Blepharoplasty

Blepharoplasty is a surgery for the eyelids which almost instantly restores a more youthful appearance.

If you have a tired, droopy look, or puffy bags under the eye, Blepharoplasty can be the answer!

By removing fat and excess tissue from the upper and or lower eyelids you will see a total difference. For patients of Asian descent, this procedure can add an upper eyelid crease where there may have not been one before. Blepharoplasty can also be performed in conjunction with other facial rejuvenation procedures.

Dr. Carmina will make incisions that follow the natural lines of your upper eyelids and slightly below the lower eyelashes. Blepharoplasty is normally performed under local anesthesia and sedation and takes one to three hours depending on your individual needs and desires.

What to expect after surgery?

Blepharoplasty is typically an outpatient procedure. You will need to keep your head elevated for several days to minimize swelling and keep cold packs on the area. Our nurses will assist you in learning how to keep your eyes clean during the healing process. If you wear contact lenses you will be unable to use them for several weeks following your plastic surgery procedure.

Experience better vision, along with a more refreshed and youthful appearance, enhancing our most important feature.

Love comes through the eyes.

Dr. Carmina Cardenas requires a BMI (Body mass index) of 30 or below in order to be a safe candidate for any plastic surgery procedure, post-bariatric patients are required to be 1 YPO from bariatric surgery and have at least 3 consecutive months of steady weight in order to be eligible.

Patients are typically candidates for:

1. Face Lift
2. Neck Lift (Mid & Full)
3. Blepharoplasty

A combination of regional anesthesia and IV sedation (twilight) is used where the patient is not unconscious, but sedated, this allows the anesthesiologist to monitor oxygen levels in blood, this is especially important when performing the repair of the abdominal wall muscles, as the patient need to breathe by itself, something that cannot be achieved with general anesthesia.

A local anesthetic is injected into the epidural space of the lumbar or sacral region of the spine, the anesthetic will wear off a few hours after the procedure without the negative effects that general anesthesia typically produces such as nausea, vomiting, etc.

Will you be awake, during the procedure?  Yes and no. During the entire procedure, you will be conscious, which means you can respond to commands such as opening and closing your mouth. Although, during twilight sedation, you will be in a drowsy, dream-like state.

Although Plastic Surgery is an elective procedure it is still a real surgery and therefore there is always a potential risks of complications as in any other major procedure,  DVT (deep vein thrombosis), PE (pulmonary embolism) or VTE (vein thromboembolism) which is a combination of the two are the most fatal risks and therefore you should discuss this with Dr. Cardenas thoughtfully, other potential risks may be but are not limited to:

The honest answer is NO, but risks can be reduced considerably if doctor and patient work together; You’ll be provided with a list of pre-operatory exams that need to be performed prior to surgery and a protocol of actions that you will need to follow in order to reduce the risks, but the patient must always be aware that risks cannot be eradicated completely.

Remember AWL and especially post-bariatric patients are at a greater risk of complications, therefore, pre and post operative instructions must be followed with diligence.

The risk of fatal complications in plastic surgery (when following the recommended standards) is less than 1%, meaning that Plastic Surgery is very safe; As shown in the previous chart, other complications may happen and are more frequent, is plastic surgery worth it even after considering those risks?

Plastic Surgery is a very personal decision; therefore, it is very important that you have a comprehensive understanding of the risks involved and the benefits that plastic surgery may bring to your life,  the following  chart represent the improvements in the overall quality of life that patients who underwent surgery with Dr. Cardenas over the last 3 years reported.

1. Following pre and post operative instructions diligently.
2. Having a discussed emergency plan that both parts can follow in the event of a complication (Supportive PCP at home, family of friend’s support group that can help you at home in case that you need to travel back).
3. Constant and open communication and collaboration.

All our patients have a PROTECTION PLAN included that can cover up to $3,500 dlls in expenses for treatment in the event of a complication that requires the patient to return to our facilities.