Blepharoplasty (Eyelid Lift)
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Eyelid surgery (upper) experiences, costs, oversea
Feb 2012
My upper eyelids have completely drooped down in the past year, now resting on my eyelashes. I dislike how old and tired I look and I don't like the heavy sensation. I would like to hear from others about things like... 1. how long did it take for the swelling to disappear - I mean how long before you could go out and not feel self conscious that people knew what happened? 2. I live in england half time and it's an easy hop over to Poland or the Czech republic where things are cheaper and wondered if anyone had any experiences with that? 3. are there any good online discussion groups that were helpful in learning other ideas of how to reverse this as I think it's from hormone shift from oncoming menopause tired looking
A family member just had eyelid surgery. Kaiser insurance covered most of the cost because the eye surgeon verified, with a simple range-of-vision test, that the drooping eyelids limited peripheral vision, affecting safe driving, etc. (Otherwise the correction would have been classified as cosmetic surgery, insurance would not have paid, and patient cost would have approached $3,000.) The surgery was outpatient, and the patient could opt for local or total anesthesics. Stitches were removed in a week. It took about two weeks after the surgery for all signs of bruising to go away. Anonymous
Plastic surgery for bags under eyes
Dec 2011
I am looking for advice about cosmetic surgery to remove bags from under my eyes. Has anyone had this done? What were the results like and were you happy you did it? Is it something that has to be repeated again as you age? Any other advice as I think about this? Any surgeon you would recommend? thanks! anon
Please have the function of your kidneys and gallbladder checked. It may turn out that you need to make some lifestyle changes instead of pursuing plastic surgery. Anonymous
I had an upper and lower blepharoplasty in my mid-thirties due to excess fatty tissue around my eyes (runs in my family). I looked tired when I did not feel tired. I have no regrets. I think the only thing I would have done differently (and the surgeon remarked on this after the surgery as well) is that I would have had a forehead lift at the same time. My eyebrows already sat on the low side and were pulled a little too low with the surgery. I had it done under local to save money and it was a piece of cake. I looked puffy and bruised for 14 days--but I am not good at clotting, so my case is unusual. You can go out with some make-up on after a few days but you may not want to. You get the full effect in 6 months but will notice a real change right away. The surgeon who performed my surgery retired, but I would go to Dr. Elizabeth Slass Lee in Berkeley if I were to do the forehead lift some day. I have gone to her for Obagi, and I know other people who have had surgery done by her and love her work. She is smart, no- nonsense, and has an artistic approach to everything she does. And she is a perfectionist. Glad I did it
I know someone who is the plastic surgery maven in the East bay, and she says that William Hoffman, M.D. at UCSF is the best for cosmetic eye surgery. Another friend went to Hoffman for a scar revision for a scar that was bumpy and unsightly, and she is thrilled with the result. Anon
Best approach is go see a qualified, board certified plastic surgeon about your eyes, and I highly recommend Dr. Elizabeth Lee in Berkeley. She's fantastic because she's a talented plastic surgeon, very down to earth and easy to communicate with, will discuss all your options in a way you'll understand, is extremely well trained and educated, and is enjoyable to see and talk to. Contact her: Dr Elizabeth Slass Lee, 510-704-2170, 2999 Regent St, Ste 401 Berkeley CA 94705-2119, www.artfulsurgery.com anon
Yes, by all means do the surgery if you need it. I did it when I was around 45 and it made a huge difference. I will always have some darkness in that area simply due to my particular genetics but the skin is nice and taut still, seven years later. I also did the upper eye area. You don't say whether you need that area done also, but it's often done at the same time. Very important to know that it's considered a relatively safe surgery, but from what I read, when there were complications it's often because the patient did not refrain from activities afterwards. No bending or headstands, etc. with massive pressure changes in the eye area. Stay upright! anonymous
