Upper Eyelid Lift – Upper Blepharoplasty Sydney by Dr Scott Turner

Upper blepharoplasty, known as upper eyelid lift surgery, is one of the most common popular facial cosmetic procedures to slow the signs of ageing.

As we age, our eyelids tend to drop down partially covering the eyes. Excess skin on the eyelids can add many years to your age. They can even interfere with your eyesight and peripheral vision. That’s why upper eyelid surgery, or blepharoplasty may be subsidised by Medicare and is so popular.

An upper blepharoplasty can help lift your upper eyelids. It makes your eyes wider and bigger. It can make you look more alert, energetic, and younger.

Specialist Plastic Surgeon Dr Scott Turner performs many blepharoplasty procedures at his clinics in Sydney & Newcastle NSW. His technique ensures symmetric and significant eyelid lifting to bring out your eyes and help you look your best.

What is an Upper Eyelid Lift?

An upper eyelid lift, also called an upper blepharoplasty, is a minor cosmetic facial procedure to lift saggy eyelids up. It’s a quick procedure, that can be done in a hospital or in rooms with the help of local anaesthesia.

The upper eyelids tend to droop as we age. This is medically called “eyelid ptosis” or “ptotic eyelids”. It happens when eyelid skin becomes lax as the years pass, and your upper eyelid starts to drop down, especially on the outer half of the eye.

Upper eyelid ptosis makes the eyes appear less open and gives you a sleepy, tired, and old look. The ptotic eyelids can also fall down over your pupils and block your field of vision. In addition to drooping, ageing eyes can also become puffy as fat accumulates in your eyelids.

Blepharoplasty can help fix that. Excess fat and a small amount of skin are precisely cut out from the upper eyelids, improving your vision, making your eyes appear younger and wider, and giving you an alert and energetic look. Cutting out the perfect amount of eyelid skin is the key to success.

Who is suitable for an upper Blepharoplasty?

How do you know if you need to have your eyelids lifted? Here are some criteria

Your upper eyelids appear puffy
Your upper eyelids have too many skin folds
Your upper eyelids are droopy
Your eyes look closed, sleepy, tired, and old
Your saggy upper eyelids are blocking your vision

Eyelid surgery is usually straightforward and simple. It’s a quick surgery that’s not too demanding. It’s surgery to make your eyes wider, younger, and more energetic. It’s also a way to make people stop asking why you look tired all the time.

You can have an upper eyelid lift at any age. However, the best age to have blepharoplasty is between 40 and 60 years of age. By this age, most people will have some degree of eyelid ptosis and will benefit most from an upper eyelid lift in their prime years.

Benefits of Eyelid Lift

There are a lot of benefits of upper blepharoplasty, and that’s why it’s such a popular surgery. Here are some of the advantages that an upper eyelid lift can give you:

Can dramatically change your overall appearance
Could make you look more alert and energetic
Improves your field of vision (of the eyelid ptosis is blocking your sight)
Gets rid of sleepy eyes
Widens your eyes and brings them out
Tightens your upper eyelid skin
Gets rid of puffy upper eyelids
This can be done under local anaesthesia in rooms
Long-term results (can stay up to 10 years)

These are just some of the reasons to get an eyelid lift. It will take several years off your appearance, and bring back the energy and charm to your eyes.

How is Upper Eyelid Lift Performed

Upper eyelid lifting is straightforward. Blepharoplasty is considered minor surgery, since there’s no extensive tissue removal involved, and it can be done under local anaesthesia. Upper bleph is a one-day surgery, which means that you can go home right after your procedure.

