Eyelid plastic surgery

Eyes are "the mirror of the soul"; "eyes tell everything"; "eyes can't lie" - these expressions suggest what a dominant role our gaze plays in expressing our feelings and thoughts and in making contacts.

The eye and its surroundings provide information for the physician on the patient even at first sight as they may bear the signs of many organic diseases, such as disorders of the kidney, thyroid disease, allergies, heart disease, or excessive alcohol consumption.

The skin of the eyelid is the thinnest skin on our body with a fine lymphatic network, highly responsive to the lack of sleep and the progress of time on an individual basis.

This "aging process" can be handled and decelerated for a while by an adequate lifestyle and cosmetics, but hanging eyelids, the formation of bags under the eyes, or sagging eyebrows may require plastic surgery.

Most eyelid plastic surgery operations are ambulant operations: they can be performed by local anaesthesia. Plastic surgery of the upper eyelid essentially involves the removal of hanging skin, perhaps with a partial removal of the muscle. Plastic surgery of the lower eyelid is more complex and it also takes more time because it often occurs that the excessive deep fat responsible for the bags must also be removed together with superfluous skin and muscle tissue. Wounds are closed by very thin thread in the natural crease; they will be hardly visible later on. Sutures can be removed 5 to 7 days after the operation.
Intumescences and effusions get absorbed gradually in a couple of days, and can be concealed by wearing sunglasses. If the patient's wounds are healing properly, cicatrices can only be suspected after 3 to 4 weeks.

As the eyelid problems described above may make the face look considerably older, surgery may result in really spectacular rejuvenation. Results, however, do not last for an entire lifetime: eyelids may grow loose again in about 10 years. Surgery can be repeated if necessary in such cases. Surgery is rarely required before the age of 35; there is no upper age limit. Patients include both males and females.