Dr. Paul Angelchik is a Phoenix plastic surgery specialist who offers blepharoplasty at his practice. In the paragraphs below he describes this procedure and how Scottsdale, Glendale and Phoenix blepharoplasty patients have benefited from treatment.

Blepharoplasty (eyelid tuck / lift) is a surgical procedure designed to enhance the appearance and function of the eyelids. Blepharoplasty removes or repositions redundant tissue from the eyelids to restore normal eyelid creases, contours and folds while allowing easy eyelid closure. A natural rested appearance is the ultimate goal.

This procedure benefits patients who have excessive, sagging or wrinkled upper or lower eyelid skin, and those for who excess upper eyelid skin may interfere with vision. If you have lost your natural upper eyelid crease or have puffy pouches of fat in the upper or lower lids that create a tired or aged appearance you may be a candidate.

Blepharoplasty: The Operation

The operation is done on an outpatient basis under sedation or with general anesthesia. The incisions are made where the natural crease should be in the upper lids and below the lash line in the lower lids. Excess fat and skin are removed. If only excess fat is present in the lower lids, it may be removed through an incision inside the lower lids with no external incision or scar. This is called a transconjunctival blepharoplasty.
For some patients fat repositioning yields a better result than removal. This applies particularly for blending the cheek-eyelid junction and maintaining a youthful look, thereby avoiding a hollow, aged look after surgery.

Sutures are usually removed within 5 days. Initial mild discomfort is well controlled with oral medication. Bruising and sensitivity to light may last at least a week or two. Swelling can be significant and progressively disappears over several weeks. Eye makeup can be used shortly after sutures are removed. It may take several weeks before patients are comfortable reading or using the computer for prolonged periods. Additional procedures that may be combined with blepharoplasty to enhance the result are: brow lift, face lift, or erbium laser skin resurfacing.

Blepharoplasty: Major Complication are Rare

All procedures have some degree of risk. While most patients do not have complications, minor complications that do not affect the outcome of a treatment or surgery may occur after some procedures. Major complications are rare. The specific risks and the suitability of a particular procedure are carefully reviewed at your consultation (and preoperative visits if you are having surgery). Your safety and comfort are our foremost concerns. We will provide additional detailed information for you at each stage of your experience from your initial contact with our office through your procedure and afterwards in an interactive fashion. We will ensure that you feel informed about your treatment options and recovery in advance and can actively and confidently participate in designing your treatment plan. We want you to have the best possible experience and will work with you to make it happen.

In addition to blepharoplasty, Dr. Angelchik also performs other facial procedures in his Phoenix plastic surgery practice. Visit these pages in the website to learn about how Dr. Angelchik treats Phoenix facelift, rhinoplasty, otoplasty and laser resurfacing patients.