Different Types of Blepharoplasties
Blepharo comes from the Greek meaning “eyelid,” therefore, blepharoplasty is the plastic surgery term for correcting or aesthetically enhancing the eyelids. One is able to correct their upper eyelids by having excess or “droopy” skin and/or deep tissue removed which is considered an “upper blepharoplasty.”
For people that look like they aren’t getting enough rest at night, they can undergo a “lower blepharoplasty” which is a surgery to remove excess bags or fatty tissue from the lower eyelids. Typically, not much skin is removed below the eyelids with an exception of a small pinch at the lash line but only when needed. In some cases, when more skin needs to be removed, a special skin and muscle flap can be created to position and removed skin under the eye. Some people can opt to undergo a “quad blepharoplasty” where both upper and lower eyelids are worked on.
An upper blepharoplasty can be performed under local anesthesia with some light oral sedation in the office. This procedure is very tolerable for patients and can produce marvelous results. Lower blepharoplasties can be performed under local but are typically performed under deeper sedation or general anesthesia. This is due to the fact that lower blepharoplasties generally require more work near the orbital rim which are sensitive areas of the face and require the patient to be more sedated.
Another type of blepharoplasty is an “Asian Blepharoplasty” which is also often known as a “Double Eyelid Surgery.” This is done by creating a fold or crease in the upper eyelid. It involves removing fatty tissue then using a small strip of muscle to form a fold. Having said that, some Asian Blepharoplasty patients already have a natural crease on their eyelids. For these patients blepharoplasty is performed for the same reason as Caucasian patients – to remove excess skin or eyelid fat.
If you want to find out more about your blepharoplasty options, schedule your consultation with Dr. Leong in one of our 5 Pittsburgh offices today!