Asian eyelid surgery is not about Westernizing the eyes!
We’ve said this before, but it’s worth repeating: Asian eyelid surgery is not about westernizing the eyes. In fact, there is no one standard approach to Asian eyelid surgeries such as blepharoplasty and double fold surgery, because there are no two people with identical sets of eyes. When we refer to “Asian eyelid surgery,” what we mean is that certain features more common in the shape and contours of Asian eyelids must be uniquely considered and comprehensively understood by an experienced oculofacial surgeon for optimal results.
All kinds of individuals seek cosmetic eyelid surgery in the form of blepharoplasty, lidlift, reconstructive surgery, double fold surgery, and other procedures designed to enhance the appearance and functionality of the human eyelid. Eyelid surgery is about improving your natural eyelid structure in a way that compliments your natural appearance. The end result is a bright appearance that seems fitting for you and does not look “surgical” or “westernized” at all.
Your specialized oculofacial surgeon’s attention to Asian eyelid surgery in fact means the opposite of westernization: your treatment should not be a cookie-cutter “one size fits all” approach, but rather one that takes your natural eyelid shape into account and seeks to enhance it rather than transform it. While Asian eyelid surgery does not aim to “westernize” one’s features, it calls for exacting and meticulous attention to detail, as well as experience with proven results. A common error that Dr. Steinsapir is often consulted for to provide a correction is double folds that are made too high. In almost all cases this is caused by a surgeon who fundamentally does not understand the surgery. The surgeon may be inexperienced or simply lack the necessary grasp of what is required to make a natural double fold. Sometimes the inexperienced surgeon is simply following the wrong textbook and intentionally makes the crease incision too high as a result. Asian eyelid creases need to be place low in order to create an natural appearing double fold.
We invite you to look through Dr. Steinsapir’s unretouched before and after photos of various Asian eyelid surgeries. You can judge for yourself, but we believe you’ll find the results to all be very natural and fitting for the individual. The key to Dr. Steinsapir’s success is years of experience in eyelid surgery that includes Asian eyelid surgery as a specialization, with multi-fellowship training, prestigious education, an artistic eye, and a prioritization of individually designed treatment to enhance each person’s unique features. Call us today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Steinsapir and achieve natural results that enhance your personal attributes.
About Dr. Steinsapir
Dr. Steinsapir is a board certified eye surgeon and fellowship-trained in oculoplastic surgery and cosmetic surgery in Beverly Hills where he specializes in balanced facial cosmetic surgery for natural results, with an emphasis on minimally invasive techniques, fast recovery time, and leadership in medical technology. Dr. Steinsapir has a private practice and also serves as an Associate Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at the Jules Stein Eye Institute, at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Contact us today to learn how Dr. Steinsapir’s experience and training make him an expert in cosmetic surgery, which can be a vital part of your evidence-based treatment plan.
Services described may be “off-label” and lack FDA approval. This article is informational and does not constitute an advertisement for off-label treatment. No services should be provided without a good faith examination by a licensed physician or surgeon and an informed consent with a discussion of risks, benefits, alternatives, and the likelihood of treatment success. Only you and your treating physician or surgeon can determine if a treatment is right for you.
I have had a heavy upper eyelid since childhood. What are my options?
There is often confusion regarding what part of the eyelid is heavy. Eyelid surgeons draw an important distinction between a full upper eyelid fold (which is actually part of the eyebrow just below the eyebrow hair) and a heavy or ptotic eyelid margin. Ptosis means fallen and it is a general term than is used to describe a number of anatomic issues. How we address a ptotic upper eyelid margin and how we deal with a heavy eyebrow are very different. Upper eyelid ptosis where of margin of the upper eyelid rests low on the eye itself, is often present from childhood onward. The condition can pose both aesthetic and functional problems. Depending on the nature of your case, you may be dissatisfied with a “droopy” appearance of the eyelid, you may have concerns about asymmetry noted by other people, or you may have visual impairment and diminished peripheral vision. Heavy eyelids may be described as “bedroom eyes,” or sleepy eyes. Because the heavy eyelid convey a lack of attention, the presence of upper eyelid ptosis can be undesirable in both social and work situations. In contrast, an eye that is open correctly makes you look alert, interested, and engaged and is socially desirable in both work and social situations.
