Have Bags Under Your Eyes? Learn How Lower Blepharoplasty Surgery Can Help!

If you are one of the millions of Americans who struggles with under eye bags, then it might be time to put a stop to all the “did you sleep last night?” comments. If you are ready to look as awake and energized as you feel, it might be time to consider lower blepharoplasty surgery.

What is Lower Blepharoplasty Surgery?

Blepharoplasty surgery is a cosmetic procedure that improves the appearance and functionality of the eyes by removing excess skin and tissues from around the eye. A lower blepharoplasty focuses on the lower eyelid and the area under the eyes; it is mainly done to reduce the appearance of bags under the eyes.

Out of all the anti-aging surgeries that Qazi Cosmetic Clinic offers, a lower blepharoplasty is one of the most effective ways to improve your appearance in a single procedure. When people say that the eyes are the windows to the soul, it’s true – and you should want the area around those windows to look just as young and vibrant as you feel.

Lower blepharoplasty surgery can be done for purely cosmetic or for functional purposes.

Some patients notice that their eyelids begin to swell as they age, which can obstruct your vision and make it dangerous to drive and difficult to read. This swelling can be caused by excess fluid retention, injury to the area around the eyes, or drooping tissues. In some cases, it is necessary to also get surgery on the upper eyelid in order to completely treat the vision impairment.

However, the most popular reason that residents in Orange County get lower blepharoplasty surgery is that they just don’t want to look old and tired anymore. Nowadays, we are looking at ourselves all the time: in selfies, during virtual meetings, in group photos, and in the mirror. It simply isn’t healthy or helpful to look at your face constantly and hate what you see.

This is where lower blepharoplasty surgery can help!

5 Things To Consider If You Are Thinking About a Lower Blepharoplasty Surgery

Here are 5 other factors that Dr. Nadir Qazi recommends that patients consider before they decide to undergo lower blepharoplasty surgery:

1. Lower? Upper? Both?

Most patients zero in on their under eye bags as the problem with their appearance; however, they don’t always realize how their upper lids can also give away their age too. Dr. Qazi recommends that some patients consider getting both lower and upper eyelid surgery at the same time. There are several benefits to getting both:

First, it provides a greater transformation to the overall shape and appearance of the eyes. You might not realize how much your upper lids affect your appearance until you get the cosmetic concern corrected. Heavy upper eyelids can weigh down your eyes and make you look older and more tired than you feel.

Second, cosmetic procedures have an unintended side effect of improving one area of the face or body, but drawing extra attention to the untreated areas too. This can cause your overall results to look less natural or for one area of your face to give away your age. When patients only get lower blepharoplasty surgery, it can draw attention to their drooping upper eyelid.

Third, there is a one week recovery time for both procedures and so to have only one healing time, it would be easiest to do both procedures together.

2. Why Do You Want Lower Blepharoplasty Surgery?

There are many terms for it, but the uptick in Zoom meetings has caused a surge in facial cosmetic procedures. Many people spend too long staring at their own face on video calls and end up hating every part of their appearance. The team at Qazi Cosmetic Clinic believes in natural-looking, conservative cosmetic treatment – that you should never get treatment just to keep up with the Joneses.

Before you schedule a consultation for lower eyelid surgery, spend some time thinking about why you want it. Have you always hated the bags under your eyes? Would it improve your confidence and make you feel better about yourself? Or are you wanting surgery because someone you know got one, or because a co-worker made an offhand comment about your appearance.

Whatever your cosmetic goals are, Dr. Qazi is here to help you achieve them. However, make sure that you are doing it for you, and not because you feel like you have to at a certain age.

3. Where Is The Issue?

Many patients walk into Qazi Cosmetic Clinic for their consultation and the first words out of their mouth are “I look old.” If you think that you look old, Dr. Qazi recommends looking in the mirror and figuring out what makes you think you look old. Is it sagging skin? Is it drooping eyelids? Is it wrinkles and crow’s feet?

Once you have that answer, then Dr. Qazi can work with you to determine which procedure – either surgical or non-surgical – would work best to correct the issue and improve your confidence.

4. Combining Procedures For Efficiency

“Efficiency” is not a word that you hear in the world of cosmetic procedures very often. If you want multiple procedures, then it makes sense to have them done all at once. Combining procedures is especially appealing because it allows you to make a complete transformation in a short amount of time.

Lower blepharoplasty surgery can be combined with almost any other procedure, including upper eyelid surgery, a face lift, a brow lift, facial liposuction, facial fillers, lip augmentation, a nose job, and more. If you have questions about how to achieve your aesthetic goals, schedule a free consultation with Dr. Qazi today!

5. Is Cosmetic Surgery Right For You?

Cosmetic surgery isn’t right for everyone. Surgical procedures come with greater risks, more side effects, and a longer recovery time. If you want to reduce the bags under your eyes without the risks and downtime of surgery, you may want to consider a non-surgical, non-invasive procedure like dermal fillers or laser treatment.