An upper blepharoplasty usually goes like this:

You will first be asked to sit in an adjustable surgical chair and extend your head backward on a head supporter
Dr Turner will ask you to close your eyelids and keep them closed at all times
He will use a marker to mark his planned incision line
The eyelids will be cleaned with a cleansing solution, and a small drape will be applied to keep the surgical field sterile
The procedure starts with you getting a small amount of local anaesthetic into the eyelid skin. This might be a little painful, however, the eyelids soon become numb
A blepharoplasty incision is done across the upper eyelid, from one corner of the eye to the other
The incision is elliptical in shape, and the width depends on how much fat and skin needs to be removed
Dr Turner will carefully use a surgical blade and electric blade to cut out the tiny excess piece of skin in your upper eyelid with any underlying puffy fat pads
He will then bring the wound edges together to lift the eyelid up and tighten it
Dr Turner will use very thing suture lines to close the wound
The other eyelid will be lifted in the same manner
The eyes will be cleaned and you can open them directly after blepharoplasty is done

An upper blepharoplasty usually takes 15-30 minutes of time to perform. You can go back home right after the procedure.

Can an Upper Eyelid Lift Be Combined With Other Procedures?

Many patients choose to combine an upper eyelid surgical lift with other facial rejuvenation procedures, namely:

Lower blepharoplasty – to get rid of bags and puffiness under the eyes
Brow lift – surgery to lift the eyebrows (upper facelift)
Facelift – the standard facial rejuvenation surgery. It tightens the face, gets rid of wrinkles, and reverses the signs of facial ageing
Neck lift – gets rid of double chin, turkey neck, and neck wrinkles
Injectable fillers – perfect to get rid of wrinkles around the eyes (crow’s feet)

A blepharoplasty can deliver outstanding results when combined with other facial cosmetic procedures. When combined with a full facelift, you can come out looking up to 10 years younger than your biological age.

Recovery after Upper Eyelid Lift

Since an upper blepharoplasty is not too invasive, recovery afterward is not too demanding. Some immediate post-op symptoms might include:

Double vision
Burning sensation in the eyes
Sensitivity to light
Watery eyes
Itching of the eyes
Slight pain

You can usually go back home directly after your upper eyelid lift. It’s not recommended that you drive after a droopy eyelid lift. Your vision might be compromised after the procedure, so you’ll need to have someone pick you up.

You can go back to work 2-3 days after your blepharoplasty. Keep in mind, however, that bruising and swelling will be apparent and will gradually decrease over 3 weeks following your eyelid surgery.

You can wear sunglasses to keep your eyes protected and hide the bruising for the first few days after your upper eyelid lift surgery.

How to find the Best Upper Eyelid Surgeon in Sydney

For many patients, having cosmetic plastic surgery is a life-changing experience. There are many qualified specialist plastic surgeons, but it is always best to find one who is experienced in your procedure.

Always find a reputable medical practitioner who can offer you a range of options and give you the best advice. Avoid choosing an undertrained doctor or so-called “cosmetic surgeon”. See our blog on the difference between a plastic surgeon and a cosmetic surgeon and how to find the best surgeon.

Look at their past patient photos, and online reviews and always choose a surgeon you feel comfortable with.

Risks Associated with Upper Blepharoplasty Surgery

Upper blepharoplasty surgery has few risks. Complications only occur very rarely with an eyelid lift, and these can include:

Wound infection
Bleeding from the wound
Prolonged eye irritation
Inability to properly close the eyes (if the eyelids are lifted too much)
Problems with eye movement (due to eye muscle injury)
Extremely rarely, sustained vision problems

Risks of saggy eyelid surgery can be significantly reduced by choosing an experienced plastic surgeon. Dr Turner is one of the top plastic surgeons in Sydney and NSW. He routinely performs upper and lower blepharoplasty using the most effective and best-studied surgical techniques.

For more detailed information read the risks and potential complications of surgery page.