Ptosis usually does not go away on its own, particularly if this is a problem you’ve had since childhood. Ptosis can also develop after childhood. Considering how the upper eyelid tendon in held in the eyelid, it is actually quite amazing that more people do not have this condition. After a few million blinks of the eyelids, it is common to see some degree of upper eyelid ptosis. If you have a bothersome heavy upper eyelid and are beginning to consider your treatment options, it is important to research upper eyelid ptosis and clearly understand your choices. Ultimately there is no substitute for consulting with a qualified oculoplastic surgeon because every eyelid is different.
Correcting eyelid ptosis requires upper eyelid surgery. The challenge is determining the best approach that is right for your needs. This is not a place for having work done by a non-specialist lacking training, skills, and experience. Having ptosis correctly diagnosed increases the likelihood that surgery will correctly address your issues. Having things done the right way the first time is so much better than needing to undo the wrong surgery. Ptosis surgery can often be done in conjunction with other cosmetic eyelid procedures. The surgery will elevate the eyelid to an appropriate, natural level. It can also address eyelid asymmetry. Having the heavy eyelids corrected can make a huge difference in your confidence level, the business world, and personal interactions.
The first step is to consult with a cosmetic surgeon who specializes in eyelid surgery, including concerns related to ptosis, heavy eyelids, and asymmetry. At your consultation, your physician should give you a close and thorough examination, discuss your options and probable outcomes, and the likelihood of a surgery’s success and factors that can complicate surgery. The doctor will also make a formal diagnosis at this time, which will identify the ptosis and any compounding issues. For example, some individuals also have a heavy brow or dark under-eye circles, which may exaggerate the problem. Your surgeon should specialize in understanding on how each part of the face functions and relates to the other parts, and also advocate for nonaggressive surgery for natural-looking results. He or she can then design an individual treatment plan for you that leaves you with an overall balanced look.
The first step really begins by seeing the right surgeon. The key to being happy with your results is to never take a shortcut in choosing a surgeon. Your surgeon must be a true specialist in ptosis correction, and similarly will not take any shortcuts or use a “one size fits all” approach to your care. It is important to understand the value of seeing an aesthetically oriented, fellowship trained oculoplastic surgeon. The plastic surgeon who did your girlfriend’s breast surgery or nose is all too often the wrong choice because they lack specialized training in ophthalmology and in oculofacial surgery. To be a fellowship trained oculoplastic surgeon means the surgeon is board certified in ophthalmology and has spent a minimum of two additional years training in eyelid plastic surgery. Dr. Steinsapir is board certified in ophthalmology and completed three years of training in oculoplastic surgery fellowships and two additional years of cosmetic surgery fellowship training. This advanced training early in his career has helped propel him to the forefront of his field.
A highly qualified cosmetic eyelid surgeon is the best option. Surgeons do vary, so it is recommended that you review unretouched before-and-after photos of eyelid surgery; spend time with the surgeon beforehand discussing your options, plan, and follow-up care; and understand your doctor’s treatment philosophy, which should advocate for a nonaggressive, individualized approach.
Dr. Steinsapir is highly qualified to treat eyelid ptosis, asymmetry, and related concerns. With particular attention to individualized care, multiple fellowships in eyelid surgery, and a specialization in ptosis correction, he can help you with your goal to realize a bright and natural appearance. Dr. Steinsapir is internationally regarded as a top eyelid surgeon. Call us today to schedule a consultation and finally take that next step in addressing your longstanding concern. You shouldn’t have to wait any longer.
About Dr. Steinsapir
Dr. Steinsapir is a board certified eye surgeon and fellowship-trained in oculoplastic surgery and cosmetic surgery in Los Angeles where he specializes in balanced facial cosmetic surgery for natural results, with an emphasis on minimally invasive techniques, fast recovery time, and leadership in medical technology. Dr. Steinsapir has a private practice and also serves as an Associate Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at the Jules Stein Eye Institute, at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Contact us today to learn how Dr. Steinsapir’s experience and training make him an expert in cosmetic surgery, which can be a vital part of your evidence-based treatment plan.
Services described may be “off-label” and lack FDA approval. This article is informational and does not constitute an advertisement for off-label treatment. No services should be provided without a good faith examination by a licensed physician or surgeon and an informed consent with a discussion of risks, benefits, alternatives, and the likelihood of treatment success. Only you and your treating physician or surgeon can determine if a treatment is right for you.
I am unhappy with my eyelid surgery. What are my options?
