In terms of your face, your eyes are your most important asset. When your eyes look bright and youthful, so do you. When your eyes look “tired”, you do too.
As we get older, our upper eyelids can develop “heaviness” or “hooding”, and “bags” and loose skin can appear under the lower eyelids. Removal of these changes to create a more youthful look is known as ‘Blepharoplasty’ and it can dramatically improve the appearance of one’s eyes and face.
Firstly, it is important to realise that Blepharoplasty can be performed either by scalpel or by CO2 laser and there are significant differences between the two techniques that warrant your consideration before you decide on which one to have.
The laser technique holds distinct advantages over the scalpel technique by reason that a CO2 laser seals the tiny blood vessels as it cuts. As a result there is very little or no bleeding during the surgery. This in turn means:
Unfortunately, because of the high cost of these lasers only a minority of surgeons have one. If you wish to avail yourself of all the advantages of the laser technique, you need to locate an experienced Blepharoplasty Surgeon with a CO2 Laser.
Dr Mayson originally trained in Laser Blepharoplasty in the USA in 1994 and has used this technique ever since with great success and quicker recovery times for his patients. You may also take comfort in the fact that Dr Mayson has the enviable distinction of never having had a single instance of litigation in any procedure, including Blepharoplasty, over his entire career!
| Laser Technique | Scalpel Technique | |
| Post-Operative Bruising & Swelling | Minimal | More |
| Recovery Period | Upper lids: about 7 days Lower lids: about 4 days |
2-3 weeks is not uncommon |
| Final Scar | Upper lids: same Lower lids: NO external scar (unless skin is also removed) |
Upper lids: same Lower lids: permanent external scar under the eyelashes |
| Risk of Deforming the Lower Lid | Negligible | Possible |
| Risk of Blindness from Post-Operative Bleeding into the Eye Socket | Never seen by Dr Mayson. The laser technique is believed to reduce this risk. | Reportedly 1:40,000 – 1:100,000 |
The surgery is performed in the privacy of Clinic under Intravenous (Twilight) Sedation and Local Anaesthesia administered by our Specialist Anaesthetist. You can go home 2 hours after your procedure in the company of a responsible person but you cannot go home alone. Post-operative discomfort is minimal and easily relieved with simple analgesics if required at all.
In the case of the Upper Eyelids, an incision is made in the natural crease of the upper lid and excess skin, muscle and fat are removed. The skin is then sutured with ultra-fine sutures which are removed 5-7 days later. With the laser technique you should be able to return to work and social activities after 7-8 days. The final scar should be an inconspicuous, thin white line in the natural crease of the upper eyelid.
In the case of the Lower Eyelids any ‘bags’ from fat protrusion are first removed through a laser incision placed on the inside of the eyelid. In this way, there is no scar under the eyelashes as you would have with scalpel surgery. If you also have wrinkles or loose skin under the eyes, you may require an additional procedure such as Laser Skin Resurfacing or excision of the excess skin at the same time. Our Dr Mayson will explain all your options and individual costs at your initial consultation based on what specifically needs to be done.
Once you have decided on your preferred technique, the next step is to choose where to have it done. Don’t be afraid or embarrassed to seek straightforward answers to the following important questions:
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