What Is Revision Blepharoplasty?
Revision blepharoplasty is a procedure aimed at enhancing the appearance of your eyelids. It’s a highly specialized cosmetic surgery, often required when outcomes aren’t what you expected when you had your first eyelid surgery. It’s also possible that you had unexpected problems arise after your procedure. Revision blepharoplasty eyelid surgery refers to a repeat operation to address your issues. In many cases, revision eyelid surgery is far more complex than initial eyelid surgery.
This complexity is due to several factors, including:
- Scar tissue formation
- Disrupted blood supply
- Modified anatomy
It’s also possible that not everything can be fixed in one session. Some people may need staged revisions and special treatment to avoid scarring after revision surgery. That’s why you need a skilled cosmetic surgeon like Dr. David Shokrian and his talented team of plastic surgeons at Millennial Plastic Surgery in New York City. They have years of experience performing not only blepharoplasty, but all the cosmetic procedures for your face, body and breasts.
Why Might I Need Revision Eyelid Lift Surgery?
If you have previously paid the cost of eyelid surgery and are unhappy with the results, you may need revision blepharoplasty.
A revision procedure might be beneficial if you encounter problems such as:
- Scars or issues left over from the prior eyelid surgery
- Problems not fully resolved by the first procedure
- Uneven or unequal results
- Results that didn’t live up to your expectations
Upper eyelid surgery may be a good option if you had eyelid lift surgery in the past and liked it, but now feel like you need it redone because of your continued aging.
Symptoms that guide you to consider revision blepharoplasty may include:
- Drooping eyelids. This result is usually caused by droopy eyelid surgery performed more than six years ago or from a lack of sufficient skin removal.
- Distorted eye shape or contour. Revision blepharoplasty can restore your natural eye shape if you’ve experienced additional sagging of your lower eyelids because of excessive skin removal or due to continued aging.
- Inability to blink or close the eyes. Revision blepharoplasty with skin grafts can treat lagophthalmos, a condition in which your eyes are unable to close all the way because of extensive skin removal.
- Undereye hollowness. Revision eyelid surgery can add volume to the hollow areas for a younger, more rested appearance. Too much fat removal can result in sunken eyes, giving you the appearance of being tired or ill.
- Hollow upper eyelid. Excessive tissue removal can damage your upper eyelid, causing a hollow appearance. A broader lid can be restored by volume augmentation, which frequently involves surgery, fat transfer or filler.
- Lower lid extropian. A mini-facelift may be necessary to address the issue when too much skin was removed under your eyes.
- Residual fat bags. When your overall eyelid contours significantly improved after a revision eyelid blepharoplasty performed 12 months earlier, you may be in a position to have the rest of the unwanted fat removed from your lower lids.
What Happens during a Revision Procedure?
The process usually takes one to two hours in total.
Things that affect the time it takes, as well as the cost of eyelid surgery as a revision, include:
- Your demands and expectations
- The extent of prior surgery
- The anatomy of your eyelids
- The experience of the surgeon
When you rely on the experience of a talented cosmetic surgeon like Dr. Shokrian, you know going into revision surgery what to expect. And you can rely on him to know how to fix your eyelid issues and to deliver the results you want.
The steps in this process typically include:
- Meeting with the NYC plastic surgeon to discuss your expectations, goals and past concerns related to blepharoplasty
- Being made comfortable during your procedure with anesthesia, either general or local
- Making incisions on your eyelids that follow the same pattern as the previous surgery
- Repositioning and removing excess muscle, fat or skin
- Closing incisions with surgical adhesive or sutures
- Applying an ointment and sterile dressing
- Observing you for about an hour in the recovery area
- Providing you with follow-up appointments and post-operative care instructions
How Long Does Revision Blepharoplasty Recovery Take?
The duration of your recovery from revision surgery on your eyelids depends on your healing process, the intricacy of the operation and how well you follow post-op instructions.
Your doctor’s post-op instructions may include:
- Applying ice packs regularly
- Elevating your head when you sleep
- Using the prescribed ointments
- Taking pain medication as prescribed
- Avoiding alcohol and tobacco
- Avoiding eye straining activities
During your follow-up visits, your doctor advises you on when you can resume exercise and strenuous activities. It’s usually recommended that you wait a couple weeks. To prevent the need for further revisions, keep all follow-up appointments so your NYC doctor can monitor your healing.
What’s the Typical Cost of Revision Eyelid Surgery in NYC?
Your revision eyelid surgery costs usually run about the same as double eyelid surgery, between $3,000 and $12,000. Your final revision blepharoplasty cost in NYC takes into account many factors, from the cost of anesthesia to the difficulty of the procedure. Of course, your cost increases if you’re having any complementary procedures done at the same time. Insurance may cover the revision surgery if you’re having it done to address medical problems like pain and vision limitations.
You can save revision eyelid surgery costs when the procedure is done right the first time. While anatomical and medical issues can arise to diminish the success of your eyelid surgery, you can expect the best eyelid surgery results and benefits when you rely on the experienced cosmetic surgery team in New York City at Millennial Plastic Surgery.
If you’re seeking revision blepharoplasty, an initial eyelid lift procedure or any other type of cosmetic procedure — from a brow lift to a full face lift — contact the Millennial Plastic Surgery team in New York City for a free consultation.