Fort Worth Eyelid Surgery and Eyelid Surgery Dallas

• Introduction
• Is cosmetic eyelid surgery right for me?
• What should I expect from the consultation?
• How is cosmetic eyelid surgery performed?
• How will I learn about the safety of cosmetic eyelid surgery?
• What can I do to prepare for my surgery?
• How will I be cared for on the day of surgery?
• How will I look and feel right after surgery?
• What should I know about my results?
• How long will I continue to see my plastic surgeon?
• Choosing a plastic surgeon
• It's advisable to consider the following points before scheduling a consultation
• Ask about the surgeon's hospital privileges

Introduction

Our most prominent facial feature, our eyes are seen as the window to our soul. They dictate whether we look awake and alert, or tired, angry or unhappy. Issues such as lower eyelid puffiness, dark circles or drooping upper eyelids can misrepresent our true mood and temperament. They often make us appear fatigued and haggard even when we are alert and energized.

If you are unhappy with the appearance of your eyelids, cosmetic eyelid surgery ( blepharoplasty) may offer the improvement you seek. Eyelid surgery can remove drooping skin and excess fat of the upper eyelids, reduce under-eye bags and tighten the lower eyelid skin.

Though basic blepharoplasty information is provided on this website, the best way to get answers to specific questions about your needs is to schedule a personal consultation with a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. For individuals considering eyelid surgery in Dallas, plastic surgeon Dr. White is ABPS certified and will gladly address any questions and concerns you may have during consultation.

Is cosmetic eyelid surgery right for me?

Eyelid surgery is most often performed to correct the effects of ageing in the upper and lower eyelids. But it can also offer benefits to younger men and women as well. Many individuals begin to see changes in their eyelids as early as their mid-30s, and even patients in their 20s have undergone eyelid surgery to enhance their appearance.

Good candidates for eyelid surgery include healthy men and women with any of the following conditions:

Upper eyelids

• Puffiness
• Excess skin hiding the natural eyelid fold
• Loose eyelid skin, sometimes obstructing vision

Lower eyelids

• Excess skin
• Fine wrinkles in the lower eyelid area
• Bags, puffiness and dark circles

Though eyelid surgery offers great benefits to many seek it, the procedure should to be approached with extra caution for those with any of the following medical conditions:

• Circulatory disorders, including high blood pressure
• Thyroid problems
• Lower eyelids with excessively significant droop
• Dry eye, glaucoma, a detached retina or other eye problems
• Cardiovascular disease
• Diabetes

If you have any of these medical conditions, be sure to alert Dr. White during consultation.

What should I expect from my blepharoplasty consultation?

• All medical conditions, both past and present
• Any allergies, especially those affecting the eyes
• Current medications, including nutritional supplements and herbal remedies
• Past surgeries
• Other treatments you've undergone or are considering

During you consultation, Dr. White will assess your overall eyelid contour, the amount of excess eyelid fat and skin you possess, your eyebrow position, and the condition of the muscles in the area.

For a more complete rejuvenation, Dr. White may discuss additional procedures that can be performed along with eyelid surgery. Fort Worth men and women frequently combine eyelid surgery with:

• Forehead lift: to diminish horizontal forehead wrinkles and lift sagging brows
• Chemical peel or laser resurfacing: to reduce the appearance of fine lines and crows feet
• Bleaching medication, chemical peel or laser treatment: to diminish the appearance of dark circles below the eyes
• Additional eyelid surgery: to improve lower-eyelid muscle tone

What does cosmetic eyelid surgery entail?

The blepharoplasty technique Dr. White uses for you depends upon your individual features and aesthetic goals. Dr. White will discuss your options with you during your pre-op consultation.

Upper eyelid surgery: This procedure removes excess skin and fatty tissue from the upper eyelid. It is performed using incisions hidden in the natural contour of the eyelid. Each incision typically begins within the inside corner of the eye and runs just beyond the outside corner. It is through these incisions that dissection and fat removal are performed.

Lower eyelid surgery: This procedure is typically performed using incisions concealed just below the lower lash-line. Excess skin, fat and muscle are removed to improve the eye's appearance. Dr. White may also choose to tighten underlying muscle and redistribute fat beneath the eye to reduce the look of puffiness.

Transconjunctival blepharoplasty: This lower eyelid procedure removes unwanted fat from the area. Using an internal incision, placed inside the lower eyelid, this option offers the advantage of no external incisions although it is seldom advised since most patients require some skin excision as well which obviously requires an external incision.

Because cosmetic eyelid surgery cannot address wrinkles and crows feet, it is often combined with treatments such as laser resurfacing or chemical peel for a complete rejuvenation.

Are there safety concerns associated with cosmetic eyelid surgery?

Though thousands of men and women undergo eyelid surgery each year and experience no major complications, the procedure does carry some degree risk. It is important you be well informed of these risks when considering a eyelid surgery. Dallas cosmetic surgeon Dr. White sees the discussion of potential risks and complications as one of the most important aspects of patient consultation. During your consultation, he will discuss these potential complications with you, listen to your safety questions, and offer instructions on how to minimize your risk.

How should I prepare for my cosmetic eyelid surgery?

