Facial Surgery
Eyelid Lift (Blepharoplasty)
The eyelid lift or blepharoplasty is designed to remove excess fat and skin from the upper and lower eyelids.
It improves droopy eyelids and puffy bags below the eyes, features that may make you look older and more tired than you feel.
It may be combined with an eyebrow lift to correct drooping eyebrows.
The incision for the upper eyelid is usually made along the eyelid crease.
The incision for the lower eyelid may be made inside the lower eyelid, avoiding external scars (transconjunctival) or externally just below the eyelashes.
Excess skin along the outside of the lower eyelid region may be "tightened" with a chemical peel or ablative laser.
Intended Result
- A more youthful and rested appearance of the eyes.
- Widening of visual fields if excessive upper eyelid skin has partially blocked vision.
Recuperation and Healing
- All sutures are usually removed within seven days.
- Initial discomfort is usually mild and controlled with oral medication.
- Bruising and sensitivity to light usually subside within one to two weeks.
- Swelling usually disappears within two weeks.
- Eye makeup may be used following suture removal and healing of the incisions.
Facelift/Necklift
Skin of the face and neck lose elasticity as we age.
Underlying muscles also lose tone.
This is magnified through sun exposure, weight gain or loss, gravity and stress.
These factors may act together and accentuate the appearance of wrinkles, creating a tired look.
A facelift and/or necklift helps improve the most visible signs of aging through removal and redistributing excess fatty deposits, tightening underlying muscles and removing sagging skin.
The standard facelift addresses the lower one-third of the face and the upper neck.
Variants include the mini and extended facelift and necklift procedures.
Procedure choice depends on your needs and must be discussed with your surgeon.
Surgeons have recognized the three dimensional nature of the facial structures and often complemented this procedure with others to restore volume and address cosmetic issues throughout the facial-neck structures.
Often other facial procedures are performed at the same time including forehead lift, eyelid lift (blepharoplasty), chin and cheek implants, nose reshaping (rhinoplasty), liposculpture, chemical peel, laser resurfacing and lipotransfer.
Intended Results
- A sharper and better-defined jaw line.
- Improved neck and chin angle.
- Less tired look with more youthful appearance.
Recuperation and Healing
- Recovery may be at home with a responsible adult, in a recovery facility or overnight at Victoria Surgery.
- Bruising and swelling are normal and may take several weeks to resolve.
- Stiffness in the neck and some soreness with swallowing and eating is common.
- Sutures and staples are removed within two weeks.
- Drains, if used are usually removed 1-3 days after the procedure.
Facial Implants
The skin over the face is analogous to a drape. The shape of the face is determined by the underlying skeletal framework. In some individuals, this framework is not as pronounced as in other individuals and they may appear to have a flattened face or small, recessed chin.
A cosmetic surgeon may be able to add facial implants to the facial skeleton to accentuate the areas of the cheekbone, and chin. These skeletal augmentations redrape and tighten the skin of the face. This provides a more healthy and youthful appearance without the need for a more extensive skeletal lift procedure. The surgery is performed from within the mouth with no visible scars. Immediate results are evident.
Otoplasty (Ear Reshaping)
Otoplasty (ear reshaping) is designed to correct protruding or disfigured ears in children and adults. Shape, position or proportion of the ear may be corrected. The goal is creation of a natural shape, improving balance and proportion to the ears and face.
Intended Results
- Place the protruding ears in a normal relationship to the head and face.
- Restored normal anatomy of the ears and a more natural appearance.
Recuperation & Healing
- The recovery period averages 7-10 days.
- Patients with long hair can immediately cover the ears and return to work or play earlier.
- Activity is reduced for the first 2 weeks.
- Contact sports and helmet use are discouraged for 6-8 weeks.
Rhinoplasty
Rhinoplasty (nose procedure) is designed to improve the shape and size of the nose so that it is in harmony with the rest of the face.
Rhinoplasty is essentially a surgical sculpting of the nose and is accomplished by careful contouring of the bone and cartilage giving the nose its shape.
At the same time deformities that cause breathing problems and some sinus disorders can be corrected.
* Information courtesy of American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery.
* Photos courtesy of American Society of Plastic Surgeons