Fillers for the under eye area is highly effective at improving your overall appearance to make you look more awake and approachable. Because fillers are absorbed by the skin within 6 months, the results are not permanent. However, the procedure to get fillers is fast, easy, and you can return to normal activities right away.

While fillers work by creating volume to the under eye region, laser treatment is best for reducing fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes. Dr. Qazi uses the CO2 laser to reduce fine lines and wrinkles while simultaneously promoting collagen production for overall better skin texture.

If surgery isn’t right for you, try dermal fillers or CO2 laser treatment to smooth the skin under your eyes! These non-invasive procedures come with fewer side effects than surgery and have a fraction of the cost and recovery time!

Frequently Asked Questions About Lower Blepharoplasty Surgery

How do I know it will work for me?

Everyone’s eyes are unique, as are their goals for their appearance. When you meet with Dr. Qazi for a consultation, he will work with his surgical team to customize the surgery to meet your needs and your face shape. Here at Qazi Cosmetic Clinic, we specialize in creating results that look natural and that match your aesthetic.

When you get lower blepharoplasty surgery at our Orange County location, your results will fit your face and look completely natural.

What are the risks of this procedure?

Very few patients experience any side effects. If they do, they usually go away on their own or can be easily treated by a doctor.

Your vision will be unaffected by the surgery. Due to advancements in the procedure, the surgical team probably won’t even need to put bandages over your eyes. You should definitely not drive yourself home for many reasons, but your eyesight will be fine.

Am I a good candidate for lower blepharoplasty surgery?

You are a good candidate for eyelid surgery if:

• You have bags under your eyes or drooping lids.
• Lingering puffiness won’t go away on its own.
• You are in good overall health.
• You have realistic expectations for the procedure.
• You are a non-smoker with no history of adverse reactions to anesthesia.
• Have no conditions that prevent wounds from healing properly

In general, this procedure is more popular among middle aged and older people. However, there is no lower age limit to this procedure as long as you are over 18 and have severe enough undereye bags to warrant surgery.

Is there a non-surgical alternative?

Yes! Surgery is not right for everyone. If you are unable to get the procedure or if your under eye bags are not severe enough for surgery, another option is dermal fillers under the eyes. Fillers are popular injectables that provide instant volume to smooth the face and improve overall skin tone. Depending on your cosmetic concerns, fillers may be an acceptable alternative to surgery.

The procedure for fillers only takes about 45 minutes and you are safe to resume normal activities right afterwards. However, fillers only last for about 6 months before your body naturally dissolves them.

If your concerns are not about lost volume under the eyes and rather about wrinkles and fine lines, then CO2 laser treatment can help. Laser treatment works by resurfacing the top layer of your skin in order to jumpstart your skin’s natural healing abilities. It also prompts your body to produce more collagen, which will improve the overall appearance of the treatment area over time.

What To Expect For Lower Blepharoplasty Surgery

Preparation

Before the surgery, you will be given specific instructions for how to prepare. This may include stopping certain medications, avoiding nicotine products and alcohol, and taking eye drops. You will also need to stop eating midnight before your procedure. It is also recommended that you prepare for the recovery by stocking up on ice packs, sunglasses, easy to make food, and any prescribed medications.

The Procedure

You will be under general or local anesthesia depending on the specifics of the surgery. Beforehand, the surgeon will draw marks on your eye bags to indicate where the fat should be removed The location of incisions is customized to meet your needs and to minimize the risk of visible scarring. Sometimes, the surrgeon will remove the fat pad from inside the eye and so there are no sutures involved. Then the surgeon will remove excess skin, fat, and other tissues that are contributing to the negative appearance of your eyes.

After they are done, typically your skin will contract back to normal and there are no scars. Once you are done, you will be bandaged if needed and put on some sunglasses – someone will need to drive you home and keep an eye on you for at least 24 hours.

Aftercare

After you get home, you should use a cold compress to reduce swelling around the eyes for the first 48 hours. Some bruising, swelling, dry eyes, itchiness, and general discomfort is normal; it will go away over the next few days. Eye drops can also be used to relieve dry eyes. It is very important to keep the area clean and to wash your hands and compressed before going near the eyes.

For the first week, you will need to limit strenuous activity, wear sunglasses to protect the treated area, and go in for a follow-up visit to have the stitches removed. Most people are comfortable in public again after 10 to 14 days. Within 2 to 3 weeks, you can resume your normal activities, including exercise.

Want To Know More?

If you have questions about lower blepharoplasty surgery, schedule a consultation at Qazi Cosmetic Clinic to discuss your options, get answers to your questions, and learn more about how you can achieve your aesthetic goals.