Upper Lids, Lower Lids, and Knowing Which One You Need
Eyelid surgery, or blepharoplasty, removes excess fat and usually extra skin and muscle from the upper lids, the lower lids, or both. Tired-looking eyes can come from more than one place, though: loose skin on the upper lid, a weakened eyelid muscle, a lowered brow, or fat that bulges below the eye. Finding out which one you have is the first step.
Upper and lower blepharoplasty solve different problems. Upper lid surgery addresses hooding, the fold of loose skin that drapes over the crease and can sometimes hang low enough to block part of your vision. Lower lid surgery addresses puffiness under the eye, where fat deposits can increase as the skin over them thins. Some patients need one, some need both, and some are better served by a different procedure, because the heaviness comes from a lowered brow or a weakened eyelid muscle rather than the lid itself.
What Blepharoplasty Won’t Fix
Understanding what eyelid surgery can and cannot do is key to a result you will be happy with:
- It will not smooth crow’s feet or other wrinkles around the eyes
- It will not erase dark circles under the eyes
- It will not raise a low or sagging eyebrow; a brow lift is a separate procedure
If eyelid surgery is not the right procedure for you, Dr. Warren Schutte will tell you so at your consultation. Our goal is to point you toward the option that fits what is actually causing your concern.
Who Is a Good Candidate?
Good candidates for blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery, are generally healthy, psychologically stable, and have realistic expectations from the procedure. Most patients seeking this procedure are over 35 years old.
Some health conditions make blepharoplasty riskier for certain patients: thyroid problems (including Graves’ disease and hypothyroidism), dry eyes or minimal tear production, high blood pressure or other circulation problems, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Glaucoma or a detached retina is also a reason to take extra caution in deciding whether eyelid surgery is right for you. If any of these apply to you, talk with your ophthalmologist first, before you have surgery.
Preparing for Your Procedure
Your consultation is the first step in confirming you are a good candidate for the procedure. You will be asked for your complete medical history, medication and allergy list, and whether you use nicotine in any form. If you have used it in the past year, you will need a negative nicotine test before your surgery is scheduled and a second at your pre-op visit about two weeks before.
You will have a pre-op visit prior to your procedure, and we will go over all of your pre-op and post-op care. You will need to plan to have a ride home from the procedure and someone who will stay with you for at least the first 24 hours after surgery.
Where Your Surgery Happens
Dr. Schutte performs all of his surgeries in our in-office surgical suite on an outpatient basis. Eyelid surgery is usually done with local anesthesia, which numbs the area around the eyes, plus oral sedation. You remain awake, relaxed, and insensitive to pain, though you may still notice some pulling or occasional discomfort. If general anesthesia is the better plan for you, it is provided only by our board-certified anesthesiologists.
Our facility carries QUAD A Class C accreditation. QUAD A is a global accreditation authority, and it grants that recognition only to facilities that have met 100% of its standards for equipment, operating room safety, personnel, and surgeon credentials.
Risks and Recovery
In the hands of a qualified plastic surgeon, complications from eyelid surgery are infrequent and usually minor. Even so, every surgery carries some possibility of complications, such as infection or a reaction to anesthesia. Following your instructions closely before and after surgery helps lower your risk. Occasionally, patients have minor problems afterward: double or blurred vision lasting a few days, temporary swelling at the corners of the eyelids, or slight asymmetry in how the lids heal or scar. Small whiteheads (milia) may form once the stitches are removed, and they are easy to clear with a very fine needle. Less commonly, some patients may have trouble closing their eyes fully while they sleep, and in rare cases this may be permanent. Ectropion, in which the lower lid pulls down and turns outward, is another very rare complication, and if it happens, further surgery may be required.
Some swelling and bruising are expected, and your result will appear gradually as both subside. Before surgery, you will receive specific written instructions for your recovery. Expect them to cover cold compresses, lubricating ointment or eye drops, protecting your eyes from the sun, and when you can return to normal activity and exercise.
See Real Results
Browse our upper eyelid results and our lower eyelid gallery to see Dr. Schutte’s work. Every patient’s anatomy is different, so your consultation is the place to talk through what is realistic for you.
Schedule Your Free Cosmetic Consultation
Dr. Warren Schutte is a board-certified plastic surgeon and has practiced in Northern Colorado since 2009. We invite you to meet Dr. Schutte and learn more about his background before you decide.
We see eyelid surgery patients from Loveland, Fort Collins, across Northern Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, and across the country. We are cosmetic only and no longer accept any type of insurance for our services. All our services are self-pay cosmetic procedures. Your consultation is complimentary. We offer CareCredit and PatientFi for patients looking for financing options to pay over time. Give us a call to schedule your complimentary consultation at our office at 1992 Rocky Mountain Avenue in Loveland. Our goal for you is a natural-looking result that leaves you with a more refreshed look, but still yourself.
