The eye is, after all, just about the only part of the face we see these days!
The upper eyelid is the first area of the face that shows the ageing process. From the late twenties and into the thirties, the following happens. Firstly, an excess skin can develop in the upper eyelid. This covers the eyelid leading to loss of eyelid show. This eyelid show is the key to a youthful eye and is the area from your eyelashes to your eyelid crease.
Sometimes, there is extra fat that comes forward to contribute to the upper eyelid skin excess. The drop of the outer tail of the eyebrow can also contribute to the excess skin of the upper eyelid. Women have a very keen eye for this and shape their eyebrows to compensate for the drop in the tail of the eyebrow.
It is completely normal to have differences between the eyelids. The left eyebrow sits lower than the right eyebrow in 80% of women. (Fun fact) The effect of this excess is a tired, sometimes cross look to the face. This can be corrected by doing a blepharoplasty (medical term for eyelid lift).
Almost all patients are candidates for this procedure. Patients who have “dry eye” are the ones we worry about, because the surgery can make dry eye worse, and they need an assessment by an ophthalmologist beforehand. You will know if you have dry eye.
It is comfortably done as a rooms procedure under local anaesthetic with some mild sedation. It takes about an hour. A friend or relative will take you home afterwards. No need to be admitted to hospital.
The operation involves removing the excess skin in the upper eyelid whilst placing the scar in the natural creases to hide it.
Once you are home, you will be icing the eyes for 15 min in every hour whilst awake and putting in supplementary tears to ensure the eyes remain moist. There will be some swelling and bruising and this improves from day three post op.
I will see you again in the rooms on day 5 or 6 post op to remove the stitches. You are allowed to put make up on and start exercising from day 10. You will probably be able to drive a car from day 5 and work on a laptop from day 3.
So, the recovery is quick and it is not a painful recovery. There is in fact very little pain.
Here are examples of befores and afters showing how much more awake and youthful you can look after this great office procedure.



In the next newsletter I will discuss Botox/Fillers and fat transfer for facial rejuvenation as well as a little known but very effective rejuvenating procedure called a lip lift.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me with questions regarding surgery.
Warm regards
Paul McGarr
More articles from my Blog
I’m consulting at Ribumed in Ballito on Friday’s
Dr Paul McGarr is pleased to announce that he is now also consulting at Ribumed Medical Centre in Ballito, on Friday’s.
Available In-Room Procedures
The benefit of having a rooms procedure is there is less hassle of being admitted to the Hospital. It is much more convenient and done under local anaesthetic.
Copyright© Dr Paul McGarr, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon, Durban
MBBCH (Wits), FCS (Plast), Practice No. 042-000-0142158
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