Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)

As you are looking at your different options by visiting various web sites, you should be aware that all blepharoplasty surgeons are not alike. Many surgeons say a lot about their particular approach. Some use a laser, others use other devices. Dr. Constantinides believes all this is smoke and mirrors. What matters most is the surgeon’s experience and the technique he uses.

Dr. Constantinides has been Director of Facial Plastic Surgery for the Department of Otolaryngology at NYU Medical Center for 10 years. He has extensive experience in assuring that the surgical result you get is the best and the safest. Today, there are numerous types of eyelid lifts available, but only a few surgeons skilled in all of them. Dr. Constantinides is among the best in New York for this procedure. He is board certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology. He is a Fellowship Director, so he teaches blepharoplasty at an advanced level to board certified surgeons who wish to specialize further in Facial Plastic Surgery. He is one of only about 45 fellowship directors in Facial Plastic Surgery nationally. This should give you an idea of the depth and breadth of his experience in blepharoplasty. You can certainly find other surgeons who are less expensive, but you will not find another more committed to giving you the best possible result.

Blepharoplasty , or eyelid surgery, at our New York City practice can dramatically enhance the appearance of aging eyes, and restore your eyes so that they are once again the focal point of your face.

When we meet someone for the first time, the eyes are the first things we notice. Your eyes have the power to articulate feelings. For this reason, beautiful, expressive eyes can open up your entire face, and can even diminish the appearance of asymmetry or imbalance in other features. Likewise, eyes that are tired, droopy, or swollen may not reflect a vibrant inner self, and may significantly detract from your overall appearance.

Unfortunately, the area around the eyes is often the first place to show signs of age. Old and tired eyes may look back at you from the mirror in the morning, or people may ask you if you are tired because your eyes appear swollen. Fortunately, cosmetic surgery can give you dramatically younger eyes through eyelid surgery. For a consultation on blepharoplasty in New York City, contact our plastic surgery practice today.

• Eyelid Surgery
• Recovery From Eyelid Surgery

Eyelid Surgery

As you age, the skin of on the face begins to feel the effects of gravity, and your skin will begin to droop, including the skin around eyebrows. Because of this drooping at the corners of the eyes, eyelids can look saggy. By trimming this extra skin around the upper lids, blepharoplasty at our New York City facilities can make you look years younger.

Sagging eyelid fat can also cause eyes to appear tired. In your youth, fat is held in place by the orbital septum, a thin wall of fibrous tissue. However, this wall sags over time, and the fat around your eyes can bulge, making eyelids appear baggy. During eyelid surgery, our New York City facial plastic surgeon will trim this extra fat and tighten the orbital septum. By removing this extra fat, blepharoplasty will make you appear more vibrant and alert.

If done alone, blepharoplasty takes about one and a half hours for all four eyelids. In conjunction with other procedures, operating time will vary. You can undergo blepharoplasty under general anesthesia or under wakeful sedation.

During eyelid surgery of the upper lids, the drooping skin around the lids is removed through fine incisions placed in the upper eyelid creases. Through the same incision, your blepharoplasty surgeon trims sagging fat. A fine suture is used to close the skin and is removed four days later.

During surgery on the lower eyelids, your blepharoplasty surgeon works through a small incision on the inside of the eyelid to remove excess, sagging fat. Because the incision is made on the inside of the eyelid, lower eyelid surgery will leave no visible scar. Furthermore, because it does not disturb the supporting muscles of the eyelid, this incision placement is incredibly safe. If there is extra skin of the lower eyelid, it is removed through a fine incision in a wrinkle just beneath the eyelashes.

Dr. Constantinides specializes in the latest fat preservation techniques during eyelid surgery. These techniques require less fat removal and some fat distribution into the groove between the lower eyelid and the upper cheek, creating a smoother transition between the bulging fat of the lower eyelid and cheek, and preventing the eyelids from looking hollow. Dr. Constantinides will help you determine whether you would benefit from this technique during your blepharoplasty consultation at our New York City practice.

Recovery From Eyelid Surgery

Recovery from eyelid surgery is usually complete within seven to 10 days, though a small amount of lumpiness is common at the corners of the eyes for the first few weeks. Minimal blurry vision rapidly resolves, and sunglasses should allow you to go out in public immediately after surgery. Makeup can be worn within five days of blepharoplasty, but you should wait three weeks to resume normal activity and exercise.

Other Options

We sometimes combine eyelid surgery at our New York City practice with a new procedure called an “ endoscopic brow lift” to lift and rejuvenate your forehead. During a consultation for blepharoplasty, we can discuss whether you might benefit from a combination of these procedures.