Ask Yourself These Questions before Getting Eyelid Surgery
- Posted on: Feb 15 2018
If there was a contest for the most annoying, casually insulting comment that people hear every day, “You look tired,” would probably be in the winner’s circle. It’s especially annoying to hear it when you slept well the previous night!
Unfortunately, the area around the eyes is usually the first part of the face to show signs of aging. Because the skin there is so thin, it can stretch and wrinkle sooner than the rest of your face. Dark bags under your eyes can form, and excess skin can give your eyelids a heavy appearance. Yes, these can all be signs of sleep deprivation, but they are also signs of aging.
This is why eyelid rejuvenation is one of the most popular cosmetic treatments available today, with over 200,000 procedures performed in the U.S. every year. Having eyelid surgery (known as blepharoplasty) can restore an appearance of energy and alertness, drastically changing the way your friends and coworkers perceive you on a day-to-day basis.
There are many people, however, who just aren’t quite ready for cosmetic surgery yet. Maybe they are just starting to show signs of aging around the eyes and want to take some preemptive action. Or maybe they simply wish to go for a less invasive method of rejuvenation. Or perhaps they’re not sure, and they have some questions about the procedure before they make their decision.
Could I manage the problem with skincare products?
Well, that depends on the problem. For some cases, you will want to consult a doctor and decide on a best course of action. (More on those options below.) For many people, however, skincare products can offer a perfect solution, depending on the product.
The reality is that most skincare products on the market today rarely live up to their marketing. You’re promised miracles, but you end up with a drawer of half-used bottles and tubes instead. This used to drive Dr. Flaharty absolutely nuts. He knew that his patients needed truly effective skincare products, and the ones on the market just weren’t cutting it. So he and his wife, Dr. Kristen Flaharty, decided to tackle the problem themselves, founding Trilogy Laboratories, a private label skincare product company that makes all of the Azul SkinHealth line of products.
There are a few products that come to mind, that are extremely helpful to rejuvenate the area around the eyes. One is Vitamin A&E Cream, a vitamin and cocoa butter-infused cream that Dr. Flaharty recommends to all his eyelid surgery patients which helps healing and minimizes scarring. You may also want to try Majic Eyes, a deeply hydrating eye gel that combines liquid oxygen and peptides into a powerhouse, anti-aging eye rejuvenation formula or the Ultra Peptide Eye Cream which contains peptides to build collagen, smooth fine lines and wrinkles and assist in puffiness and dark circles.
Are there any non-invasive treatment options?
If you want to take the next step and look into non-invasive cosmetic procedures to help rejuvenate your eyes, you’re in luck! A combination of two of our most popular non-invasive procedures can result in the eye rejuvenation you want.
Everyone knows about Botox® injections, that can smooth out facial wrinkles. By injecting Botox in very specific places, we can selectively weaken the tiny twitch muscles that cause wrinkles around the eyes. As these muscles relax, the wrinkles above them will fade away.
Dermal fillers can provide quite remarkable results, filling in deeper wrinkles and areas in the face where volume has been lost due to age. By filling in the areas under the eyes, we can reduce the appearance of dark circles, giving you a more awake and alert appearance.
However, one drawback to these non-invasive options is that they aren’t permanent. Dermal fillers slowly and safely break down over time, and Botox wears off as the twitch muscles recover their strength. Thankfully, you can just come in for a refresh treatment every few months!
Should I look into surgical options?
In an upper blepharoplasty (surgery on the upper eyelids), Dr. Flaharty removes excess skin and fat to address skin laxity and fat deposits. In a lower blepharoplasty (the lower eyelids), he can fix dark circles, bags, puffiness and sagging. You won’t have to worry about any obvious scars, as Dr. Flaharty takes advantage of the natural contours of the eyelids to make very discreet incisions. When a full blepharoplasty is combined with other cosmetic procedures, you are well on your way to a complete, harmonious facial rejuvenation.
Like all cosmetic surgery procedures, there is a recovery time associated with eyelid surgery. For two weeks after your procedure, you might experience swelling, bruising and irritation, along with dryness of the eyes. You can manage these symptoms with a cold compress. Although you can resume light activity two days after the procedure, it is recommended that you postpone any strenuous activity for at least two weeks.
I still have questions…
We welcome them! That’s why Dr. Flaharty is here. No one should ever plan to have cosmetic surgery uninformed. You can call our office right now at (239) 415-7576 to book a free consultation with Dr. Flaharty. With his extensive experience, he will be able to take a look at your concerns and provide you with what he believes would be your best treatment plan. Sometimes, this might include surgery. Other times, he may want to try something less invasive first. Either way, he will make sure you are completely informed of all your options and, together, you will determine the best course of action for you.
Along with eyelid surgery, we also offer many other surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures. If you’d like to learn more, or book a free consultation with Dr. Flaharty, you can give our office a call at (239) 415-7576, or visit us at www.azulbeauty.com for more information. It’s time to “wake up” and rediscover your youthful energy and appearance!
Posted in: Procedures