Eyelid surgery is one of the most popular cosmetic procedure today. It has the potential to provide extremely positive results that rejuvenate your appearance and make both an aesthetic and functional difference. Eyelid surgery can be very technical. Your surgeon may also be surprised by the disappointing outcome of your surgery. If you have had eyelid surgery in the past, such as an upper blepharoplasty or Asian eyelid surgery, but are dissatisfied with your results, help is available.
First, allow your eyelid surgery to heal. The initial healing after surgery can be a time of uncertainty. Recovery takes you out of your normal schedule and routine. Friends and family can make inappropriate comments that lead to second guessing and uncertainty. Please recognize that family members may be right but they are not eyelid experts. Surgical results that initially look rough because of swelling and bruising, often settle down and look remarkably better with time to heal. There are rare, immediate eye health concern, and these should prompt immediate attention from your surgeon. These included increasing pain, swelling, redness, and bruising, or changes in vision. When these occur in hours or days after eyelid surgery they can represent vision threatening issues such as bleeding behind the eye or infection. Immediate care by your surgeon is essential. If you are having this type of an issue and your surgeon is not immediately available, it is advisable to be seen in an emergency room where the emergency care of an ophthalmologist or plastic surgeon can be arranged.
Another set of urgent post-operative issues include difficulty opening or closing the eyelids, double vision, or other restrictions in eye or eyelid movement. Right after surgery, local anesthesia can account for some of these types of issues, but after 24 hours, the presence of this type of an issue, suggests a mechanical problem created by the surgery. In some cases, these issues require urgent surgical exploration. In all cases, you should be seen by your surgeon to assess what is going on. Recognize that non-eyelid surgery specialists often perform eyelid surgery. These surgeons lack the ability, skill, training, and equipment to properly examine your eye. Eye pain and light sensitivity can be caused by a corneal abrasion, corneal ulcer, or intraocular inflammation. Without a slit lamp and the necessary training, your surgeon cannot diagnosis these issues. Immediate consultation with an oculoplastic surgeon or general ophthalmologist may be necessary.
Once you get about a week out from surgery, the issues tend to be related to eyelid shape, surgical symmetry, visible scars, and eyelid malposition. Generally, these types of issues get better with time. However, problems that can persist are evident even this early after surgery. It can be difficult to determine which issues will settle down and resolve on their own to your personal satisfaction. It is important to discuss your concerns with your surgeon. Surgeons will sometimes attempt to minimize your concerns. This may be appropriate. It often comes down to a level of trust. If you feel like your trust and confidence in your surgeon is being abused, that is a significant warning sign. Patients are not often wrong. If you have a concern, your surgeon should also be able to see it and explain to you why or why it is not a concern, and what will need to be done about it. It may be as simple as “we will watch this.” When your feelings are not validated or your feel you are not being told the truth, there is often a break-down in the doctor-patient relationship. This is when a second opinion can be helpful.
It you have healed and surgery is in the past, this does not mean you have no options. A detailed personal consultation can establish precisely what is causing your issues and how best to correct the problems. This type of work requires considerable maturity and experience. It is often necessary to have unique solutions tailored to you personal situation. A cookie-cutter approach is not going to do it. Dr. Steinsapir takes the necessary time to define your problems and the best approach needed to help you achieve your goals.
Dr. Steinsapir provides attentive, comprehensive care to ensure you achieve the results you desire, and he always designs your care on an individual basis, making himself available to answer all your questions so you can feel confident both before and after treatment. He can take over your post-operative care if necessary or coordinate with your surgeon to provide input and suggestions to help speed your recovery. To learn more about fixing eyelid surgery, please call today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Steinsapir.
About Dr. Steinsapir
Dr. Steinsapir is a board certified eye surgeon and fellowship-trained in oculoplastic surgery and cosmetic surgery in Los Angeles where he specializes in balanced facial cosmetic surgery for natural results, with an emphasis on minimally invasive techniques, fast recovery time, and leadership in medical technology. Dr. Steinsapir has a private practice and also serves as an Associate Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at the Jules Stein Eye Institute, at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Contact us today to learn how Dr. Steinsapir’s experience and training make him an expert in cosmetic surgery, which can be a vital part of your evidence-based treatment plan.
Services described may be “off-label” and lack FDA approval. This article is informational and does not constitute an advertisement for off-label treatment. No services should be provided without a good faith examination by a licensed physician or surgeon and an informed consent with a discussion of risks, benefits, alternatives, and the likelihood of treatment success. Only you and your treating physician or surgeon can determine if a treatment is right for you.
