Eyelid surgery, also known as blepharoplasty, is one of the most effective procedures to rejuvenate the appearance of tired-looking eyes. As with any surgical procedure, there are certain risks associated with blepharoplasty surgery. The key to achieving optimal outcomes is to make sure you choose a highly experienced plastic surgeon to perform eyelid lift surgery to minimise the risk of complications occurring.
RELATED: What does eyelid surgery involve?
At your eyelid surgery consultation, your surgeon will find it helpful to know about your specific concerns. Some patients may have to hold their eyelids up with their fingers due to having hooded eyelids. A good idea of how you could look after surgery involves pulling the skin around the eyes backwards with your hands which can give a rough idea of how surgical correction with blepharoplasty can look. Many patients who come to us tell us they have become increasingly frustrated about people constantly telling them they look tired even though they feel great. Those with droopy eyelids may develop visual impairment due to excess skin hanging over the eye. Some patients may feel they do not look as refreshed as they once did despite trying a wide variety of anti-ageing creams and nonsurgical treatments, including tear trough filler.
RELATED: Is eyelid surgery worth it?
Eyelid surgery has increased in popularity in recent years and has proven to be equally popular in men and women who want to achieve a younger-looking appearance. It should be borne in mind that eyelid surgery is a highly delicate procedure because the surgery is carried out so close to the eye. When performed by an inexperienced Surgeon, the risk of complications can rise considerably. This may result in a botched eyelid procedure and may require highly complex revision surgery to correct.
RELATED: Male Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty For Men)
What are the main mistakes which surgeons can make after eyelid surgery?
Excessively bruised appearance
Bruising is a common side-effect of surgery, and some people may tend to bruise more easily compared with others. An expert plastic surgeon focuses on using a delicate surgical technique to minimise post-operative bruising after eyelid surgery. An excessively rough surgeon who does not treat the gentle tissues of the eyelids with care is more likely to produce extensive bruising after the procedure. Although bruising will eventually settle on its own, severe bruising can prolong your recovery, which may reduce your overall level of satisfaction. We would always advise choosing a surgeon with a background in microsurgery and extensive experience in all types of eyelid surgery. Surgeons at Centre for Surgery in London are handpicked for their specialist expertise in Blepharoplasty Surgery.
At your consultation, we would recommend asking to see blepharoplasty before and after photos. Your surgeon may recommend you speak to former patients to get an idea of the level of care your surgeon provides.
Significant asymmetrical results
A common concern expressed by many patients is the fear of having eyelid asymmetry after eye bag removal surgery. This is a common error when the procedure is carried out by a surgeon who lacks the appropriate expertise in eyelid surgery. Not carrying out appropriate measurements before surgery can increase the risk of causing asymmetrical results. A mild degree of asymmetry may develop due to the natural healing process after surgery.
Revision blepharoplasty surgery can be recommended once healing has fully occurred. The need for revision surgery can be reduced by having a thorough consultation so that your surgeon is familiar with exactly what you were trying to achieve by carrying out detailed preoperative measurements on the day of your surgery. In a small number of cases, there is inherent unpredictability in how the two different sides of the face will heal, and this can be easily dealt with in a straightforward touchup procedure.
Too much eyelid fat is removed
Bulging fat pockets are a common feature of ageing eyelids, and your surgeon will remove excess skin and fat as part of a blepharoplasty procedure. A common error by an inexperienced surgeon is to remove too much eyelid fat leading to a hollowed-out appearance. Removing too much fat may cause eyelids to look more aged than intended, which is the opposite of what the procedure is designed to achieve. Always check the credentials of your surgeon and make sure they have significant experience in eyelid surgery to reduce the risk of removing too much eyelid fat.
Revision eyelid surgery may be required to correct this and involves fat grafting to the area where too much fat has been removed to restore soft tissue volume and a youthful appearance. The ideal results of eyelid surgery should lead to a natural looking and refreshed appearance.
Inability to close the eyes fully
Not being able to close your eyes fully is a serious complication of blepharoplasty surgery. This complication occurs when your surgeon removes too much excess skin or places incisions in the wrong location. Sadly we increasingly see this complication in patients who have chosen to have cheap eyelid surgery overseas in countries such as Turkey.
When too much skin is removed during eyelid surgery, this can cause patients to have problems closing their eyes fully. This is a very difficult complication to correct, as once any skin has been permanently removed, it cannot be replaced. The skin of the eyelid is highly specialised and delicate tissue. An expert plastic surgeon always knows to be more conservative when removing eyelid skin to this complication. If further skin removal is required, your surgeon can always carry out a touch-up procedure to improve the results further.
Lower eyelid malposition
Lower blepharoplasty or lower eyelid surgery has a slightly higher risk of complications compared with upper eyelid surgery. Even a difference of 1 to 2 mm can make a great result become a poor result. The location of the incision must be planned carefully to prevent an ectropion which is excessive eversion of the eyelids. This complication may cause a watering eye. Revision surgery can correct this once you are fully healed from your first blepharoplasty procedure.
How to avoid complications of blepharoplasty
The best way to avoid undesirable blepharoplasty results is to choose a surgeon with specialist expertise in eyelid surgery. Complications can be reduced significantly with precise measurement and marking of the amount of eyelid skin to be surgically removed. An experienced surgeon will have the skills to delicately handle the soft tissues of the eyelids using microsurgical techniques.
RELATED: Eyelid surgery recovery – top tips
What are the benefits of eyelid surgery?
Eyelid lift surgery is one of the most popular types of cosmetic facial surgery designed to rejuvenate the appearance of your eyes. Recovery after eyelid surgery is much quicker compared with facelift surgery, as the surgical incisions and dissection are considerably fewer.
Blepharoplasty is highly effective for treating sagging or drooping eyelids. Puffy eyes can be corrected using eye bag removal surgery, also known as lower blepharoplasty. When droopy eyelids obscure vision, this can be easily corrected with an upper blepharoplasty. When people are no longer able to use make-up to cover lax eyelids, this is a common trigger to see an eyelid surgeon in London.
Why choose Centre for Surgery for eyelid surgery?
Here at Centre for Surgery in London, we have a team of highly experienced eyelid lift surgeons, and they are considered to be some of the best in the UK. Contact us today at 0207 993 4849 to schedule an in-person consultation at our state-of-the-art Baker Street clinic in Marylebone. Although a referral letter from your GP or referring consultant is useful, it is not essential for having a consultation at Centre for Surgery.
