Droopy Eyelid and Ptosis Repair

PROCEDURES:

We perform many surgeries around the eye area, specifically some of these below:

• Eyelift & Blepharoplasty
• Ptosis repair or Droopy Eyelid
• Brow Lift or Forehead Lift
• Bells’ Palsy Treatment
• Blepharospasm or Excessive lid blinking
• Entropion Repair or Inverted Eyelids
• Ectropion Repair or Everted Eyelids

If you don’t see your procedure listed here, please contact us to inquire!

Blepharoplasty (EYELIFT)

Blepharoplasty is a surgical eyelid procedure, which corrects drooping upper eyelids and puffy bags below the eyes. These conditions may make an individual look older than he or she truly is, and may give the false appearance of being weary or fatigued. Drooping upper eyelids may even result in diminished peripheral vision.

Blepharoplasty, or EYELID lifting, is THE NUMBER ONE cosmetic procedure in the United States.
Dr. Rubbani Specializes in eye-lifting WITHOUT the HIGH risk of General Anesthesia. She performs the procedure very comfortable for the patient without the risks of IV sedation.

Who are the Best Candidates for Blepharoplasty Surgery?

You and Dr. Rubbani will decide if you are more of a candidate for non-surgical lid rejuvenation with Thermage and Ulthera. Unless the excess skin or fat can only be treated with Upper or Lower Blepharoplasty surgery.

Blepharoplasty enhances your appearance, widens the field of peripheral vision, and in some cases, even resolves “eye strain” in those individuals using forehead muscles to help elevate their upper eyelids. This procedure won’t remove “crow’s feet,” lift sagging eyebrows or remove dark circles under the eyes. Patients of Asian ancestry may choose to have an upper eyelid crease similar to a more Caucasian look or maintain their more natural eyelid appearance. Blepharoplasty may be combined with a brow-lift. Blood Therapy Serum in Dr. Rubbani’s hands gives excellent results for the dark circles.

The best candidates for blepharoplasty are realistic in their expectations. Individuals with certain medical conditions may have increased risk with blepharoplasty. These conditions include hypothyroidism, Grave’s Disease, dry eye syndrome, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Be sure to discuss any medical problems with Dr. Rubbani before proceeding with surgery.

What’s the Eyelift Procedure?

Most blepharoplasty procedures are completed under local anesthesia, with or without mild sedation. The procedure is typically performed in an out-patient facility or in the office. All four eyelids may be operated on or just the upper or lower ones. The entire procedure may take from one to three hours, depending largely on whether all four lids are being operated on, or just the upper or lower ones.

Dr. Rubbani often likes to combine the Lid Lift procedure with injections of Botox. Botox injections will help the healing process by minimizing the appearance of the scar, by weakening the muscle so it does not pull against the incision.

Commonly, Dr. Rubbani makes incisions along the natural creases of the upper eyelids, and inside the lower eyelids, depending on what she decides is the best approach for you.

If the lower eyelids are being operated on, Dr. Rubbani will proceed with a transconjunctival blepharoplasty when excess skin does not need to be removed. This procedure entails a small incision only on the inside of the lower eyelid. This allows the removal of a fat pocket in the lower eyelid and prevents any visible scar, while still producing the desired result.

What is the Recovery from Surgery?

You should plan to apply cold packs to your operated eyelids for the first 48 hours after surgery to help control swelling.

This is then followed by warm packs, which will improve circulation. You should expect swelling and some bruising, and this may vary greatly from one individual to another.

Dr. Rubbani recommends specific diets and natural supplements that help decrease your recovery time by up to 2 weeks if your excellent about sticking to her plan! We are here to help you every step of the way.

YOUR NEW APPEARANCE

After the first couple of weeks, you will begin to see the aesthetic results of your surgery. However, you won’t have your best results for up to 6 months following surgery. During this period, the incision lines will fade from a slightly pink color to nearly invisible thin white lines. In most cases, you may begin to wear makeup again (on the eyelids) about 7 to 10 days after your surgery. Rubbing ophthalmic Vitamin E ointment on the scar can also help soften it.

Ptosis Repair for Droopy Eyelid

Ptosis repair is usually completed under twilight anesthesia and or under local anesthesia. Dr. Rubbani makes an incision in the drooping eyelid, and carefully advance and tighten the muscle, which elevates the upper eyelid, this muscle becomes loose as we age and causes the lid droop. The eyelid is often carefully compared to the opposite eye in terms of lid height. One or both eyes may need to be treated.