I had a midface lift at the time of my eyelid surgery, and now my eyes look different. Will canthal surgery correct my problem?
The most critical issue here is to understand how your face has changed.
You are absolutely correct to say that your eyes have changed. However, your analysis of the problem is not correct. I suspect that very few surgeons you consult will understand the issues. At the same time I am equally certain that many surgeons would be more than happy to perform a lateral canthoplasty for you. They will mean well but they are simply going to make your situation worse, not better.
I completely agree that surgery has altered the shape of the eyes. This is the most obvious change. The outer corners of the eyes are higher after surgery compared to your preoperative status. There is also a subtle lower eyelid contour abnormality of the lower eyelids. It is true that a properly executed lateral canthoplasty has the potential to reposition the lateral canthal angle. In my many years of repairing prior eyelid surgery, I have found that very few surgeons are capable of actually achieving that type of result in a natural way. Not impossible, just very difficult as the surgery must be done with the patient at least awake enough to open and close the eyes to judge the effect of repositioning of the angle. If surgery is performed under general anesthesia, then in my opinion, the likelihood of success is very low.
Canthoplasty, and to a lessor degree, cathopexy, risk over shortening the lower eyelid. It is true that many surgeons will shorten the lower eyelid as part of the canthoplasty procedure. The procedure is taught this way and this maneuver is important for pathologically lax eyelids. However, over shortening an eyelid that does not need to be shortened will simply force the lower eyelid below the curvature of the eye. This will actually make the lower eyelid look more pulled down. The outcome will be disappointing.
So lets talk about the real issue. It is interesting how important the eyes are in interpersonal interaction. Subconsciously, we scan the face of the person we are speaking to. During conversation, we actually scan a triangle on the face that includes the eyes, the nose and to a lesser degree, the mouth. This is so profoundly ingrained, that one expects someone listening to you to look at you in this manner. We are not even be aware of this gaze pattern. However, we can be acutely aware when the pattern is altered in someway. What you would experience when you are speaking to someone is the sense that they are not really paying attention to you. When does this happen? Studies have shown that changes in the face will alter this scan pattern. There are some very nice studies of this in the head and neck literature in looking at scan patterns when viewing someone who has a facial lesion or just had surgery to remove a facial lesion.
How does this apply to this situation? If you look carefully at your after photograph, you face demonstrates a classic facial defect caused by your mask lift. The forehead dissection has resulted in atrophy of the fat pads that extend from the temple to the orbital rim. This hourglass hollowing of the temple areas I call the plateau midface deformity. Essentially the loss of the fat volume skeletonizes the zygomatic arch. This little bit of facial fat plays a critical role. This cushion of fat at the side of the face serves to separate the eye aesthetic area from the temple aesthetic area. This slight cushion of volume helps maintain gaze on the eyes. Without this fat volume, the scanning gaze is falls off the eyes and is drawn into the temple area. You are left with the feeling that people are not paying attention to you. Since the primary reason many women (and men) have cosmetic surgery is to stay relevant, this feeling of being ignored can precipitate a narcissistic crisis. The fact that your surgeon cannot understand your concerns (and I promise you they really don’t get it) is even more infuriating. Because like you, they don’t see what the issue is, you get treated like a problematic, ungrateful, impossible to satisfy (insert your own description here) person. Naturally this can precipitate a break down in the doctor patient relationship.
In the example shown here, surgery was used to correct the problem. Previously placed cheek implants were removed and replaced with a hand carved ePTFE orbital rim implant. The lower eyelid was also lengthened using hard palate graft. Because it is necessary to sew the eyelid closed for a week to allow healing means that only one eye can be done at a time. For some individuals who only have the plateau midface, fillers can be used as an alternative to facial surgery.
First, there is no substitute for an actual personal consultation. Generally for this type of problem the best solution for many is adding hyaluronic acid filler to the area where you have lost volume. These products last quite a while and this can be a workable alternative to corrective surgery. For some, surgery is necessary. The most important thing is to avoid having a fix by doctors who do not understand what the issues are. Unfortuately, if you don’t see it, you can’t fix it.
Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD
About Dr. Steinsapir
Dr. Steinsapir is a much sought after oculofacial surgeon. He is an innovator in minimally invasive cosmetic and reconstructive procedures and has invented new methods for treating with BOTOX, fillers and cutting edge reconstructive eyelid and midface surgery. He specializes in high precision eyelid surgery and is a leader in correcting prior facial and eyelid surgery, including multiple revised cosmetic eyelid reconstructions. He attended medical school at the UCLA and completed ophthalmology residency at The University of Chicago. He is multiple fellowship trained including three years of fellowship training in oculofacial plastic surgery at UCLA, and a two-year cosmetic surgery fellowship in Rancho Mirage. He is widely published and lectures to other surgeons nationally and internationally. He is an associate clinical professor of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the Jules Stein Eye Institute at UCLA. His private practice is located in West Los Angeles, immediately serving the Los Angeles and Bevery Hills communities. Additionally, individuals from all over the country and the world regularly come to Los Angeles for this expert care.
To learn more about Dr. Steinsapir’s specialized Restylane treatments, please contact us today.
Services described may be “off-label” and lack FDA approval. This article is informational and does not constitute an advertisement for off-label treatment. No services should be provided without a good faith examination by a licensed physician and an informed consent with a discussion of risks, benefits, alternatives, and the likelihood of treatment success. Only you and your treating physician or surgeon can determine if a treatment is right for you.
Can IPL help my dry eye?
A recent report suggests that intense pulsed light treatment, or IPL, may help in treating dry eye syndrome. For now this treatment remains unproven, but still it is improbable that this is an effective solution. This recent report follows only one person in a case study rather than a controlled experiment, providing insufficient evidence from which to draw a conclusion about the this method’s efficacy.
While it is always worthwhile to look into new scientific possibilities, it’s equally important to distinguish between reliable advances and treatment fads. Rather than draw strict conclusions about an unproven method, let’s instead take a closer look at dry eye and its science-based treatments.
Dry Eye: A Common Problem with Proven Solutions
Whether your dry eye is exacerbated by an overaggressive surgery or—more commonly—an existing condition you already have, there are a number of effective treatment options. Your best option depends on the nature and severity of your problem. In many cases there is simply too little tear production, and your doctor will likely instruct you to first use artificial tears and, in some cases, an ophthalmic ointment just before bed. Your doctor may instruct you to increase your frequency of eye drops, and you’ll find that periodically taking a moment to apply eye drops is simple, painless, and hardly an interruption at all.
Dry eye after surgery may occur in some people and in fact many adults commonly experience dry eye even without eyelid surgery. Eyelid swelling after surgery is often a natural part of the healing process, which can worsen dry eye symptoms, but the eye does return to its presurgical condition in about six weeks.
Sometimes an unspecialized surgeon may perform overaggressive surgery, which can worsen dry eye symptoms. When this occurs, it is often due to a deficiency in the speed and force of the blink reflex. Since we depend on our eyelids to move tears across our eyes like a windshield wiper, blink irregularities can affect how moist or dry our eyes are.
Many of these issues improve and even resolve themselves over time, which is why it’s best to have your doctor monitor your progress and adjust your treatment as needed. If your dry eye doesn’t respond to first-line measures, your doctor may move on to supplemental measures. RestasisTM is an eye drop that stimulates increased tear production in some dry eye patients. Other treatments include plugging the tear drainage system as needed or temporarily taping the eyes closed. If this is a long-term problem, reconstructive eyelid surgery may be indicated to improve the blink and eyelid closure.
Prevention as the Best Defense
If you are seeking eyelid surgery to improve your appearance or resolve a medical condition, remember that the best measure against dry eye is prevention through a more conservative surgery. Your oculoplastic surgeon should aim for minimally invasive surgery that yields natural results and a fast healing time, preserving as much of your natural tissue as possible. Not only will this give you a better aesthetic result; it will minimize your risk of complications.
If you suspect that you may already have a dry eye condition, talk to your doctor before your eyelid surgery to make sure that he or she examines the issue and considers how it may affect your treatment. The best eye plastic surgeon will take this into consideration and customize your treatment approach with this in mind, often with the ability to improve your symptoms.
Your best options will depend on your unique goals and the nature and severity of your condition. For best results, talk to a physician who relies on proven techniques. While it is too soon to say for sure whether or not IPL will help, this is likely an ineffective idea given that it does not address the root causes of dry eye syndrome.
Finding the Best Cosmetic Surgeon to Prevent and Treat Dry Eye
Dr. Steinsapir specializes in minimally invasive cosmetic eyelid and face solutions that are always science-based. He also emphasizes natural results and the fastest recovery possible. To find out how he can customize a conservative eyelid surgery for you, provide you with skilled reconstructive treatment, or determine the best nonsurgical solution, please contact us today.
