When you meet someone for the first time, the first thing they look at is our smile – then immediately after, it’s our eyes!
You’d be surprised how many emotions and nonverbal cues are constantly being communicated by the upper part of the face (eyes and eyebrows). Simply by using different muscles of the eyes and upper face, we can transmit messages, such as tiredness, frustration, anger, or worry. However, as we age, the position and vitality of the eyebrows and eyes change. The main muscles between your eyebrows (corrugators) can become larger and/or more obvious, eventually creating a crater between our eyes that is typically known as the “dreaded 11’s.” These muscles in conjunction with other brow muscles can pull down our forehead and creat a lower eyebrow position; our brain sends signals to the forehead muscles to go up to counteract this, then leaving us with horizontal lines on our forehead. In addition, fat deflation, thinning of the skin, and the effects of gravity also play a major role in causing the upper face to appear aged and fatigued. Ultimately, these changes can cause drooping brows (ptosis), wrinkling around the eyes and forehead, heaviness and fullness over the eyelids, and descent of the cheeks.
The good news is Dr. Sarraga is an expert in using different modalities including upper eyelid surgery, such as our tailored SIMPLE eye lift, endoscopic (minimal incision) brow lifts, RF-microneedling (MORPHEUS8), wrinkle-relaxers (Botox), volumizers (dermal fillers), or a combination thereof. Using these, we can alter the position and shape of the eyes and brow, refreshing your look and reversing the signs of aging. That way our eyes can send the message we want to send.
Similar changes occur in the lower half of the face (please refer to the face and neck lift section for further information).
As is the case with any facial procedure, you want to ensure you are working with a specialist. Andres Sárraga MD, FACS is a fellowship trained eye plastic and reconstructive specialist and plastic surgeon, and is double board-certified. He has over 12 years experience in helping his patients achieve their desired results in eyelid and facial rejuvenation procedures. When making a decision for your procedure, you can be certain you are in good hands with Dr. Sárraga at the ARTIS Institute for Plastic Surgery.
ANDRÉS SÁRRAGA MD FACS
DOUBLE BOARD-CERTIFIED PLASTIC SURGEON
Dr. Sárraga was born and raised in Puerto Rico, where he spent most of his life. He decided at a very early age to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps and pursue a career in the art of medicine and surgery. Dr. Sárraga has been featured in several publications including Aventura Magazine™ and Healthy Valley® