A lower blepharoplasty or lower eyelid surgery improves baggy, sagging undereye areas. However, the procedure is not effective in getting rid of undereye wrinkles. It may not work effectively due to several reasons. 

Removal of Wrinkles

Lower blepharoplasty may remove some wrinkles but not all of them. You may need to go through other treatments to resolve the rest of them. Hence, any patient wanting to undergo lower blepharoplasty to remove wrinkles needs to be realistic. Expect a smooth and tight look, but some wrinkles or crow’s feet will still be visible.

There is also the possibility of loose skin after the swelling subsides. It may result in the appearance of crepiness and wrinkles.

The Aging Process

Wrinkles appear on your face because of the body’s natural movements. While the surgery may remove some wrinkles, aging and facial expressions will add more. Sometimes, having a skincare routine may help. Protect your skin by using sunscreen and avoid excessive force as you heal.

Changing the Eye Shape

Two things may happen to change your eye shape after lower blepharoplasty. Your eyes may round up as the eyelid skin retracts after surgery or pull down at the corner. You may try to rectify this using other procedures, but it may result in more complications.

These complications are a result of the complexity of lower eyelid surgery. The doctor needs to consider the relationship between the lower and upper eyelids. Otherwise, the changing of the eye shape is inevitable.

Wound Dehiscence

Lower blepharoplasty does not require sutures because they do more harm than good. Thus, the doctor may use other procedures to tighten it. The doctor will ask you to avoid sleeping on the eyelid or pulling on it. The instructions depend on the treatment procedure. 

Sometimes, these actions are unavoidable. It may lead to wound dehiscence, resulting in infections or trauma. The doctor can treat these using oral or topical antibiotics, but they may result in scarring.

Scarring

The skin on the eyelid heals better than any other skin on your body. However, scarring is always possible, especially in patients prone to keloids. When you notice red, thick skin at the incision line after four weeks, massage it and use vitamin E cream. Give it time to help with the scarring.

Other Effective Alternatives

Before undergoing any form of blepharoplasty, choose the right surgeon. Also, ensure you follow the instructions after surgery to avoid some of the above complications. But before undergoing all that, make sure to try other effective treatments. These include Botox, dermal fillers, peels, or laser resurfacing.

These treatments stimulate the collagen that helps with the healing process, leaving your skin young and supple. They also smoothen your skin so that the wrinkles are less prominent. Laser resurfacing can deal with dark circles since it exposes a new layer of skin. It also activates collagen production that makes healthy, new skin cells. Although lower blepharoplasty may not be an effective treatment for wrinkles and dark circles, there are other effective alternatives.

For more about blepharoplasty or effective treatments for wrinkles, contact Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery of Acadiana at our Lafayette, Louisiana office. Call (337) 504-3640 to schedule an appointment today.