Upper Blepharoplasty (Eyelid Surgery) in Boston
Upper eyelid plastic surgery such as an eyelid lift (Blepharoplasty) removes the skin and fat from the eyelids. This surgical procedure removes puffiness and can correct sagging eyelid skin. Sometimes, the eyebrows are also part of the problem because they have fallen, causing more hooding over the outer eyes. In this situation, the brows can be corrected at the same time through a minimally invasive temporal brow lift.
Avoid A Surprised Look
Dr. Ahn takes great care to ensure that his patients who undergo upper eyelid surgery do NOT end up with a “surprised” look. The surprised look occurs when too much skin has been removed and the upper eyelid incision is made in an unnaturally high location. To prevent this Dr. Ahn has developed a precise and reliable technique.
Dr. Ahn’s Upper Eyelid Surgery Technique
- Marking the patient in a seated, upright position before surgery instead of lying down. When the patient lies down, the anatomy is distorted and accurate markings cannot be made.
- Marking the incision to be within the existing, natural eyelid crease. The natural crease location is measured by Dr. Ahn using calipers on a millimeter scale and is usually 8-12 mm above the eyelashes. An incision in the crease typically means it heals to the point that it is nearly impossible to see.
- Measuring with calipers the EXACT amount of extra eyelid skin. This is marked to be removed and is done separately, between the two eyelids, because they will be different. There is often more extra skin on one eye compared to the other.
Dr. Ahn developed these simple guidelines over the past 2 decades to ensure that the right amount of skin will be removed, the crease and incision will be in a natural, low position and the patient will not look “surprised”.
Before & After Photos
At the Aesthetic Wellness Center in the Boston area, Dr. Min S. Ahn, a premier, double board certified facial plastic surgeon specializes in only cosmetic surgeries on the face and neck. Known for his eyelid lid surgeries in particular, Dr. Ahn ensures your upper eyelid surgery results are natural and avoid the “surprised” look.
Should I Get an Eyelid Lift?
For Dr. Ahn, the ideal candidate has realistic expectations, does not want to look like a different person and simply who wants to look fresher, in a natural way. Generally, that person is someone in good general health between the ages of 30 and 70.
Why Choose Dr. Ahn and the Aesthetic Wellness Center?
Dr. Ahn is a double board certified facial plastic surgeon serving the Boston area for the past 20 years and performs all of his surgeries at the Aesthetic Surgery Center in Westborough, Massachusetts. The Aesthetic Wellness Surgery Center is a Joint Commission accredited office-based surgical suite. All procedures at the Aesthetic Surgery Center are performed under intravenous sedation, also known as “twilight anesthesia” which is safer than general anesthesia and can lead to a quicker and easier recovery.
Recovery Timeline
Immediately after the surgery a certain degree of swelling and bruising is normal. Cold compresses, as well as head elevation when lying down, will speed healing and relieve discomfort. Following surgery, you will clean the eye area and apply healing ointment.
The upper eyelid sutures are removed at 5-7 days. Most people at that point are able to appear in public with a little cover-up makeup.
Depending on how quickly you recover, you may expect to resume light activity within a week to 10 days and start enjoying your new look within approximately 10-14 days.
If you have a special event planned, Dr. Ahn advises that you allow at least 3-4 weeks of recovery before the event.