Can I have eyelid surgery if I smoke?
The short answer is, yes, you can have eyelid surgery if you smoke. Should you smoke? For your health, you absolutely should not smoke, but you probably already know that. However, the reality is that quitting is difficult, while many smokers can benefit from eyelid surgery. With no direct conflict between smoking and eyelid surgery, in most cases we can safely perform cosmetic surgery a smoker’s eyelids. Decisions about eyelid surgery of course should be considered on a case-by-case basis, but if you are a good candidate for beneficial eyelid surgery and no other medical concerns that complicate your circumstances, then smoking alone should not prevent you from seeking help.
This may be a little confusing given that we recently discussed why a facelift and smoking should not go together. This is not a contradiction, but a function of the way different tissue areas respond to surgery. The eyelids have much better circulation than the healing sites of a facelift, and thus they are better able to tolerate the surgery than the facial skin.
This news will come as a relief to smokers who must have surgery for health problems like basal cell carcinoma of the eyelid or severe eyelid ptosis that compromises vision. Smokers who can benefit from the confidence of an improved aesthetic can also be glad at this news.
As a smoker, why can I have some surgeries but not others?
Why shouldn’t smokers have optional facelift surgery when they can have eyelid surgery? You should already know that smoking is horrible for your health, and one of the problems is that smoking compromises the healing capacity of the skin. The skin undermining necessary for the facelift can challenge the healing capacity of skin that is compromised by smoking. In contrast, many eyelid surgery procedures can be performed without challenging this healing capacity.
A Word on Quitting at the Right Time
While it’s okay for most smokers to receive eyelid surgeries like blepharoplasty, canthoplasty, and double eyelid surgery, and while we also support your desire to quit, it’s important to know that you should not quit too close to your treatment. This is not meant as an endorsement of smoking; we of course want you to quit smoking for your own good. However, it takes time for the lungs to recover, so when you decide to quit, you should not do so right before the eyelid surgery.
When you quit smoking, your lungs go through a healing process and it will take some time for them to recover. Your lungs need to be in good shape during your surgery, but your vascular recovery will take some time, as will lung recovery. Your lungs will require a full eight to twelve weeks to begin their recovery; before then, you’ll have a lot of mucus in your lungs as your body repairs them, and this is not a good time for you to have a surgery. If you want to both quit and seek eyelid surgery, talk to your oculoplastic surgeon about the timing of these two helpful steps. He or she can help you determine how long before or after your surgery it is appropriate to quit smoking. As most eyelid surgery is elective, meaning you can choose when to have eyelid surgery, the answer to this situation is simply schedule your eyelid surgery so you give your lungs the appropriate time to recover in advance of the elective surgery.
How Eyelid Surgery and Quitting Smoking Can Expand Your Options
Eyelid surgery can improve your confidence, aesthetic message, and the way people interact with you. This newfound confidence and other benefits will broaden your ability to engage in life.
Quitting smoking empowers you by improving your health, helping you to look better and live longer, and boosting your self-esteem by overcoming an destructive addiction. Even if you are a light smoker or new smoker, the damaging impacts of smoking lead us to encourage you to quit. By quitting smoking you will be taking one of the most positive steps you can take for your health and the health of your loved ones. Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Yes, it is more important than any cosmetic surgery we can perform for you. We urge you to find a way to quit that works for you.
If you’ve decided to quit smoking, congratulations! We wholeheartedly support you. Quitting is not easy (otherwise nobody would smoke), but there are resources available to help you quit. Your internist, family doctor, or gynecologist can often assist you with medical resources for smoking cessation. The State of California has a website of resources to assist and encourage you: www.tobaccofreeca.com
Consult with an Expert in Cosmetic Treatment
We advise you to consult with a cosmetic surgeon who specializes in eyelid surgery and complimentary treatments with natural, balanced results that are tailored to your individual needs. Dr. Steinsapir is such a cosmetic surgeon in Los Angeles who is esteemed as one of the top cosmetic surgeons in California and beyond. He specializes in minimally invasive eyelid surgery and other cosmetic procedures that offer fast healing time and can be customized to your unique situation. If you are a smoker with eyelid concerns, we invite you to a no-risk consultation with Dr. Steinsapir today. He can discuss both your short-term and long-term treatment options, and help you find an aesthetic solution to meet your goals. Please contact us to learn more about Dr. Steinsapir’s quality treatment plans.
