Asian Upper Eyelid Blepharoplasty (Eye Lift) Los Angeles, Torrance, South Bay, California
What is Asian Upper Eyelid Surgery (double eyelid crease formation surgery)?
Each individual will vary to some degree in their eyelid anatomy and this is most evident when addressing the eyelid anatomy of the Asiatic race. While over 95% of non-Asian ethnicity display an eyelid crease when their eyes are open, only 50% of the Asian population has this eyelid crease. In the 50% of Asians who do have the crease, it tends to be smaller and less evident than its non-Asian counterparts.
The crease is an anatomic attachment of the eyelid raising muscle (levator muscle) to the overlying eyelid skin. Again, only 50% of Asians have this same attachment and it typically is lower on the eyelid and not as strong as compared to a Caucasian eyelid.
This eyelid crease feature has long been considered an ideal example of beauty amongst the Asian races. Thus the number of patients seeking eyelid crease formation is staggering. Unfortunately the number of patients who have received unsatisfactory results is quite high as well as not many surgeons are familiar the significant differences in anatomy between Asian and non-Asian races. The differences are not only in the lack of the levator attachments to the eyelid skin but also Asian eyelid has thicker and more dense connective tissue and also a greater amount of fat distributed over a larger area. Surgeons unfamiliar with the Asian eyelid anatomy frequently will create not only uneven, transient creases but unfortunately also cause many eyelid complications that can lead to damage to the eye itself.
What can be accomplished with Asian Upper Eyelid Surgery (double eyelid crease formation surgery) and who is a good candidate?
As described above, the anatomic etiology for an eyelid crease is secondary to the levator muscle attaching onto the underlying skin. Therefore to create a crease, the levator muscle must somehow be attached to the skin.
There are several methods that can be used to create a crease:
1) Suture technique: This is a minimally invasive procedure whereby several sutures are placed with or without tiny incisions into the eyelid where a patient desires a crease. The sutures literally cinch together the levator muscle tightly to the skin, thus creating a crease. The advantage of this procedure is that it can be performed relatively quickly and can also be reversed. There is also minimal or no scarring. The disadvantage is that it is not a very stable connection between the skin and the levator muscle and therefore the crease can disappear rather quickly. The longest lasting creases are only a few years. This technique works the best in younger patients with minimal fat as the more fat and loose skin there is over the levator muscle (as in older patients), the less stable the sutures will be able to cinch together the underlying skin and levator muscle. The sutures that create the crease can either be left in the eyelid or removed after about 1 week.
2) Open technique with skin to levator sutures: This is a procedure whereby an incision is made in the upper eyelid skin. The procedure removes all the layers in between the skin and the levator muscle thereby leaving only the levator muscle and the skin to create a crease. This technique creates a long-lasting crease with sutures between the levator muscle and the skin that can be very well defined. An additional advantage to this procedure is the ability to address any ptosis (drooping of the eyelid) at the same time as the creation of the crease, thus being a very versatile surgery in older patients. The disadvantage is that there can be some scarring along the crease line (although even the worse scarring typically fades away over time). The sutures that are used to create the crease are removed after about 1 week.
3) Open technique with tarsus to skin sutures: This is a procedure whereby an incision is made in the upper eyelid skin. The procedure also removes all the layers in between the skin and the levator muscle, again leaving only the levator muscle and the skin to create a crease. However, the sutures are left in the eyelid, joining the overlying skin onto the tarsus (firm collagen/cartilage like structure in the eyelid). The tarsus is the foundation or base where the levator muscle secures itself on the inside of the eyelid. The advantage of this procedure is that it also creates a long-lasting, well defined crease. The difference between this procedure and the #2) procedure is that the levator muscle is less manipulated as the sutures are between the skin and the tarsus. This fixates the crease very well but cannot raise the eyelid if it is droopy (ptosis) unless the levator muscle is separately operated on.
Dr. Alex Liu is familiar with all the techniques as Asian eyelid surgery is not a “cookie-cutter” procedure where every patient gets the exact same surgery and exact same appearance. Every patient is different and desires different appearances. Also, patients have different anatomic variations and the surgeon needs to be skilled with all the various techniques to adapt to all the various eyelids.
Descriptive terms such as small, medium, large crease, tapered, flared, parallel are used to describe all the different types of Asian eyelids. Dr. Liu will help guide you in deciding which eyelid style will best suit your face to look as natural as possible. Asian eyelid surgery can literally be customized to a patient’s wishes.
What types of procedures may be combined with Upper Eyelid Blepharoplasty?
During your consultation, Dr. Liu will assess the amount of excess skin/fat you may have in your eyelid areas, the position of your eyebrows and the condition of the muscles around your lids to decide whether or not you are an ideal candidate for surgery on upper blephoraplasty, lower blepharoplasty, rhinoplasty (nose surgery), or a browlift. If Dr. Liu deems that your brows have descended enough to contribute to the problem, he may suggest getting a brow lift to tighten the sagging brow. Many patients elect to have their eyelid blepharoplasty in concurrence with other facial procedures such as a facelift and rhinoplatsy as to recover from healing all at the same time.
What type of anesthesia is used for this procedure?
The surgery is performed under light sedation with local anesthesia and takes about 30 minutes to an hour to perform. It is a relatively shorter surgery without need for general anesthesia (unless combined with other procedures such as a facelift).
What is the recovery like?
Most patients experience minimal discomfort after the procedure. Discoloration is minimal. Majority of the swelling will generally improve over 5-7 days, but it will take several weeks for all the swelling to resolve. Most individuals will be able to return to work and social activities within 7 days although some swelling will still be present.
Why should you choose Dr. Alex Liu?
Although many (plastic, dermatological, cosmetic, oral-maxillary, otolaryngologist) surgeons today perform facial surgery, very few actually limit their practice to specialize in the eyes and surrounding face. As an Oculoplastic specialist, Dr. Liu limits 100% of his facial plastic surgery to this area. This is why Dr. Liu was voted (Daily Breeze, BestofLA) one of the top oculoplastic and cosmetic surgeons. Dr. Liu has a global patient base, attracting patients from all over the country and internationally.
Additionally, Asian eyelid surgery is one of the most complicated and delicate cosmetic surgical procedures. Not many surgeons have experience in this field. Dr. Alex Liu has spent time overseas in Asia, training specifically in Asian anatomy and Asian plastic surgery, particularly Asian eyelid surgery. Bringing together his specialized training and his artistic eye makes Dr. Liu a highly qualified surgeon for this procedure.
I am interested! What do I do next?
If you are considering this procedure we encourage you to schedule a consultation with Dr. Liu. During this visit he will listen to your concerns and discuss your options. He will tell you whether you are a suitable candidate for this procedure and inform you of the potential risks of the procedure. There is a great variety in eyelid shapes and features and each procedure must be custom tailored for the patient to get the best possible result. You will also have a chance to view before and after photo albums of his patients who have undergone procedures similar to what you are considering.
To view before and after pictures of Dr. Liu's patients, please click Eyelid/Eyebrow Before and After Photos and Asian Blepharoplasty.
Helpful Links to learn more about the blepharoplasty procedure:
www.wikipedia.org
www.emedicine.com
|
