For those people who find an increased presence of tired,aging or droopy eyelids as they get older, cosmetic eye surgery, also known asblepharoplasty, might be the right answer. Blepharoplasty typically means thata lifting of the eyelids takes place surgically, which can lead to a reductionor removal of wrinkles and excess skin in the area around the eyes.

In this procedure, fat, excess skin and even some muscle (occasionally), isremoved from both the lower and upper eyelids. While Botox may be moreappropriate for the removal of crow's feet or wrinkles due to aging around theeyes, cosmetic eye surgery is geared toward correcting drooping upper eyelidsand the presence of puffiness or bags in the area below the eyes. Like wrinklesand age spots, these features can significantly increase the look of aging anda general appearance of tiredness. Blepharoplasty can greatly decrease andoften eliminate these factors, leading to a younger, healthier, more youthfullooking appearance in many patients ? and because of this, often an increase inconfidence.

Like all surgeries, there are some potential risks, though most are minor. Thepresence of some medical conditions may create higher risk potential. Theseinclude thyroid problems, a situation in which there is an insufficientproduction of tears by the patient, high blood pressure, diabetes and others.Potential patients should discuss the possibilities of these and other conditionsinterfering with a smooth-running blepharoplasty procedure, with the surgeon orophthalmologist. Infection and complications with reactions to anesthesia arewarned against with any surgical procedure, and blepharoplasty is no exception.Like most plastic surgeries performed by qualified surgeons, complications areminor and rare. Though infrequent, some typical complications involved withblepharoplasty include temporarily blurry vision, minor swelling in thesurgical area, slight scarring, potentially asymmetrical and small whiteheads(which can be removed by the surgeon), during or after the healing process.Occasionally, the patient will experience minor difficulty in closing the eyes,which can lead to difficulty sleeping, though this condition often lessens andeventually goes away as the area heals. Those considering surgery shouldconsult a medical professional to discuss these and other potentialcomplications.

Typically an outpatient surgery, especially when performed without combiningother plastic surgeries, patients will often undergo surgery in the office ofthe plastic surgeon or in a hospital. After surgery, the patient will often bereleased. If being performed in conjunction with other related plasticsurgeries, the surgeon may elect to keep the patient overnight. Incisions aretypically made along naturally occurring lines in the patient's eyelids, thusreducing the effects of scarring. After this, the skin is then separated fromthe underlying tissues, and excess fat, skin and muscle are removed. Theincisions are then sewn up carefully, to reduce the appearance of scarring inthe area. Depending on the complexity of the procedure, surgery often lastsonly a few hours.