It is important to follow Dr. White's instructions when preparing for forehead lift surgery to ensure the best possible results. Those instructions may include:

• Refraining from smoking for several weeks before and after surgery
• Avoiding certain medications
• Arranging for help following surgery, such as a ride home and in-home care for the first 24 hours

What will happen the day of my surgery?

For your comfort and convenience, Dr. White maintains privileges in several hospitals in greater Dallas/Fort Worth. Eyelid surgery is typically performed on an outpatient basis, allowing patients to return home the same day.

During surgery, medications will be administered to ensure comfort. General anesthesia will most likely be used to allow you to sleep during the procedure. Dr. White uses only doctors (anesthesiologists)-not nurses (CRNA's or anesthetists)-to administer anesthesia to his Dallas plastic surgery patients. He will carefully monitor your physical status throughout the operation and during your recovery.

What should I expect during my immediate recovery?

Dr. White uses advanced techniques to foster faster recovery for all his Dallas/Fort Worth eyelid surgery patients. Directly after surgery, you'll be taken to a recovery area and carefully monitored.

Temporary blurring of vision is common during this time due to ointment used to protect and lubricate the eyes. Tightness around the eyes should also be expected, but should diminish when the swelling subsides. Though pain after surgery is generally minimal, it can be controlled with pain medication. Bruising and swelling should also be expected and minimized using cold compresses. The amount of swelling and bruising and the length of time it will last will vary from patient to patient.

Though everyone heals at a different pace, you can expect your recovery to roughly follow this general time line:

The day of surgery

• Resting with your head elevated is essential during this time
• Swelling should be expected, reduced with cold compresses

The first week

• Bruising will reach its peak, then begin to subside
• Blurred vision, excess dryness or tearing, sensitivity to light and itching may occur
• Makeup may be applied to conceal discoloration
• Stitches will dissolve or be removed
• Normal, non-strenuous activities will be permitted

After several weeks

• Your final result will begin to emerge
• Most swelling will disappear
• Blurring will subside
• Bending, lifting and exercise will be permitted
• Contact lenses can be worn

How soon will I see my results, and how long will they last?

Most people who undergo eyelid surgery are very pleased with their results fairly soon after their procedure. Many report looking refreshed and more alert after their eyes have had a chance go heal. Most traces of surgery will subside after several weeks.

After surgery, the skin around your eyes must be carefully protected from the sun and wind. Sunblock and darkly tinted sunglasses will be needed.

Though the results of blepharoplasty are long lasting, no surgical procedure will stop the aging process. Dr. White can advise you on how best to maintain your refreshed look.

How long will I continue to see my plastic surgeon?

Dallas plastic surgeon Dr. White believes in the importance of follow-up visits, to answer any questions you may have and monitor your healing process. Rather than delegating all of these visits to a nurse, he enjoys seeing his patients as they heal over time. Your first post-operative visit will be scheduled after the initial healing period, during the first week after surgery. In the following months, Dr. White may ask you to return for periodic checkups. Keeping these appointments is important to allow him to assess your long-term results and address any questions or concerns you may have.

Choosing a plastic surgeon

When considering undergoing upper or lower eyelid surgery, or any other type cosmetic surgery, Dallas plastic surgeon Dr. White believes choosing a qualified surgeon to perform it is one of the most important factors. Though it's hard to believe, not all physicians who perform cosmetic surgery have had formal surgical training. It's important to research the credentials of all surgeons you consider for your procedure. Dr. White is fully trained in Plastic and Reconstructive surgery as well as Otolaryngology (head and neck surgery). He invites potential patients to fully explore his training, experience online or during a personal consultation.

Make sure your surgeon is board certified

Find out if your doctor is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Surgeons with this certification have completed a minimum of five years of surgical training following medical school, including a plastic surgery residency program. During this intensive program, surgeons learn to perform surgical procedures for the entire body and face. At the same time, they develop their technical skill and aesthetic judgment. After training, a surgeon must pass comprehensive oral and written exams before being granted certification.

Both the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery require their members to be certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Plastic surgeons with this certification have completed approved training and examinations in plastic surgery including both cosmetic and reconstructive procedures.

Dallas plastic surgeon Dr. White is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery as well as the American Board of Otolaryngology / Head and Neck Surgery. He is one of the few plastic surgeons in the United States certified by both of these boards.

Ask about the surgeon's hospital privileges

It is very important to find out if your surgeon has operating privileges in an accredited hospital for the procedure you are considering, even if you are planning to undergo surgery in your doctor's office or at a surgery center. Before granting privileges, hospital review committees evaluate a surgeon's training and competency for specific procedures.

Dr. White maintains surgical privileges at several area hospitals in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

To find out more, click on Making Sense of Certification.

For more information on cosmetic eyelid surgery, or to schedule a consultation with Dallas plastic surgeon Dr. White, call 214.696.6676 or contact us online at usaplasticsurgery.com.

       

STEVEN J WHITE, MD
PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL OF DALLAS
TEXAS HEALTH PRESBYTERIAN DALLAS
PROFESSIONAL BUILDING 3, SUITE 814
8230 WALNUT HILL, DALLAS, TX 75231-4485

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