Pittsburgh Blepharoplasty – Eyelid Lift Surgery

Pittsburgh blepharoplasty surgeon, Dr. Paul Leong appreciates that improving the appearance of the area around a patient's eyes is often the key to rejuvenating the youthfulness of the face. The eyes are after all "the windows to the soul" and are the area of the face that is looked at first and most often. As a facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Leong focuses exclusively on plastic surgery of the face. Because of this high degree of focus, Dr. Leong performs a large number of upper and lower blepharoplasty procedures in his Pittsburgh practice.

Pittsburgh Blepharoplasty Introduction:

Both upper and lower eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) are very delicate procedures that must be performed with the goal of improving the cosmetic appearance of the eyelids, while maintaining or improving the function of the eyelids. Poorly performed or overly aggressive blepharoplasty surgery can result in a stretched or unusual appearance. Dr. Leong lives by the mantra "If it doesn't look natural, it doesn't look good." As with all facial plastic surgery, cosmetic goals must never be pursued at the cost of a safe surgery and good functional outcomes. If the patient has a prior history of dry eyes, previous surgery around the eyes, or even prior Lasik surgery, additional caution is appropriate.

The Evolution of Blepharoplasty Surgery

In the past, upper and lower eyelid surgery often involved fairly aggressive removal of skin and fat. While these techniques might produce certain improvements, there was a risk of hollowed and artificial appearing eyelids over the longer term. More modern techniques emphasize conservative removal and remolding of skin and fat. Dr. Leong's Pittsburgh blepharoplasty practice uses these modern techniques that respect the delicate supporting structures of the eyelids.

Where is Eyelid Surgery Performed?

Where Dr. Leong performs blepharoplasty in Pittsburgh depends on the specific procedure being performed. If Dr. Leong is only performing upper blepharoplasty surgery, this can be done in the office with local anesthetic and perhaps a small oral sedative. This avoids the need to have the procedure in the operating room. However, if the patient also requires lower blepharoplasty this procedure is performed in one of several fully accredited hospitals or surgical centers around Pittsburgh. Recovery from upper and lower blepharoplasty is quite reasonable. Certainly, the patient should expect some degree of bruising and swelling after the surgery, as with all facial surgeries.

Procedures Related to Blepharoplasty

During your consultation, Dr. Leong will evaluate the position of your eyebrows as well as the degree of hollowness under your lower eyelids. In Dr. Leong's Pittsburgh blepharoplasty practice, it is occasionally appropriate to consider performing a browlift procedure at the same time as the blepharoplasty. Before making this decision, Dr. Leong will request pictures of the patient when they were in there 20s. Only by examining how the patient's eyebrows have evolved over time, and whether they have moved downwards or not, can your surgeon evaluate if you are an appropriate candidate for a browlift procedure. Many patients present to Dr. Leong's Pittsburgh practice with complaints of hollowness under their eyes (sometimes referred to a tear trough deformity). These patients can often be treated with an injectable filler (Restylane) and avoid surgery all together. This judgment can only be made by Dr. Leong during the consultation. Please reviewfor further information about correction of the tear trough deformity with injectable fillers.

Your Blepharoplasty Consultation

Many factors impact the appearance of the eyelids over the course of a lifetime. The single most important factor is the patients underlying heredity, but other variables include exposure to the sun, allergies, rubbing the eyes, and gain or loss of weight. No two sets of eyelids evolve in the exactly the same way. Therefore, as with all facial plastic surgery, blepharoplasty is a highly individualized procedure. In Dr. Leong's Pittsburgh blepharoplasty practice you will have ample time during the consultation to discuss your particular concerns and review a large number of before and after pictures. If you would like to speak with several of Dr. Leong's prior blepharoplasty patients – that can be easily arranged. Dr. Leong and the staff at Ideal Facial Plastic & Laser Surgery want you to have the opportunity to evaluate your options in an unhurried way and with all the information you need.


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