Eyelid Surgery: What to Look For In a Doctor

Eyelid surgery, also known as blepharoplasty, is designed to improve the overall appearance of the eyelids. The surgery can be performed on either the lower or upper eyelids as well as both of them. The surgery can also help patients who experience functional problems with their eyelids by treating:

• Bags underneath the eyes
• Excess, loose or sagging skin that disturbs the upper eyelid contour and disrupts vision
• Droopy lower eyelids
• Excess fatty deposits and wrinkles

Qualities to Look For In Your Doctor

You should make sure the person performing the procedure is either a facial plastic surgeon or a board-certified dermatologist with a good understanding of facial anatomy. Visiting the websites of the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) or the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ABFPRS) are a good way to find an experienced doctor in the area of the country where you live.

Once you find a doctor you feel is right to perform your surgery, keep these items in mind when you meet with the surgeon:

• Experience – How much experience does the doctor have performing blepharoplasty? Find a surgeon who is trained and experienced with blepharoplasty techniques. Someone who specializes in blepharoplasty has the specific training and experience necessary to give you the results you desire,
• Results – Ask to see before and after photos of previous blepharoplasty surgeries performed by the doctor.
• Patient Reviews – Go online to websites such as Yelp so you can read reviews from previous patients. Be on the lookout for complaints or issues specific to the procedure mentioned by more than one patient. These reviews can give you a good idea of how the doctor interacts with his patients on a regular basis.

How is Blepharoplasty Performed?

Finding the right doctor is only one of the steps to achieving the results you desire. It’s important to know how the procedure is performed in order for you to ask relevant questions during your consultation with the doctor. Blepharoplasty options include:

• Lower Eyelid Surgery – Surgery performed on the lower eyelids that improves the wrinkles around the eyes as well as removes fat deposits under the eyes. Surgeons can also transfer fat or dermal fillers to areas that appear hollow under the eyes to add volume to those areas. Lower eyelid surgery involves the surgeon making an incision below the lower eyelashes in order to remove excess muscle, fat and skin.
• Upper Eyelid Surgery – This technique is often used to address the functionality of the area such as inversion and drooping. This is accomplished by removing fatty tissues and excess skin. An incision is made in the natural eyelid creases and then the surgeon removes or trims the excess skin that obstructs the vision and causes a droopy look.
• Double Eyelid Surgery/Asian Blepharoplasty – This technique, popular among Asian patients, is performed when a crease is created in the upper eyelid. The result is a double-lidded appearance desired by many Asian patients.
• Transconjunctival Blepharoplasty – This technique removes pockets of fat while not removing any skin. The result is under-eye bags that are less noticeable and pronounced.

On average, blepharoplasty can cost anywhere from $4000-$7000. The final price depends on how extensive the surgery is what type of blepharoplasty technique used by the surgeon. Blepharoplasty can also be performed in conjunction with a brow lift, skin resurfacing or a facelift if desired by the patient.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

Before making the final decision to undergo blepharoplasty, there are a number of questions you should ask your doctor. The more questions you ask the doctor, the better informed and prepared you will be to make a decision. These questions can include:

• Do you perform blepharoplasty on a regular basis?
• Which technique best addresses my medical needs?
• Are you a specialist in the field of blepharoplasty?
• How many years have you been performing blepharoplasty?
• Do you have any before and after photos of recent patients that I can view?
• What do I need to do to prepare for surgery?
• How long is the recovery time?
• Are there any side effects or complications I need to know about?
• Is blepharoplasty covered by insurance?
• If it’s not covered by insurance, do you offer a payment plan?
• If you need to perform revision surgery, do you charge for the revision?

Conducting proper research, and asking relevant questions during your consultation, can save you time and money. Choosing a surgeon with the proper skills and surgical experience decreases the chance of revision surgery following the procedure.

- MA