In youth, a low brow position is considered attractive in a male. However, as you age this can lead to a heavily hooded eyelid which is less than desirable and can actually infringe on vision.
Lower lids tend to get baggy as we age, and result in people telling you that you look ”tired”. If you suffer from either of these problems, chances are you need eyelid surgery or blepharoplasty.
Eyelid surgery can be performed alone but is commonly done in conjunction with other facial surgery procedures such as a face lift or browlift.
Browlift is a common companion to eyelid surgery in men. Nearly every male on the planet has a low brow position naturally. In the young male, this is seen as attractive – think Brad Pitt, or any Hollywood actor for that matter! However, as we age that low brow position results in excessively heavy upper eyelids, the typical ” grandfather” look.
Most men who come to us seeking eyelid surgery, actually need a brow lift, either on its own or in conjunction with the blepharoplasty to address their problem. For more information on brow lift, read through this section of our site, or call our staff who will happily answer your questions.
As we age, the eyelid skin stretches, muscles weaken, and fat accumulates around the eyes, causing ‘bags” above and below. Eyelid surgery involves removing this excess skin as well as the herniating fat that is causing the puffiness.
A few medical conditions make blepharoplasty more risky. They include: dry eye or lack of sufficient tears, high blood pressure or other circulatory disorders, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. History of a detached retina or glaucoma is also a reason for caution we would ask that you have this checked with an ophthalmologist before proceeding with surgery.
Before you decide to have surgery, think carefully about your expectations and discuss them with Dr. McGovern.
The best candidates for eyelid surgery are men who are physically healthy, psychologically stable, and realistic in their expectations. Most are 35 or older, but if droopy, baggy eyelids run in your family, you may decide to have eyelid surgery at a younger age.
Feel free to call us for more information. Our staff has loads of experience. Of course, only a consultation and examination by Dr. McGovern can determine exactly which surgical procedure will suit you best.
When eyelid surgery is performed by a qualified plastic surgeon, complications are infrequent and usually minor.
Nevertheless, there is always a possibility of complications, including infection or a reaction to the anesthesia.
You can reduce your risks by closely following Dr McGovern’s instructions both before and after surgery.
The minor complications that occasionally follow blepharoplasty include double or blurred vision for a few days; temporary swelling at the corner of the eyelids; and a slight asymmetry in healing or scarring.
Following surgery, some men may have difficulty closing their eyes when they sleep until their swelling resolves. In rare cases this condition may be permanent and need further surgery.
Another very rare complication is ectropion, a pulling down of the lower lids. In this case, further surgery may also be required.
Careful examination and testing prior to surgery can help to reduce your risk of problems dramatically. Be sure to give your surgeon a thorough history.
You should carefully discuss your goals and expectations for this surgery with Dr McGovern. You’ll need to discuss whether to do upper and lower eyelids or just the upper or lowers, as well as any additional procedures that may be appropriate eg browlift or skin resurfacing procedures.
Blepharoplasty surgery can be performed under local anaesthetic, but more commonly is performed with twilight sedation . The procedure is performed as a a day case and does not require overnight stays.
In a typical procedure, your surgeon makes incisions following the natural lines of your eyelids: in the creases of your upper lids, and just below the lashes in the lower lids. The incisions will extend a small way into the crow’s feet or laugh lines at the outer corners of your eyes.
Working through these incisions, the surgeon separates the skin from underlying fatty tissue and muscle, removes excess fat, and often sagging skin and muscle. The incisions are then closed with very fine sutures.
If you have a pocket of bulging fat beneath your lower eyelids your surgeon may perform a transconjunctival blepharoplasty. In this procedure the incision is made inside your lower eyelid, leaving no visible scar. No skin is removed with this procedure, however any mildly to moderately loose skin is tightened up using CO2 laser resurfacing. Click on Laser Resurfacing for more information. Such periorbital laser resurfacing may be an alternative to blepharoplasty for patients without too much spare eyelid skin.
Medicare doesn’t cover eyelid surgery, unless you can prove that drooping upper lids interfere with your vision, or unless you have thyroid disorders or eyelid scarring.
Don’t hesitate to ask any questions you may have, especially those regarding your expectations and concerns about the results.
You will require at least one week off work following Blepharoplasty. If your job is physical, we would recommend two weeks off. We want you to avoid increasing your blood pressure for two weeks to avoid problems.
Plastic surgeons today are well versed in the concerns of men seeking cosmetic surgery.They recognise that men demand strict confidentiality and inconspicuous results.
Dr McGovern is more than willing to answer any questions you may have.
For more information please call our helpful staff on 18000 80001. We offer free consultations with our nurses to help you to understand Blepharoplasty in more detail.
