Cosmetic Eyelid and Oculofacial Surgery
What is Rejuvenation and Cosmetic Surgery?
Rejuvenation surgery is a term to describe surgery directed at reversing the signs of ageing and encompasses many procedures including blepharoplasty and cheek lifts. Nonsurgical rejuvenation procedures also exist e.g. collagen fillers, chemical peels and botulinum toxin injections.
Cosmetic surgery is a broader term to describe any surgery to improve one’s appearance and thus includes rejuvenation surgery. For example, the removal of unsightly moles is also termed cosmetic surgery.
Why have cosmetic eyelid surgery?
On the whole, people are living longer and wish to continue to enjoy life. For many people, both men and women, their appearance remains an important factor in their self esteem, happiness and confidence.
Numerous changes occur to the structures of the face and body through the ageing process which alter one’s appearance. In some patients, these changes can occur earlier due to a family history, environmental factors and lifestyle factors. For example, changes in elasticity of the skin and muscle tone of the face can lead to the appearance of a heavy tired brow, hooded upper eyelids, sunken eyes, puffy lower lids and a sagging cheek.
Surgery can help reduce the natural signs of ageing and patients after successful rejuvenation surgery remark on not only their younger appearance, but also how this leads to an increase in their general sense of well being, self-confidence and outlook on life.
Increasingly, patients of all ages and all sexes are choosing to undergo rejuvenation surgery. The aims of rejuvenation surgery are to improve one’s appearance by addressing the changes due to ageing in a subtle way.
Good surgery achieves its aims by helping the patient look and feel younger without being obvious or incongruous with the rest of the patients appearance. Unfortunately, bad surgery is always obvious with the patient looking somewhat plastic.
What are my personal expectations of rejuvenation surgery and are they realistic?
Rejuvenation surgery, like any surgery, is associated with its own risks and unfavourable outcomes. A good surgeon will take the time to discuss these with you so that you can make an informed reasoned decision on whether or not you wish to proceed with surgery (informed consent).
For this reason, people considering undertaking rejuvenation surgery should think long and hard about why they personally wish to look younger and develop realistic expectations for the likely final outcome. Good outcomes and happy patients not only result from good surgery but also realistic patient expectations.
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