Eye Lift Doctor at Kaiser
Feb 2011
I am being referred for a test to see if I need an eye lift and if I do whether it will be covered by Kaiser or not. I am new to this kind of thing and a bit terrified to be honest and am wondering if I should go the Kaiser in Walnut Creek or Oakland. Any recommendations for a really good surgeon would be appreciated. Thank you
Hi, I want to get a test for the eyelift at Oakland Kaiser. How did you get it, find out about it? My dodctor referred me to the eye people and my eye doctor said the lids need to go to the middle of your iris before they will give you a lift. That said I heard Delyce Williams at Oakland Kaiser is very good. anon
Recovery after Eyelid-Lifting surgery
Jan 2010
My mom, age 75, is having surgery next month, to reduce the folds of skin above her eyes. (I can see my future here; my eyelids are already getting floppy....) I am flying to NY to help her recover/hang out. Anyone have experience with this surgery (especially in older patients)? How much discomfort will she feel? How soon will she feel ready to be up? Out and about? Daughter
Expect a week of major swelling all around the eye area, and plan to apply icepacks for 20 minutes of each hour/every hour as much as possible around the clock for several days. Expect 2-3 weeks of massive bruising above and under the eye area, followed by another couple of weeks of fading bruising. Expect four months or more for the bright red/pink of the incisions to fade away. Other than all that, pain and discomfort should be minimal. It's really really ugly the first month or so -- your mom will not want to be seen by anybody! -- then it gets better. Good luck! Light at the end of the tunnel
I practice plastic surgery in Oakland. Most likely your mother will have rather little pain. It should NEVER be terribly sore. Middle-aged patients typically take codeine or Vicodin for 1 or 2 days, and patients over 70 usually have still less pain. Her surgeon may recommend ice for 24 hours. She should not need to lie around in bed beyond the day and evening of surgery. Because of swelling, which will start to come down on the 3rd morning after surgery, she may be self-conscious about going out, but she may well be up for a dinner out on day 5. Michael C.
Considering Blepharoplasty/ eyelid lift
April 2007
I am considering having my eyelids lifted, and I'm not even sure what type of doctor to see. Can anyone make a recommendation and also a ball park estimate of the fortune this will cost! anon
Dr. Rona Silkiss has an office in Oakland, one in SF, and a few others. She specializes in eyes and I got her name from my optometrist. She is excellent and does not try and sell you more than what you want. (e.g., I went to a dermatologist to get those tags burned off and she tried to talk me into doing botox!). She is also realistic about what the surgery can do and what it cannot do. I strongly recommend that you go do a consultation with her (when I did it, it cost $75.). She is serious, highly professional, unpretentious, and does superb work. I had my eyelids done and stayed home a few days but never had pain. I'm really glad I had it done and recommend her without question. Good luck!
SF plastic surgeon for blepharoplasty/eyelid lift
April 2007
I'm looking for a plastic surgeon who specializes in eyes. I'm mid-30s but I have heavy, droopy eyelids. I really don't like that surprised look some women seem to have when they get their eyes done. I just want that extra fold gone which seems to rest on my eyelashes. Please give me your recommendations. I would prefer a Dr. in San Francisco, but I will consider the East Bay if that Dr. is really the best. anon
I had a blepharoplasty last November by Dr Stuart Seiff of Pacific Eye associates. www.pacificeye.com It seems as if he did a good job -- people think I look more rested rather than I had plastic surgery. Amy
I recently had blepharoplasty surgery and was extremely happy with the results. Dr Eshima is a fantastic surgeon and I would use him again if I ever wanted anything else done. I wanted to look as if nothing had been done (just the sagging removed). No one can tell I've had surgery unless I choose to tell them. I am in the medical field and interviewed many well known MD's before deciding on him. He is one of the top plastic surgeons around. Sparkling eyes