My eyelids are irregular from surgery. Can fillers help me?
Under normal circumstances, if you have carefully chosen your eyelid surgeon and made responsible decisions regarding your cosmetic treatment, you are likely to have an excellent eyelid surgery result. However, if you experience a problem after surgery, we recommend you contact your original surgeon, who will probably be eager to help you resolve the issue. Things do happen that lead to unsatisfactory results. That is the reason your surgeon spent time reviewing the risks, benefits, and alternatives to surgery and why you read, agreed, and signed an informed consent document for surgery that discussed these possibilities. Many of these issues can be remedied by your surgeon without the need to get a second opinion. Many of these issues get better as the surgery heals over time. However, in cases when the relationship between the patient and doctor has broken down, or in instances when the skill required to correct the eyelid may surpass the expertise of your doctor, it is wise to seek a second opinion.
Whether you consult your original eyelid plastic surgeon or a new physician, if you are experiencing eyelid surgery complications or irregularities such as bumps or hollowness, you should bring up your concerns. While correcting irregular eyelids is a challenge, eyelid cosmetic surgeons like Dr. Steinsapir who specialize in fixing eyelid surgery can often greatly improve your results.
The solution, of course depends on the specific nature of your problem. If you’ve been following our blog, then by now you should know that it is our philosophy to completely customize every treatment to the unique surrounding circumstances and the needs of each particular patient. So it’s a given that exactly what will help your unique case cannot be determined with certainty until your private consultation. In the meantime, we are happy to give you some informative guidelines.
When are fillers helpful in correcting eyelid surgery?
Here are two examples of when an eyelid filler can help resolve your post-surgery eyelid irregularities:
• If you have lumps and bumps in the treated area, the filler Restylane may be a great option in smoothing and correcting the area.
• If you have a volume deficit (perhaps because too much fat was removed), Restylane can fill in this area and restore a healthy, full, youthful appearance.
In the first situation, perhaps you had a procedure like a fat transfer to your lower eyelids. Fat transfers to the face are an amazing treatment option when the fat is placed somewhere where it can “hide” behind an already-existing layer of fat. When it is transferred to the eyelids and surrounding areas, however, it can sometimes show up in the form of lumps and bumps because there is not enough tissue here for the fat transfers to hide behind. Treatment here is difficult because the lumps usually are not in ideal or standard surgical planes, and because using steroids to melt fat is not always predictable. This is where Restylane comes in. After the worst of fat deposits are removed, the rest can be filled around with Restylane to give a smooth appearance by using a safe and effective treatment method. In some cases, Restylane on its own may be sufficient to correct the irregularities and surgery is not needed to remove the larger lumps. This is great news for those who are apprehensive about undergoing further surgery. While corrective eyelid surgery is beneficial when performed by a qualified, experienced oculoplastic surgeon who specializes in fixing eyelid surgery, we understand that you may not be ready for surgery. Nonsurgical Restylane can help.
In the second situation, Restylane can be used to fill the undereye hollow and correct deficits as it is used in other circumstances unrelated to surgery.
Restylane Is Best for Treatments around the Eyes
Restylane and eyelids are so compatible because Restylane is smooth, flexible, safe, and presents itself remarkably naturally around the eye. Restylane has long-term benefits, but it is also easily adjusted in case the first treatment is not exactly what you want. These characteristics are essential in the eyelid and surrounding areas. The skin here is very thin and the tissues are very sensitive, so even small mistakes show up her. Restylane has proven itself again and again to be the optimum choice here.
Consult with the Best
Very few doctors make undereye and eyelid fillers a major focus of their practice. Dr. Steinsapir saw a need for specialization here because the eye area is so sensitive to subtleties of treatment yet also crucial to our appearance. Dr. Steinsapir’s focus on treating the eyelid and undereye hollow led him to innovate Deepfill Restylane, treatment that delivers superior results.
If you have had eyelid surgery and are unhappy with your results, please know that Dr. Steinsapir frequently provides a second opinion and often assists in rebuilding the relationship with your former surgeon. In cases where this is not the best idea, he helps you to form a treatment plan if treatment is necessary. Dr. Steinsapir specializes in resolving eyelid surgery issues can help you determine if Restylane in Los Angeles is the best option for resolving your unique needs. Please call us today for your no-risk consultation, and find out what difference an experienced and caring doctor can make.
