating room. An upper lid blepharoplasty is often combined with lower lid blepharoplasty where the lower lid excess skin and fat pockets are removed. In cases where the brows are also low set, Dr. Zoumalan may recommend a brow lift. Upper eyelid surgery will not help with the fine wrinkles on the sides of your eyelids though as Botox helps with this.
Beautiful before and after of an UPPER LID BLEPHAROPLASTY AND PTOSIS REPAIR. This was a tough case where he presented with some fairly significant asymmetry between the two eyes. An upper eyelid surgery was performed to help balance the eyes. His left eyelid’s main issue was ptosis aka droopy eyelid, whereas the right upper lid had excess skin. Two different issues seen in two separeate eyelids in the same patient. He underwent an in office procedure to correct both issues at the same time, and here he is just a few weeks out of surgery and looking fantastic already.
Beautiful UPPER EYELID BLEPHAROPLASTY in a patient of Asian decent. She has pre-exisitng upper lid creases at a height she was happy with, so we did not have to perform a double eyelid or Asian eyelid surgery. An UPPER LID BLEPHAROPLASTY WITH FAT REPOSITIONING was performed to 1) improve her excess upper lid skin 2) improve her eyelid asymmetry and 3) mobilize and reposition her upper eyelid excess fat to improve the volume loss she had in her upper eyelids. The STRAIGHT ARROW denotes the area of fat repositioning and how the hollowing improved post surgery, and the CURVED ARROW demonstrates the improvement from excess skin removal! Her after photo was taken 2 months post surgery and, although she has healed remarkably well so far and most of her swelling has resolved, she still has some very minor swelling and will continue to heal with time. This is not a procedure where fillers alone or just removing excess skin would have helped entirely.
Why Choose Dr. Zoumalan
Dr. Zoumalan is a board-certified Oculoplastic surgeon that specializes in eyelid surgery. He regularly speaks at conferences providing the latest regarding advanced techniques and his research publications. He has authored numerous book chapters and publications in major medical journals within the field of Oculoplastic Surgery.
Special Considerations
Other important things to consider are a history of dry eyes and prior eyelid surgery, both of which need to be evaluated carefully prior to any eyelid surgery by Dr. Zoumalan. Dry eyes must be managed properly by your eye doctor prior to surgery since dry eye symptoms can worsen after eyelid surgery. Dr. Zoumalan will generally not operate on a patient with active dry eye symptoms. Patients with prior eyelid surgery may also be at risk for dry eye symptoms and difficulty closing eyelids after surgery. Having prior eyelid surgery does not exclude you from further surgery, but it is important to see an eyelid specialist such as Dr. Zoumalan for a proper examination to make sure you will be a safe and appropriate candidate.
Combination Procedures
Brow Lift
In cases of low set brows with excess eyelid skin, patients may need to have a combined brow lift in addition to upper eyelid blepharoplasty. There are several types of brow lifting procedures that Dr. Zoumalan performs, and each one is specific to the patient’s desired results, examination findings, age, and gender. They all provide excellent results when done on the appropriately selected patients. The incisions for the brow lift can either incorporate the existing blepharoplasty incisions (such as brow pexy) or well-hidden small incisions in the hair-baring scalp areas (such as in temporal brow lift or endoscopic brow lift surgeries). The benefit of combining a brow lift with a blepharoplasty is that the brows are repositioned to a more natural and youthful position. By doing so, less skin is required to be removed in the upper eyelids. Dr. Zoumalan’s goal in performing brow lift surgery is to achieve natural looking brows without creating an overcorrected or undesirable look.
Ptosis Surgery (Droopy eyelid surgery)
In other instances, patients may have some droopiness to the upper lids (also termed as upper lid ptosis) along with excess upper lid skin. Performing upper lid blepharoplasty alone without addressing the ptosis will result in the patient looking even more tired appearing and lacking a rejuvenated look. Thankfully, the low set position of the upper lids (ptosis) can be addressed at the same time as a blepharoplasty. Dr. Zoumalan will perform a careful evaluation and determine if you will need a ptosis repair and a blepharoplasty surgery at the same setting. Both are commonly performed at the same setting to achieve the desired look of a rejuvenated eyelid. Dr. Zoumalan performs minimally invasive ptosis surgery techniques to help allow you to heal well and quickly as possible.
Lower lid blepharoplasty
Dr. Zoumalan routinely performs upper and lower lid blepharoplasty at the same time. Patients who often have upper lid aging signs may also have lower lid aging signs which include prominent lower lid fat pockets (lower lid eye bags), volume loss and hollowing, and even excess lower lid skin. A lower lid blepharoplasty can help improve the look of the lower lid. Dr. Zoumalan employs the latest advanced techniques to help allow you to look as natural looking as possible while having a result that leaves you looking refreshed and youthful again. When you meet with Dr. Zoumalan, ask if you would benefit from a lower lid blepharoplasty at the same time as an upper lid surgery.
Other cosmetic surgeries (i.e. facelift, necklift, rhinoplasty, breast augmentation, liposuction, and body work)
If you desire to undergo multiple cosmetic procedures at the same time as your blepharoplasty surgery, we can help accommodate that for you. We’ll have you meet with our other specialists so that you get the best and most specialized care possible. Although Dr. Zoumalan is an eyelid specialist and exclusively performs eyelid plastic surgery, he works with a team of specialized and board-certified plastic surgeons. Working closely with these surgeons, Dr. Zoumalan and his team will strive to address your cosmetic needs.
