Blepharoplasty in Everett, WA

What is Blepharoplasty?

Eyelid surgery, or Blepharoplasty, is one of the most commonly requested procedures among both men and women. It is a procedure to remove excess skin and fat from the eyelids in order to give a more youthful appearance. The aging face is associated with a loss of elasticity in the eyelid, which results in tired, sagging, or puffy lids. Physicians Clinic in Everett, WA is one of the areas premier practices to offer Blepharoplasty or Eyelid Surgery.

A personal consultation is the first step towards realizing your desires. Whether improving your appearance or improving your vision, your surgeon must first differentiate between excess lid skin and true Ptosis.

What is Ptosis?

Ptosis of the upper lid, or brow Ptosis, is an Eye Condition approach to either elevate the brow or repair the levator muscle in the upper lid. A Blepharoplasty is a relatively short procedure with a hidden incision and minimal downtime. Mild swelling and bruising last approximately one week, after which time the sutures are removed. Our aesthetician can provide you with a skin recovery plan to help in your facial rejuvenation.

If you feel that your eyelids are giving you the appearance of being tired, then a Blepharoplasty might be a good choice for you. It is meant to restore a more youthful, refreshed appearance.

Who is a Good Candidate for Eyelid Surgery?

Most of us over the age of 40 are good candidates for eyelid surgery, and that applies to both women and men. This is because the eyes are the focal point of the face, and aging eyes make you look older and tired. And these effects don’t care whether you’re a woman or a man. Good candidates for Blepharoplasty still have a good tone in their facial muscles and tissue. Most candidates are 40 or older. Only people with eye diseases are not able to have eyelid surgery, at least until their condition has been addressed.

Eyelid Surgery Before & After Photos

How is Eyelid Surgery Done?

Our three ophthalmologists perform this surgery at our on-site state-of-the-art surgical center here in Everett. Patients can opt to have surgery done on either the upper or lower eyelid, or both. This is a delicate surgery that uses small incisions to gain access.

Upper Eyelid Surgery

On the upper eyelid, a small incision is made in the natural crease of the eyelid. This conceals any visible scarring. Muscles are tightened as needed, fat is repositioned, and excess skin is trimmed. Unless there is an abundance of fat, the fat is repositioned rather than removed. This makes for a more natural appearance, rather than the hollow look you may have seen from some botched eyelid surgeries.

Lower Eyelid Surgery

On the lower eyelid, we place the incision just below the lower eyelash or sometimes within the inside of the eyelid. This depends on the patient’s eyelid characteristics. Additional excess skin may be removed on the lower eyelid if it is causing puffiness and excessive wrinkling beneath the eye.

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How Long Does Blepharoplasty Take?

Eyelid surgery can take from 45 minutes to two hours.

What Does the Recovery Process for Eyelid Surgery Look Like?

Another great thing about eyelid surgery is that the recovery is not overly difficult. When you return home after your surgery, your eyelids will be covered with light gauze. We will provide you with a cold compress and eyedrops to keep your eyes moist. If you’re diligent with the use of the compress, it can really reduce your swelling and bruising. Pain is not severe and can usually be handled with over-the-counter pain medication. After one week, your stitches will be removed and your eyelid recovery is usually mostly complete. You may have some on-again, off-again slight swelling, but this resolves in a few weeks. You can usually return to work in just 3-5 days.

How Long After Eyelid Surgery Will I See My Results?

Your results are immediate, but due to the swelling, it will take a few days to fully see them. But after a week or so you’ll really see the difference. As mentioned, you can have some residual swelling, but this rapidly resolves. A cool thing about Blepharoplasty is that, unless they’ve been told, people won’t know you’ve had this surgery. They will sense that you look younger, more alert, less tired, and somehow refreshed, but they won’t have any idea that you had surgery to achieve this. It’s thought that this procedure takes a decade off the patient’s facial age because the eyes are so important to our impression of the face.

How Long Will My Blepharoplasty Results Last?

The changes we make to your eyelids are permanent. Of course, the aging process won’t stop and you will have some loosening of these tissues and some future sagging. But the changes made — removing excess skin and fat and tightening the muscles involved — mean that your eyes will always look younger and they will never again have the same degree of aging that was there before this procedure.

What are the Risks of Eyelid Surgery?

This is a safe procedure when done by experienced ophthalmologists, such as the team at Physicians Eye Clinic. Still, there are the usual risks with any surgery: excessive bleeding, poor wound healing, reaction to anesthesia, and the like. Specific to this surgery, risks involve injury to the eye muscles, difficulty closing your eyelids, and potential dry eye. These are all very rare; this is an effective, safe procedure.

Is Blepharoplasty Covered by Insurance?

Blepharoplasty is usually done for cosmetic reasons and is not covered by insurance in these cases. However, if your drooping eyelids are beginning to impact your field of vision, eyelid surgery will usually be covered by your insurance.

What Our Patients Have to Say

“Excellent facility and excellent doctors! Always a good choice in the Everett and surrounding areas!” -Sonja J.

Schedule a Consultation

Physicians Eye Clinic proudly serves Everett, Marysville, Snohomish, Mill Creek, and the surrounding areas. To schedule an appointment for Blepharoplasty in Everett, WA call us at (425) 259-2020 today or fill out our contact form for more information.