The eyes show the signs of aging before any other area on the face. And as you may have seen in yourself, this can affect either the upper and/or the lower eyelids. Eyelid surgery, along with the mini-facelift, has become a specialty of Dr. Chang’s. Eyelid surgery is the second most common cosmetic surgery procedure performed in the United States. Women and men are lining up to take advantage of the newer techniques provided by Dr. Chang.

Upper Eyelid:
The development of upper eyelid skin excess is one of the earliest manifestations of aging. It not only adds wrinkles to the face, but it closes off the eyes, making them look less vibrant and awake.

The Procedure:
The excess eyelid skin can be surgically removed through an incision in the eyelid crease. This effectively camouflages the scar; making upper eyelid surgery one of the most “invisible”, effective , and popular procedures in the plastic surgery armamentarium.

Lower Eyelid:
Three changes are common to the lower eyelid with aging. As the cheek fat falls with age, the lower eyelid skin stretches and wrinkles. The bone around the eye becomes more visible, and fat bags behind the eyelid frequently develop. Treatment of the lower eyelid is directed at improving these three changes by removing excess skin, treating the fat bags, and sometimes elevating the cheek.

The Procedure:
The excess lower eyelid skin can be surgically removed through an incision along the eyelash margin. This effectively camouflages the scar. Minimal skin excess can be treated with laser skin resurfacing.

Recovery:
Most patients are back to work in 7-10 days. Bruising around the eyes generally takes a week to go away. The first postoperative visit is a day or two after your procedure. The sutures are removed in 5-7 days. Pain is minimal (sometimes negligible). Pain medications are prescribed. Ice compresses and head elevation for the first 2 days help with swelling and bruising.