Blepharoplasty FAQs – Questions about Upper Eyelid Lift

[sc_fs_multi_faq headline-0=”h2″ question-0=”What is upper blepharoplasty? ” answer-0=”Upper blepharoplasty is the medical term for the procedure to have saggy upper eyelids lifted. It’s one of the most commonly performed facial cosmetic procedures. It leads to bigger and more alert-looking eyes. ” image-0=”” headline-1=”h2″ question-1=”What is the best way to lift the upper eyelids?” answer-1=”The best, and the only way to lift the upper eyelids is an upper blepharoplasty. It’s a minor procedure that reduces your upper eyelids and lifts them up. Blepharoplasty leads to wider and more energetic eyes.” image-1=”” headline-2=”h2″ question-2=”Why do my eyes always look sleepy?” answer-2=”One of the main reasons why you might look sleepy is eyelid ptosis. Eyelid ptosis is the medical term for droopy eyelids. It’s a common sign of ageing that usually develops after 40 years of age. Sagging upper eyelids can drop down on the eyes, making them look closed. This consequently makes you look tired and sleepy all the time. An upper eyelid lift, or blepharoplasty, is the best way to rejuvenate old-looking eyes. ” image-2=”” headline-3=”h2″ question-3=”What causes the upper eyelids to drop?” answer-3=”Ageing and the constant pull of gravity are the main cause of eyelid ptosis. As we grow older, our skin loses elasticity. The eyelids become softer and fluffier, and they start to drop downward, sometimes even partially blocking the eyes. ” image-3=”” headline-4=”h2″ question-4=”Can you lift the eyelids without surgery?” answer-4=”No. Drooping eyelids develop due to excess eyelid skin and fat. This means that there are no alternatives to eyelid lift surgery since tissue needs to be cut out and removed. Blepharoplasty is thus the only way to get rid of droopy eyelids.” image-4=”” headline-5=”h2″ question-5=”Is upper blepharoplasty painful?” answer-5=”Upper blepharoplasty is not particularly painful. The surgery is done under local anaesthesia, so you should not feel any pain during the procedure. During recovery, any eyelid pain can usually be controlled with off-the-counter painkillers. ” image-5=”” count=”6″ html=”true” css_class=””]

Medical References – Further Reading about Upper Eyelid Lift

Your Consultation with Dr Scott Turner – Plastic Surgeon

If you’re considering an eyelid procedure, the very first step will be to meet with Dr Turner for a personal one on one consultation at one of his Sydney or Newcastle clinics. For many patients, we understand that this is a major decision, so we want to make the entire process as comfortable as possible. We’re here to explain each procedure in detail, so that you’re confident with your final decision.

To begin, Dr Turner will help you determine what procedure would be best, based on a number of key factors. Of course, every patient is unique, not only in terms of their skin and facial structure, but also their wants and needs. Dr Turner will guide you, discussing the options available from non-surgical techniques, to a range of upper and lower eyelid procedures for the maximum benefit so that you can achieve the results you desire.

Dr Turner and his team will:

• Review all blepharoplasty and facial procedures with you.
• Discuss all potential risks involved with eyelid surgery.
• Outline in detail how the surgery is performed
• Provide an explanation of what you can expect before, during, and after the procedure.
• Provide detailed cost and payment information.
• Answer all your questions.

If you would like more information on the Blepharoplasty procedure, please contact one of our friendly staff on 1300 437 758

Next Steps

Always Do Your Research

Enquire to find out more about your surgery
Please read our website to learn more about your intended procedure

Do you need a Medical Referral to see Dr Turner?

A GP Referral is required to Consult with Dr Turner (under new AHPRA Regulations)
Please obtain a referral from your GP or Specialist if you want a consultation for an MBS item number surgery.
Please note that your Medicare Rebates will NOT be claimable without a valid recent Medical Referral

Making The Most Of Your Consultation

Please arrive slightly early for your in-person consultation
You are welcome to bring a friend or relative to help consider the information and discuss your options
Please be aware you may need to undress for a physical exam so wear simple clothes
Ensure you also take a lot of notes during the consultation and thoroughly examine all the documents provided

Want more information before scheduling your consultation?

Find out more about pricing and payment plans
Request more information about the procedure – call or contact us

How to Book Your Consultation

You can book your initial consultation by paying the $350 cosmetic consultation fee in advance – when you make your appointment

BOOK A PHONE CALL FOR MORE INFO

To find out more information about surgery you can book a FREE 15-minute phone conversation with our Friendly Patient Care team via Calendly- Book Consultant 1 or Book Consultant 2

Contact us or call on 1300 437 758 to arrange your surgeon consultation in Sydney.

Email us for more information: enquiries@drturner.com.au

Upper Eyelid Lift Sydney NSW