Upper Blepharoplasty

The skin of the eyelids has a very fine structure, allowing at least one blink every 5 seconds. It's also a part of the face that's often poorly protected from physical aggressors like the sun, wind or cold.

That's why aging eyes are among the first signs of facial aging.

Over the years, eyelid skin loses hyaluronic acid, and therefore volume, as well as collagen and elastin fibers, and therefore firmness and tone. A similar mechanism affects the skin of the forehead, which positions the eyebrow, and muscles such as the orbicularis muscle and the palpebral levator.

When the latter loses its tone, the eyelid droops: this is palpebral ptosis.

It is accentuated if the eyelid is impastoed by fatty deposits.

This cap weighs down the look, giving it a sad, tired, dog-eat-dog look.

Dr Christelle Santini in the 16th arrondissement of Paris offers upper blepharoplasty to reopen the eyes by removing excess skin and any excess fat from the upper eyelid.
This is known as a palpebral lift.

When the aging of the eyes is moderate, with a drooping of the eyes without excess skin, other solutions may be considered as an alternative to surgical blepharoplasty: this is called medical blepharoplasty, and includes the injection of Botox eyebrow or tensor threads face.

Dr Santini in Paris offers customized eye rejuvenation, with techniques adapted to your imperfections and desires.

Dr. Christelle Santini devotes a preliminary consultation to listening carefully to your expectations and examining your eyes. She pays particular attention to the state of the tissues, and whether or not there is excess skin to be resected.

For less advanced lesions, she can sometimes recommend rejuvenation of the eyes without surgery, for example by injection ofhyaluronic acid to fill in dark circles.

Medical photos are taken to clarify expectations and optimize follow-up. She will usually prescribe an ophthalmological check-up and an anaesthetic consultation, which is mandatory for any general anaesthesia.

Dr. Christelle Santini also always gives you the most important medical instructions, including :

• Stop smoking 1 month before surgery, to reduce the risk of skin necrosis.
• Stop taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs or oral anticoagulants for 15 days prior to the procedure, to reduce the risk of bleeding, with the cardiologist's agreement.
• Stop taking oral contraceptives 1 month before surgery, to reduce thrombo-embolic risk.
• Do not eat or drink on the day of surgery.

Dr. Christelle Santini performs this upper eyelid plasty in the clinic, most often with a so-called vigile anesthesia (neuroleptanalgesia) or general anesthesia. The procedure generally lasts between 30 and 60 minutes, and is performed on an outpatient basis, with discharge the same evening.

The incision contours are perfectly delineated, using medical photos if necessary.

This is a skin incision made in the palpebral crease in the middle of the upper eyelid to better conceal it, joining the oblique canthal wrinkles at the corner of the eye (crow's feet wrinkles) to the side if necessary.

The technique depends on the extent of the facelift to be corrected, with Dr. Santini removing excess skin and, if necessary, excess fat and a small strip of orbicularis muscle.

The secret of a successful blepharoplasty is to follow the natural contour of the eye, with an eyebrow/eyebrow distance of 18 mm, to preserve the shape and identity of the eyes. The suture is made with a very fine thread, allowing optimal healing in just a few days.

If necessary, complementary procedures can be combined, such as injections of Botox injections on frown lines or forehead wrinkles.

They can be programmed when the wires are removed.

Dr Santini recommends a short week's social avoidance, as bruising or swelling may appear on or around the eyelids.

As soon as the sutures are removed, between 4 and 6 days, make-up is once again permitted.

Pain is usually mild, and easily soothed with simple analgesics. Cold compresses and eye drops can be used to reduce local inflammation.

You should wait around two weeks before resuming sports (4 weeks for water sports or swimming), and avoid exposure to strong sunlight for at least a month.

The rejuvenation of the eyes is clearly apparent from the second week, once the oedema has subsided, but it takes 3 to 6 months for definitive remodelling of the eyelid, which rejuvenates the eyes without altering their identity, with an open, toned look. In principle, scars are imperceptible, partly because they are hidden in the folds, and partly because the skin heals very well in this area.

• Rapid eyelid surgery under short or vigorous general anaesthesia.
• Clear rejuvenation of the eyes after 15 days.
• Can be combined with other eye rejuvenation techniques.

What to do before an upper eyelid plasty?

• 1 to 2 plastic surgery consultations with a quote and photographs.
• Stop taking anticoagulants, stop smoking and stop taking the pill.
• Ophthalmological check-up.
• Consultation with the anaesthetist

How is an upper blepharoplasty eye rejuvenation procedure performed in Paris?

• Intervention lasting less than an hour.
• Sutures removed after 4/7 days.
• Virtually no post-operative pain.

What are the after-effects of upper eyelid surgery?

• Social eviction for about a week.
• Net result of palpebral lift at 15 days.
• Rejuvenating effect on the eyes, more open and luminous.
• Imperceptible upper blepharoplasty scars.