Eye Contour Surgery
Cosmetic eyelid surgery – blepharoplasty
The appearance of the eye is an essential component of the characteristics of the face. It conveys the emotion and energy that inspire us.
Over time, the eyes don’t stand out as much, they become sad and tired, communicating a false negative impression of the actual state of mind.
Cosmetic eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty or eyelid lift) is certainly an option for upper eyelids (upper blepharoplasty) or lower eyelids (lower blepharoplasty), or both at the same time (blepharoplasty of 4 the eyelids).
With the upper eyelids, an excess of wrinkled skin gives an unsightly appearance. It weighs down the eyelids and plays a part in the closure of the palpebral fissures and interferes with makeup. In extreme cases, this excess skin can hang over the eyelids and partially hinder the field of vision
In addition, there is the variably noticeable protrusion of a little bulb of fat on the upper eyelid near the nose (fatty globule).
Surgical removal of excess skin and internal fat pockets is performed through an incision concealed in a natural fold of the upper eyelid. If there is a lot of excess skin the incision can sometimes extend towards the crow’s feet.
With the lower eyelids, excess skin gives a withered look to the eyelid. The excess fat is responsible for the “puffiness or eye bags”.
These pockets are removed by a trans-conjunctival incision located on the far side of the eyelid on the side of the eye. The excess skin is removed through an incision located 2 mm below the lashes.
Your plastic surgeon, Dr. Laveaux, considers your eye as a whole, and in some cases, he will propose additional procedures to get a better result :
- Botox injections are used to raise the tail of the eyebrow and smooth frown lines and crow’s feet. The result is temporary, injections are repeated every 5 to 6 months to maintain the results ;
- The temporal lift can permanently raise the tail of the eyebrow ;
- Fat injections or hyaluronic acid injections can correct the hollows under the eyes and plump up the lateral half of the eyebrow. The result after fat injections is permanent. However, hyaluronic acid injections need to be repeated every 8-12 months ;
- A centro-facelift can correct round eye (or scleral show) and fill eye hollows. It also helps to raise cheekbones and correct nasolabial furrows, even if it is beyond the scope of the eye surgery.
Fat injections, the temporal lift or centro-facial facelift are performed in the same operation as blepharoplasty. Botox injections or hyaluronic acid injections are given in the doctor’s office 15 days before or after eyelid surgery.
The procedure procedure is performed on an outpatient basis under assisted local anesthesia (type analgesia). The procedure lasts from 45 minutes to 1 and a half hours depending on the number of lids treated and any associated procedures included.
The procedure can be carried out under general anesthesia with a hospitalization of 24 hours when combined with one or more complex procedures (cervical-facial lifting…) or for reasons of comfort and whether the patient prefers to be fully asleep during the procedure.
Aesthetic blepharoplasty is possible in Asian patients, either to achieve a more youthful appearance while keeping the characteristics of Asian eyes, or to have a more western look (“Asian Double Eyelid Surgery”) or by performing both treatments simultaneously.
The appearance of western-looking eyes surgery can be either partial or total.
After surgery, the patient leaves the operating room with cold compresses applied to the eyes for an hour. There is normally no pain, however some discomfort is common (stinging eyes, impaired vision, feeling of tension in the eyelids).
The after effects are characterized by edema (swelling) of the face and ecchymosis (bruises) of varying degrees depending on the patient.
Makeup is permitted after removal of the stitches from 6 to 8 days following the procedure.The patient can resume professional and social activities 1 to 3 weeks after the operation, depending on the type of job.
The result is very satisfactory, sustainable and natural. The scars are located in the natural folds and are almost invisible after a few weeks. For lower eyelids without excess skin, the removal of pockets of fat through the trans-conjunctival approach leaves no scars on the skin.
Complications are uncommon after cosmetic eyelid surgery.
The likelihood of any complications are reduced in the hands of a qualified plastic surgeon and in the presence of a competent anesthetist.
Rare complications that could occur include, but are not limited to risk of hematoma, infection and scarring.
In the event of a complication, appropriate measures will be taken.