I often get asked how quickly patients heal after an upper eyelid blepharoplasty that I perform in the office under local anesthesia? Invariably there is some swelling and bruising that occurs, and most of this improves by the second week. Every patient heals a bit differently, some may be more swollen than others, and ultimately it continues to improve week to week. This is a before and after of a recent patient of mine that underwent upper lid blepharoplasty, and shows you how she’s healing just 3 weeks out from surgery. The excess skin that she was bothered by was improved by the in office procedure, but she’s still a bit swollen and will continue to heal well with time. For post incisional recovery, all of my patients that undergo an upper eyelid blepharoplasty start using @skinuva scar cream one week after the sutures are removed. Skinuva Scar has been shown in clinical studies to help improve the apperance of red, raised, thickened, and pigmented scars.
Beautiful MALE UPPER EYELID BLEPHAROPLASTY to improve excess upper lid skin. The excess skin is removed to help rejuvenate the eyes while preserving a natural look.
Completed upper eyelid blepharoplasty surgery to improve her appearance and enabled her peripheral vision to drastically increase. The procedure was performed in the office under local anesthesia.
The patient complained about having excess upper eyelid skin and minimally invasive upper eyelid blepharoplasty was performed.
Recovery After Upper Eyelid Surgery
Depending on the complexity of the case, the surgery typically lasts 1-2 hours and you can expect to go home the same day of surgery. Bruising is minimized by Dr. Zoumalan’s rapid recovery techniques but patients should expect to have some degree of swelling and bruising for at least 2 weeks.Natural Results with Minimal Scarring
Check out Our Amazing Patient Results
Dr. Christopher Zoumalan is a board-certified Oculoplastic surgeon that specializes in minimally invasive cosmetic eyelid surgery. An upper lid blepharoplasty is performed with the utmost precision and care to ensure minimal scarring. Dr. Zoumalan is passionate about helping patients achieve their desired aesthetic without the worry of scars. Dr. Zoumalan and a team of scientists have developed and perfected, Skinuva Scar Therapy, which works to kickstart the healing process and effectively reduce the appearance of scars. The Skinuva Scar Therapy is composed of an innovative silicone cream matrix that incorporates vitamin C, growth factors and natural ingredients to improve the appearance of scars.
A Natural Looking Blepharoplasty TM technique was used to carefully remove some the patient’s excess skin from her upper lids. The patient did not have a visible fat pocket, but she did not like her fine lines and wrinkles on her lower lids, so a chemical peel was done at the same time.
Preoperative Diagnosis: Upper lid excess skin
Procedure performed: Upper lid blepharo
Disclaimer:
*Individual results may vary
All before and after pictures displayed are real patients who have consented to having their pictures published on our site. Individual results will vary with each patient and Dr. Christopher Zoumalan does not guarantee any outcomes of procedures shown. All pictures are meant for reference and illustrative purposes only.Upper lid blepharoplasty Recovery
IMMEDIATELY AFTER
Swelling and some bruising usually start to occur immediately after surgery, and icing can be very helpful. It is normal to have some dry eye sensation during the first week of surgery.1 WEEK
Your stitches from your upper lids are removed one week after surgery. You should be able to start reading, watching TV, and doing small activities around the house for longer periods of time.Most of your swelling and bruising improves by the second week.2 TO 3 WEEKS
It is still normal to have some asymmetry between the two lids. You should be able to resume most if not all your routine day to day activities.1 MONTH TO 6 WEEKS
Some minor amounts of swelling may still persist, which should improve over the next several months after surgery. The incisions in the upper lids usually heal well but can take time, sometimes up to several months. The doctor may inject steroid injections or provide a scar cream to help improve your scars.
Where is the incision made in the upper lids for an upper eyelid blepharoplasty?
Dr. Zoumalan will identify your natural crease carefully and make a hairline incision over the natural crease. Most of us are born with a natural crease; if the crease is too high or non-existent (such as in some Asian eyelids), Dr. Zoumalan will discuss with you options to change the lid crease. Dr. Zoumalan uses a modified technique to remove lateral excess hooding of the skin by curving the lateral markings upward which help in removing the lateral hooding but also opening up the eyelid while keep the brow elevated. The hairline incision heals well within the crows feet wrinkles. Curving downward can often result in more visible incision and can leave residual skin and also bring the eyebrow down. Dr. Zoumalan pays careful attention to the wound closure using very fine, non absorbable sutures which are removed usually in 5-6 days.Common Questions and Answers
Dr. Christopher Zoumalan is a board-certified oculoplastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, specializing in aesthetic and reconstructive oculoplastic surgery. Dr. Zoumalan is passionate about helping patients reach their ideal aesthetic and restore functionality with the leading cosmetic eyelid surgery, reconstructive eyelid surgery, and non-surgical cosmetic procedures. Dr. Zoumalan has been featured on several television shows and has traveled the world as a trusted oculoplastic specialist. Browse the video gallery below to learn more about oculoplastic procedures and treatments.
