The eyes are an extremely powerful feature of our face, potentially conveying a tired, sad, or worried appearance as the result of aging or genetics. Social media filters may hide your wrinkles, excess fat, or bulging eyelid skin, but in reality you’re extremely frustrated with your inability to communicate how youthful and relaxed you truly feel. Who are candidates for eyelid surgery, with laser assisted technology utilized by San Francisco’s leading board certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Kulick?

Potential candidates for eyelid surgery

While the benefits of eyelid surgery are unarguably noticeable, patients wonder whether they would be a candidate for eyelid surgery. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Are my upper eyelids heavy?
• Is there a “hood” or droopiness over my eyes from the skin of my upper eyelid?
• Does saggy upper eyelid skin interfere with my vision?
• Do heavy bags appear under my eyes?
• Are either my upper or lower eyelids appear to be creased or wrinkled?
• Is there excess skin around my lower eyelid?
• Are there fatty deposits appearing as puffiness in my eyelids?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you would qualify as a candidate for eyelid surgery, under the care of Dr. Kulick.

Good health history for eyelid surgery

Patients who elect this surgery, however, need to be in good health, both psychologically and physiologically. In general, most patients are within the ages of 35 to 70, without life-threatening illnesses or medical conditions that would interfere with healing. These may include conditions such as untreated thyroid gland issues, dry eyes, retinal detachment or glaucoma, uncontrolled high blood pressure, unstable diabetes, or untreated cardiovascular disease. Because it can impede proper blood flow, candidates should be non-smokers, or willing to quit during the perioperative period. Because downtime is essential to the healing process, candidates should be able to take time off work to allow the eyes proper time to heal.

Both men and women are candidates for eyelid surgery

Gentlemen – this is not a surgery just for women. A greater number of male clients are choosing plastic surgery options. Eyelid surgery, itself, is up 26.3% over the past year for both males and females, according to 2017 statistics¹ by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. It is one of the top 5 surgical procedures for men which include liposuction, eyelift surgery, breast reduction, tummy tuck, and facelift. For either male or female, eyelid surgery can significantly improve one’s self-confidence in public or in the workplace, where first impressions can be critically important.

Finally, candidates should have realistic expectations for a refreshed, rejuvenated result to look restful and years younger. While the before and after photos, show exciting examples of patient success, eyelid surgery is not designed to make you look like your favorite actor or turn back 20 years of time. A variety of other surgical procedures can be combined with eyelid surgery to enhance the outcome including a brow lift, face lift, or laser skin resurfacing. Soft tissue fillers and botulinum toxin injections may help your overall appearance as well.

If you deal with loose or sagging skin creating folds in the upper lids, fatty deposits, excess skin and wrinkles in the lower eyelid area, or bags under the eyes, you may be an ideal candidate for eyelid surgery. While the list of characteristics is not a firm set of rules, it may be a helpful reference for those considering eyelid surgery. If you are interested in learning more about the procedure from board certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Kulick of San Francisco, contact us for a consultation to determine whether eyelid surgery is a good fit for you.

Additional Resources

1. American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Reports That Modern Cosmetic Procedures are on the Rise. Retrieved from https://www.surgery.org/media/news-releases/the-american-society-for-aesthetic-plastic-surgery-reports-that-modern-cosmetic-procedures-are-on-the-rise