I would check out Dr. Elizabeth Lee. I had surgery with her almost a year ago (breast reduction, tummy tuck) and she is absolutely fabulous. I know she has extensive experience with all types of plastic surgery, including blepharoplasty. Dr. Lee is nice, approachable, easy to talk to, caring, and understanding. She will listen to what you want and your expectations of the surgery -- and will tell you your options objectively, without any pressure. If you search the BPN, you'll find she has fantastic reviews for many different types of plastic surgery -- and I believe if you're serious about surgery, she is definitley worth checking out. Based in Berkeley. www.artfulsurgery.com
I highly recommend Dr. Elizabeth Lee. Her work is work of art!! I have known her for almost 6 years. I know few patients whom she worked on: eyebrow lift, breast augmentation, and tummy tuck. She operated on me less then a year ago. I Love IT. More then anything - she is very easy to talk to, warm and most of all caring person. Her office staff are very freindly. Her phone # is 510-704-2170 dedicated patient
Dr. Rona Silkiss is the best one to consider for blepharoplasty. She only does eyes, she's a great surgeon and was recommended by a anethesiologist friend (who works with all the local surgeons). I know she does her surgeries in a variety of locations, so call her in Oakland for more information: 510-763-0881. anon
Surgeon for eye or brow lift
Nov 2006
I am considering an eyelid and/or brow lift. Has anyone had this done by a Kaiser doctor? I am aware that Dr. Elizabeth Lee comes hightly recommended by this community, so any other Dr. recommendations (Kaiser and otherwise) would be appreciated. Any additional information and recommendations would also be greatly appreciated. Thank you Anon
I recommend Kaiser for cosmetic surgery. I had some work done with them 4 yrs ago and paid 1/2 the price, plus they did a great job. The Cosmetic Surgery unit will take non-Kaiser members as well as Kaiser members, since the surgery's elective and you have to pay for it yourself. They did a thorough consultation, they had the latest equipment, they were well-trained, and they performed good follow-up care, too. Anon
I recently had some cosmetic surgery and was very pleased with my results. MD to check out; Dr. Eshima is in SF and does not advertise. He has a great reputation and his work is impeccable. Also, he does not encourage you to do more and will be as conservative as you want. I am in the medical field and found him and his office staff to be ''top of the line''. Happy and looking natural!
Non-surgical eyelift?
Sept 2005
Over the past year, I have noticed a marked increase in the sagging of my upper eyelids. This sagging causes people to ask me if I?m tired or cranky when I feel fine and I?ve started to dread appearing in photographs. I feel I look older than my age and certainly older than I feel which is especially frustrating when I work so hard at staying in good physical condition. I am unwilling to undergo surgery because of the recovery time required (two weeks of not working out and perhaps a month of bruising, etc) but would like to explore non- surgical options which are less effective but less invasive. Has anyone had experience with non-surgical eye-lift treatments that they would be willing to share? anonymous
Go see Dr.Elizabeth Lee in Berkeley. She has a host of arsonal to help look not so tired. Everything from topical skin care, to botox, it works well for what I think you're talking about and now threading. I've done some things, I have appreciated her honest appraisal. She's a mom of four and a surgeon, she understands tired! more awake looking
There is accupuncturist who does non-surgical facelifts with great success. Her name is Michelle Bullard, LAc. and her office # is 510 845 8282. She has an office on 4th St. in Berkeley. Good Luck
I had this done 3 months ago in France where I live, so I don't have any recommendations but can just give a few things I learned. My eyelids sagged slowly but after menapause they were often hanging on my eyelashes. Runs in my family, even my dad had to have it done. Because so many people in my family had it, I was strangely very passive about it all, like oh we all just have to have it done and I went to a doctor considered the best so I just thought well I am in good hands - boy did I regret that after.
