Blepharoplasty, eyelid surgery: 5 questions to ask at your first consultation

Why do eyelids droop over time?

The natural ageing of the skin and muscles of the face is inevitable. It is the primary cause of drooping eyelids, known medically as palpebral ptosis.

With age:

• the subcutaneous fat layer gradually disappears. The skin becomes thinner and more fragile.
• the synthesis of collagen and elastin declines. The skin loses its elasticity.
• the muscles that support the eyelids weaken.

Other factors can also encourage or aggravate drooping eyelids, such as heredity, excessive sun exposure or smoking.

Palpebral ptosis can have significant aesthetic and functional consequences: it can restrict the field of vision, make reading or driving more difficult, and considerably undermine self-confidence. Another reason for consulting is the difficulty of applying make-up to the eyelids.

A surgical procedure called blepharoplasty can correct drooping eyelids.

What is eyelid blepharoplasty in cosmetic surgery?

Blepharoplasty is cosmetic surgery of the eyelids. It removes the fat pads and the excess skin of the upper or lower eyelid.

Tailor-made surgery is possible today. Depending on each patient’s eyelids and profile, including their history and age, Dr Hayot offers a personalised solution. There are different types of blepharoplasty for different indications:

• Upper blepharoplasty treats the excess skin that hides the eyelid crease. It involves resecting that excess skin with a CO2 laser scalpel.
• Lower blepharoplasty consists of removing the fat pads through transconjunctival CO2 laser blepharoplasty, or of treating excess skin with a pinch blepharoplasty. It is also possible to perform a sub-muscular lift of the lower eyelid, to treat hollow dark circles with micro-lipofilling or pigmented dark circles with nano-lipofilling, all as part of an overall rejuvenation of the face.
• Addition blepharoplasty combines a fat injection by microlipostructure with a skin resection on the upper or lower eyelids.

What are the 5 questions to ask your eye surgeon before a blepharoplasty?

Before having a blepharoplasty, the first consultation is essential. It is an opportunity to discuss the procedure, your expectations and the potential results in detail with your eye surgeon. Here are five questions to ask Dr Hayot.

What is your experience and training in eyelid surgery and in the treatment of dark circles?

It is important to know your surgeon’s level of expertise and experience in performing blepharoplasty and treating dark circles. Dr Hayot has been practising aesthetic surgery of the face and eyes for over 30 years. He pioneered fat injection techniques in France.

What does recovery involve after a blepharoplasty?

Dr Hayot always explains the post-operative instructions in detail, along with the expected healing time and the activities to be avoided during recovery. No sport is allowed for three weeks after a blepharoplasty, and normal social activities can only be resumed ten days after the operation, or only 4 or 5 days after transconjunctival laser removal of under-eye bags.

What are the risks of a blepharoplasty?

When a blepharoplasty is well done and performed by a competent surgeon, it is carried out with limited risks, discussed in consultation.

How much does a blepharoplasty cost?

With Dr Hayot, the price of a blepharoplasty varies according to the treatment options and the procedures needed to work towards an effective, tailored result. A personalised quotation is always provided at the end of the initial consultation.

What is the ideal age for a blepharoplasty?

Blepharoplasty is generally performed when the first signs of sagging skin and excess fat around the eyelids become visible.