What to Expect After Surgery?

Most patients will tolerate the procedure very well and have a rapid recovery. Cold packs may need to be applied to the operated eyelid for the first 48 hours following surgery. Antibiotic ointments applied to the incision are sometimes recommended. The elevation of the eyelid will often be immediately noticeable, though in some cases bruising and swelling will obscure this finding. Some patients may need adjustment of the lid height.

Browlift (Forehead Lift)

What is a forehead lift?

A forehead lift or “browlift” is a procedure that restores a more youthful, refreshed look to the area above the eyes. The procedure corrects drooping brows and improves the horizontal lines and furrows that can make a person appear angry, sad or tired.

In a forehead lift, the muscles and tissues that cause the furrowing or drooping are removed or altered to smooth the forehead, raise the eyebrows and minimize frown lines. You and Dr. Rubbani will decide what technique is best. Ulthera and Thermage in combination with Botox can also provide you with a non-surgical option if you are looking for a natural lift.

After surgery – getting back to normal

Although you should be up and about in a day or two, plan on taking it easy for at least the first week after surgery. You should be able to shower and shampoo your hair within two days, or as soon as the bandage is removed.

Most patients are back to work or school in a week to 10 days. Vigorous physical activity should be limited for several weeks, including jogging, bending, heavy housework, sex, or any activity that increases your blood pressure. Prolonged exposure to heat or sun should be limited for several months.

Your New Look

Most patients are pleased with the results of their lifts, no matter which surgical method was used. Often, patients don’t realize how much their sagging contributed to the signs of aging until they see how much younger and more rested they appear after the lift.

When patients look at their before and after photos, they can’t believe what they looked like before. Our favorite is when they say: “I can’t believe I waited this long, it was easy with awesome results!”

Bell’s Palsy Treatment

What is Bell’s Palsy?

Bells palsy is a condition that causes the facial muscles to weaken or become paralyzed. It’s caused by trauma to the 7th cranial nerve and is usually not permanent. It can lead to the eyelid on the affected side to appear wider than the other eye.

Surgical Treatment of the Lid:

If the affected eyelid appears wider than the other, you may need surgical repair of the lid to improve the cosmetic appearance of the lid. On most occasions a small gold weight can be hidden inside the lid to add more strength to the weakened muscle and help closure of the eyelid.

Blepharospasm:

Botox for the spasm of the eyelid is an excellent non-surgical solution.

In the early 1970s, Botox was used to relax overactive eye muscles in cross-eyed patients. It has since been approved for many uses, including for spasmodic neck, facial and eyelid muscles. Facial muscles tend to become hypertonic (overactive) after paralysis. Weakening or re-paralyzing the muscles with Botox can temporarily ease the effects of overactive muscles. Spasms can be reduced along with the pain and discomfort associated with them.

With Botox injected into the eyelid muscles, the squint associated with the spasm can be lessened. If there is tightness or spasms in the cheek area, the Botox injected in the muscles can reduce those spasms. Botox can also be injected into the muscles of the cheek or neck areas directly. The overall result can be a more symmetrical appearance plus increased comfort.

Entropion Repair for Inverted Eyelid

An entropion is an inwardly turned (inverted) eyelid. The condition occurs primarily as a result of advancing age with the subsequent weakening of certain eyelid muscles. The imbalance between eyelid muscle groups results in the inward turning of the eyelid. The condition almost always affects the lower, rather than the upper, eyelids.

Repair of involutional entropion (associated with aging) may be completed with a variety of procedures. Most cases are completed with an incision in the lateral corner of the eye or an incision just beneath the lower eyelashes. In either case, a tightening of tissues is required to resolve the imbalance between the muscle groups of the lower lid.

Ectropion Repair for Everted Eyelid

An ectropion is an outwardly turned (everted) eyelid. The condition most often is associated with aging, though it may also occur congenitally, as a result of scarring or other surgeries, or secondary to facial nerve paralysis (Bell’s Palsy). If not repaired, the condition may lead to thickening of the mucosal surface on the inside of the eyelid with resulting inflammation of and danger to the health of the eye itself.

The best method of repair for an ectropion often depends on the underlying cause. In the involutional type of ectropion (associated with aging), the surgeon will likely elect to shorten and tighten the lower lid, thereby resolving the outwardly turned lid. This typically is completed with an incision of the skin at the lateral corner of the eye. The surgeon then excises a small segment of the lateral aspect of the lower eyelid and subsequently reconnects the eyelid to underlying tissues and the upper eyelid.