I had too much taken off. I am ok with it now, but I still wish a little less had been taken. They can't fix that. You can't put back skin. In extreme cases when the eye still won't close after 6 months, a specialist might do a skin graft but most won't. Now I have the type of eyelid that has a deep crease indent, something I never had even when young. So instead of trying to restore me to how I looked, I have a new look, one I did not want. Think about if you want to restore an old look or want something new. Now if I was the type of person who wore makeup, did my hair, gussied up so to speak, it might have blended in with all the other stuff but I go completely natural and my eyes look a tad artificial. I wish the doctor had explained that to me. From what I hear, many patients are disappointed with not a big enough change so I guess doctors have to weigh that but I would have preferred LESS change even if that meant doing a touch up in 5 years. Maybe the doctor can even show you on a computer image how different eyelids will look on you. My doctor didn't show me anything which of course I take the blame for. The other thing is the shape of the eyelid. Look around at peoples eyelids and they usually aren't a perfect curve but with upper eyelid surgery they generally do this perfect arch which again gives it an artificial look, I think they call it a round eye look. I can catch it all the time now. You might want to ask your doctor if they can follow a more natural arch. Another reason to do a slightly under correction is if you only do the upper, you can notice that the upper eyelid looks tight but there is the normal sagging for the rest of the face, so there is a slight incongruity in the face that people catch.
For 2 weeks I wouldn't even venture outside. I had skin, muscle and fat taken, skin only is a quicker recovery and at least 6 weeks before I felt ok. Don't plan this if you have an event you want to feel comfortable at. And I wear glasses so I can hide behind those, if I didn't I might have not gone out for 2 months! My first 2 weeks were hell, I was positive I would never be able to close my eyelids. Many people who post their recovery progress and look great after just one week so that totally freaked me out as I looked like frankenstein. I truly thought I had ruined my life.
So how do I feel now? In a dim room, I definitely look better. Not quite like me but younger, less tired. But in regular lighting I can see the artificalness of my eyelids, it looks a tad weird but that will get better over the next year. I can see much better now. I didn't even know how much my lids blocked light and my vision. I'm a much safer driver, can see behind me better when I back out of a parking space, see to the side. I definitely would do it again but would ask for something more subtle, bring in old photos of my old natural eyelid. Good luck!!
Dr. Rona Silkiss is an opthomologist who also specializes in eyelid surgery and she is superb!! She has done both my upper and lower eyelids (surgeries were 5 years apart) and I couldn't be happier (or my eyes more natural looking!)
She has offices in Oakland as well as Walnut Creek and I would highly recommend a consultation with her!
I wrote before and forgot to also mention the eyebrow. Because he took so much skin it pulled my eyebrow down a tad. I am sure it was a miniscule amount but on the face those tiny things are noticeable and this changed the whole look of my face for a while.
He did warn me that it would happen but he did so as he read through this big list of warnings. What I would have liked is if he had applied it to me personally, because in my case, my eyebrows are about the only thing I really like still, so to loose the nice arch of my eyebrow was awful. What I should have done and what I would recommend you do is ask your doctor what would that mean to me personally, how do you see that impacting my face personally, tell him/her what you like about your face and ask how will the surgery impact it and what can be done to minimize that.
If I had pointed out that I liked my eyebrows that might have triggered him to say that then we should do an under-correction as anything tighter will pull down the eyebrow. Or forewarn me that many women will lift the eyebrow back up with botox which I don't want to do. I will say that my eyebrow is back up probably almost to where it was and trust me this is quite subtle so when I say it pulled it down I mean a tiny bit but you know your face so well that you'll catch everything.
Regarding recovery, I thought I would be a quick recovery because I am very healthy, don't drink or smoke but I really was rather slow. I had no pain, didn't even take a ibuprofen. The office told me to put cool clothes on my eyelids so that is what I did. They said no ice, however I think many doctors recommend ice. I also took arnica but I have no idea if that helped or not. They also didn't tell me to put any creme on but I think a creme is recommended.
Now having said all this, I hope I didn't deter you because I have a few friends who look fantabulous after their eyelid surgery, completely natural and years younger. In both cases, you can't tell at all they had the surgery there is not a hint of artificialness and they look so much better. Both in England so can't recommend anyone for the States. Just make sure you ask a lot of questions, don't assume like I did that a highly regarded doctor will know what is best for you, look at all their work, point out the results your don't like (or bring in photos online of results you find too artificial) to show him what you don't want and photos of results you like and ask him how you can do that with your face and go over your own face in detail so you are both on the same page.