Eyelid Surgery for Droopy Eyelids

Some individuals suffer from heavy or droopy eyelids. This can actually obstruct a patient’s vision and produce an undesirable, aged appearance. Patients who have droopy or sagging upper eyelids can undergo plastic surgery with a professional and certified plastic surgeon. In this blog post, prospective patients can find further information about how this problem can be resolved with blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery.

Causes of Droopy Eyelids

Patients often wonder what causes drooping eyelids. One of the main causes of droopy eyelids, medically referred to as ptosis, is the aging process. As individuals age, the skin weakens and loses elasticity. As the delicate skin on the eyelids lose elasticity, or the ability to contract, the skin becomes stretched out. In addition, the major muscle that lifts the eyelid (the levator muscle) weakens and causes the eyelids to droop.

While age is the most common cause of ptosis, there are other potential causes, including trauma, congenital weakness, or disease. However, these causes are much less common.

In addition to sagging of the upper lids, some patients have droopy eyebrows. Droopy eyebrows are caused by similar issues; in this case a browlift can be performed along with upper eyelid surgery to produce a more youthful appearance.

Procedure

The procedure to correct droopy eyelids requires the help of a certified plastic surgeon. During the procedure, the plastic surgeon will tighten the levator muscle. This is done by making an incision in the skin in the crease of the eyelid to access and tighten underlying skin and muscles. The size and exact location of the incision will vary from patient to patient, but plastic surgeons will make every effort to minimize their appearance by placing them within the natural folds of the eyelid skin.

The ultimate goal is to raise the eyelid, improve symmetry, and achieve a brighter, more youthful look.

In some cases in which patients have good muscle tone in the eyelids, surgeons only need to remove excess skin. This approach often results in less scarring and a quicker and less painful recovery period.

Selecting a Plastic Surgeon

To achieve the best results, it is important to seek out the best plastic surgeon in the area. Not only should the surgeon be highly skilled, but also he or she should also have extensive experience performing the eyelid surgery procedure.

At Crawford Plastic Surgery, Dr. Marcus Crawford and Dr. Steven Bailey are skilled blepharoplasty surgeons who can surgically enhance the appearance of the eyes and improve vision with eyelid surgery. Health insurance may even cover all or part of the cost of surgery for patients who are experiencing an obstruction in vision due to eyelid ptosis. To find out if you are eligible for insurance coverage for surgery to correct droopy eyelids, consult a board certified plastic surgeon and eye care specialist. The surgeons at Crawford Plastic Surgery will file the appropriate paperwork if patients are entitled to insurance benefits. Contact Crawford Plastic Surgery today to schedule a consultation.