Why Do You Want to Get Eyelid Surgery?

As we age, excess skin can accumulate around the eyes. This can make seeing difficult, but it can also change your overall appearance. Patients with excess skin around the eyes often note that they look much older than they feel. It’s true that wrinkles develop all across the face, but the eyes are particularly important, as they are our most expressive feature and can amplify emotions of sadness and fatigue. If you look in the mirror and notice excess or loose skin around your eyelids (upper and/or lower), you may be a perfect candidate for eyelid surgery. But you may also ask yourself, am I a good candidate for eyelid surgery?

Before making any decisions regarding your own candidacy, you should always seek out an in-person consultation with a highly qualified eyelid specialist with the proper credentials. Washington D.C. Metropolitan area and Northern Virginia candidates for eyelid surgery have the luxury of scheduling a consultation with nationally recognized eyelid specialists, Dr. Soheila Rostami and Dr. Maryam Nazemzadeh, at the Sanctuary Cosmetic Center in McLean, Virginia. Dr. Rostami and Dr. Nazemzadeh are both highly trained oculofacial plastic surgeons and authorities on eyelid and brow rejuvenation. If you’re wondering whether an eyelid procedure would be a good fit for you, don’t hesitate to contact us and schedule a consultation today.

Am I a Good Candidates for Eyelid Surgery?

Candidates for eyelid surgery are usually divided into two categories, though they each have significant overlap. These two categories are Therapeutic and Cosmetic or Aesthetic. However, both categories have substantial overlap in terms of the symptoms and expectations of candidates. In general, good candidates for eyelid surgery exhibit at least one of the following:

• Excess tissue around the upper eyelid, lower eyelid, or both
• Difficulty seeing because of excess tissue/skin hooding over the eyelids and eyes
• Discomfort with the wrinkles and lines caused by excess tissue of the eyelids
• Noticing that people say you look tired, sad, or angry
• Noticing that the world seems a bit darker than it used to (or not as bright)
• Have realistic expectations about what eyelid surgery can accomplish
• Are generally healthy enough for surgery

During your consultation with the surgeons at the Sanctuary Cosmetic Center, you may be asked about your general medical history. Please be prepared to discuss any current or past medications and medical conditions. You will also discuss your desired final outcomes and the best way to achieve these outcomes.

Am I a Better Candidate for Therapeutic or Cosmetic Eyelid Surgery?

As mentioned above, there are two basic categories into which eyelid surgery patients are sometimes divided: therapeutic and cosmetic. The benefits enjoyed by each type of patient are largely similar; this division has arisen largely for insurance purposes, as some insurance companies will cover therapeutic eyelid surgery but not a cosmetic eyelid lift. That said, patients can certainly be motivated more by therapeutic or by cosmetic reasons.

• Therapeutic Patients are those patients who are having trouble seeing because of excess eye tissue. For these patients, the primary purpose of eyelid surgery is to clear away excess eye tissue in order to improve vision. Their eyelid surgery would be considered medically necessary based on their symptoms. Naturally, these patients will enjoy other benefits as well: not only will they see better, they will look younger and more alert. However, the primary benefit to these patients is simply the ability to see the world more fully.
• Cosmetic Patients are those patients who are seeking eyelid surgery for largely aesthetic reasons. These patients generally have no visual complaints, but find that the wrinkles and lines that accumulate around the eyelids make them look old or tired. These patients wish to look more youthful, alert, and radiant.

There is a great deal of overlap between therapeutic and cosmetic eyelid surgery patients. The vast majority of patients, in fact, find themselves somewhere in the middle. If you have questions about what you want to achieve with your eyelid lift surgery, contact the Sanctuary Cosmetic Center, in Northern Virginia, to schedule a confidential consultation. Our Washington D.C. Metropolitan area eyelid lift candidates count on our experience and our expertise.

Am I a Better Candidate for Surgical or Non Surgical Eyelid Lift?

One of the other options that exists when it comes to eyelid lift surgery is a non-surgical approach. Non surgical eyelid lift procedures are generally used to even out the volume of the eye (for example, to mitigate dark circles under the eye) or to remove very fine lines by adding volume to the eye. If your eyelid lift symptoms are mild, if you suffer from dark circles or hollowing under your eyes, or if you are attempting to prevent the formation of wrinkles and lines in the first place, then non surgical eyelid lift procedures may be the best approach for you. A non surgical eyelid lift approach can include injectables such as dermal fillers and Botox/Dysport, laser resurfacing treatments and chemical peels.

However, if you are looking to remove volume and tissue, then a surgical approach is most likely to give you the best results. In general, surgical eyelid surgery will also yield substantial, permanent results. For patients with a significant amount of excess tissue or who are having trouble seeing because of the excess tissue, eyelid surgery is usually the recommended approach. The best way to determine what type of procedure suits you best is to schedule a consultation at the Sanctuary Cosmetic Center.

When Should I Get Eyelid Surgery?

Eyelid surgery can yield amazing results. Patients look more youthful, more alert, and–often–much happier. However, eyelid surgery does not stop the basic processes involved in aging. The results are, of course, effectively permanent, but your body will continue to age. As a result, many patients are worried about getting eyelid surgery too early, and then having to repeat the process later in life. Likewise, there are patients who are worried about suffering unnecessarily while waiting for the “perfect” time to get their procedure.

There is no “perfect” time to get your eyelid surgery. You will generally want to wait until the amount of wrinkles and lines become a source of discomfort. Additionally, if that excess skin begins to interfere with your vision, you should schedule a consultation immediately. Likewise, many patients begin thinking about eyelid lift surgery when they feel what they see in the mirror no longer reflects how they feel as a person.

Contact Us Today!

The best way to determine whether you are a good candidate for eyelid lift surgery is to have a face-to-face consultation with one of our highly qualified cosmetic surgeons. Our Washington Metropolitan area patients who come to the Sanctuary Cosmetic Center get the benefit of years of experience and a depth of expertise from Dr. Soheila Rostami and Dr. Maryam Nazmzadeh, our oculofacial plastic surgeons.

If you think you might be a candidate for eyelid surgery and you are in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area, contact the Sanctuary Cosmetic Center today to get started on your transformation.