Everyone knows how partial I am to a procedure or two…..Now I really need blepharoplasty eye surgery for my sagging upper eyelids. I didn’t think I’d be having cosmetic surgery on my eyelids until I was older, but I do remember first pointing out the asymmetry of y eyelids to my plastic surgeon at age 28 years. My right eyelid has sagged so much that it’s resting on my eyelashes.
Quelle horreur!
No no hell no.
I can’t take it anymore, every recent photo I’ve taken, I am taunted by this droopy eye
Can’t have that. Why have I been mucking around when we have the technology to make me happy again?
Planning for Surgery
Research
Research is what I would advise for patients.
Being in the cosmetic industry, I found it really easy, as upper blepharoplasty is the procedure for which I write the most referrals. I have my 4 favourite blepharoplasty surgeons. Interestingly, I’m really equal-opportunity here, 2 of them are ophthalmic surgeons, one is a cosmetic surgeon and the other a plastic surgeon:)
Planning Time Off
I’m sure I could work within about 48 hours of the procedure, BUT that is because I don’t care who sees me and knows that I have cosmetic procedures preformed. For those who are worried about people knowing, make sure you take at least a week. For men it is more difficult, because they can’t wear makeup, so they may need an extra few days
Planning for a carer to look after you for 24 hours
You will need someone to take you to the procedure and to drive you home after. You will need someone to 100% care for you for 24 hours because you will have bandages on your eyes, so you can’t see. They will need to escort you around the house, make food for you etc. You will not be able to take or make calls or emails, because you cannot see a screen or your phone.
Planning for hair care
It is best to avoid washing your hair for a few days after the procedure, so make sure you wash your hair the night before the procedure.
Planning for an activity to keep you entertained while you can’t see.
Unless you are really into meditation, and able to meditate all day, make sure you have something planned that is suitable for someone who can’t see.
I have the best activity planned, the podcast “Series”. I highly recommend it. It’s described it as “bingeworthy journalism”, and this is not an exaggeration.
Other things that can be done are listening to music, or talking to friends on phone (if you get your carer to make the actual call for you)
Reducing the risk of Bruising
There is a long list of vitamins and supplements which will increase your risk of bruising, so please make sure you research this. If you are on aspirin or NSAIDs, discuss this with your prescribing doctor and surgeon.
Shopping for food
Make sure you stock up on enough healthy foods for at least a few days. For the first day, you might want comfort food, or at least food that is very easy to eat without seeing, ie something that you eat with your hands. When you’re up to going out, you’ll be able to shop with your sunnies on to hide the healing wounds. Or be fashion forward, and proud and let the whole world see (I see this openness as a form of freedom)
The procedure
You will have your carer drive you to the doctor’s clinic or hospital
They will offer you some Valium. Personally I like to have as few drugs as possible, because it helps me to recover more quickly, but if you are nervous about the procedure, it will help to relax you.
You will go into theatre. They will clean your eyes and face several times.
Then they will perform the skin markings. This is the most vital part. One of the worst complications is that too much skin might be taken and the patient may be unable to close their eye. This is really serious, so getting the marking right is the moment for the planning which will avoid this side effect.
The doctor will then inject local anaesthetic in the eyelid. My doctor injected with a 30G. My surgeon commented on how small this is, but to injectors, our needles are always the littlest ones!.
The surgeon injected local anaesthetic, first without adrenaline under the area of planned excision. This was almost painless, I would have to admit. Injecting slowly helps. He then injected local anaesthetic with adrenaline, which I didn’t feel. He said he does this because it’s the adrenaline in the injections which make local anaesthetic painful, so this is avoided using his method.
He then waited for 10 minutes for the local anaesthetic and adrenaline to take full effect.
After this, there was no pain.
The Surgeon then took time to cut the skin and the muscle from the upper lid and then suture it. The suture ends were held down with steri-strips
My face was dressed with saline pads and a bandage around my head.
The whole procedure time from start to finish took less than 1 hour.