In practice, the vast majority of cases take place without any problem and the patients are satisfied with the result.
The patient’s compliance to instructions given by the surgeon is also essential and include :
- stopping smoking 1 month before and after the procedure (reduction of all risks) ;
- not taking aspirin for 10 days before and after the procedure (reduced risk of hematoma).
As this procedure is considered purely for aesthetic purposes, no coverage is provided by health insurance.
For the upper eyelids and in case of excess skin reducing the field of vision that is proven through testing by an ophthalmologist, partial coverage may be granted. You will be responsible for the additional surgeon and the anesthesiologist fees which may be redeemable in whole or in part by your health insurance.
Eyebrow lift
3 techniques are possible to lift the eyebrows:
- the temporal lift (raises the outer part of the eyebrow)
- the forehead lift (raises the entire eyebrow)
- the supra-browbone incision (raises the entire eyebrow)
In men, the eyebrows are heavier than in women and generally more droopy.
However, the temporal lift and the forehead lift are often discouraged due to the absence of hair (visibility of scars) and also due to the feminization of the face caused by these 2 facelifts.
An incision above the eyebrow is therefore the only acceptable solution, especially in men of a certain age with pronounced wrinkles. These wrinkles will make it possible to effectively hide the scars located just at the top of the eyebrows at the hairline.
The procedure is performed under local anesthesia on an outpatient basis and lasts for approximately 30 minutes.
Upper eyelid surgery is often performed at the same time, but all other facial rejuvenation procedures can be combined.
Manageable after effects can include edema (often more obvious around the 3rd day) and ecchymoses (bruises) of variable importance depending on the patient.
Social and professional activities can be resumed 1 to 2 weeks after surgery depending on the job performed.
As with any surgery, a number of complications can occur. But the likelihood of these complications is reduced in the hands of a qualified plastic surgeon and in the presence of a competent anesthetist.
The patient’s compliance to instructions given by the surgeon is also essential and include :
- stopping smoking 1 month before and after the procedure (reduction of all risks) ;
- not taking aspirin for 10 days before and after the procedure (reduced risk of hematoma).
Rare complications that could occur include, but are not limited to, risk of hematoma, infection and scarring, or temporary numbness in the forehead.
In the event of a complication, appropriate measures will be taken.
In practice, the vast majority of cases take place without any problem and the patients are satisfied with the result.
Lifting of the right eyebrow by resection above the eyebrows
Dark Circles
Dark circles can have a sunken and/or colored appearance (bluish or black).
The proposed treatments aim to correct the sunken appearance. The coloring of dark circles can be indirectly improved or subject to separate treatments (lasers, etc.).
In addition, dark circles can be associated with other procedures. Fatty eyelid pockets can be treated by blepharoplasty and malar bags treated by a central-facial lifting.
This surgical treatment of dark circles is performed when hyaluronic acid filling was not chosen by the surgeon or the patient.
The most commonly used surgical treatment for dark circles is lipofilling (fat injections).
The surgical equipment used for this delicate area is very fine and the fat deposits are thin, this is called micro-lipofilling.
The result is final.
A more complete facial lipofilling can be proposed as well as any other cervico-facial rejuvenation procedures.
Painless after effects of lipofilling dark circles can include edema (often more obvious around the 3rd day) and ecchymoses (bruises) of variable importance depending on the patient.
Social and professional activities can be resumed 1 to 2 weeks after surgery depending on the job performed.
As with any surgery, a number of complications can occur. But the likelihood of these complications is reduced in the hands of a qualified plastic surgeon and in the presence of a competent anesthetist.
The patient’s compliance to instructions given by the surgeon is also essential and include:
- stopping smoking 1 month before and after the procedure (reduction of all risks) ;
- not taking aspirin for 10 days before and after the procedure (reduced risk of hematoma).
Rare complications that could occur include, but are not limited to, risk of hematoma and infection.
In the event of a complication, appropriate measures will be taken.
In practice, the vast majority of cases take place without any problem and the patients are satisfied with the result.
Dark circles filling by injecting fat (micro-lipofilling)
