Do you miss the days when the only time your eyelids felt heavy was when you were tired? Alas, as you get older, your eyelids start to naturally hang lower over your eyes. Renowned Minnesota plastic surgeon Dr. Jonathan McCue sees many patients ages 35 and older who are concerned with the droopiness of their upper eyelids. Eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) is a procedure that helps him to restore eyelids to an elevated position for a rejuvenated appearance.
What Aging Does to the Upper Eyelids
Although some patients are born with ptosis (sagging eyelids) or develop it due to an injury, most people acquire it over time. Multiple factors contribute to this situation, including:
- Weakening eyelid muscles
- Loose skin (which has lost elasticity as collagen production drops) that hangs lower
- Sinking of excess fat on the brow, which weighs down the eyelids
How Plastic Surgery Can Help
In most cases, the most effective way to re-elevate the eyelids is with eyelid lift. During this surgery, Dr. McCue carefully removes a small amount of excess skin and fat from just above the eye so that the patient’s eye can open more completely. At the same time, he can tighten and strengthen the eyelid muscles to improve their functionality.
This is a separate procedure from lower eyelid surgery, which is concerned with smoothing the skin and minimizing the dark circles immediately below the eye. Patients who are concerned with their upper and lower eyelids may wish to combine these procedures for a more thorough rejuvenation.
What Patients Can Expect from Their Results
Upper eyelid surgery is a more subtle procedure, in that friends are more likely to assume that the patient has been eating well and getting more sleep than that they had a cosmetic procedure. Elevated eyelids can refresh a person’s appearance without doing much to change the way he or she looks.
Although eyelid surgery reverses signs of aging, it does not stop the aging process altogether. The rejuvenating effects last an average of seven to 10 years before sagging starts to reappear. Nevertheless, patients should still look younger than if they never had surgery at all, and if they remain candidates for elective surgery, can repeat the procedure.
Speak to a Leading Plastic Surgeon
Dr. McCue is a top-rated plastic surgeon in Minnesota who can help you to look younger and more alert with slight modifications to the upper eyelids. To find out more about this surgery and determine if it is the right cosmetic solution for you, please schedule a consultation by calling (952) 830-0089 today.
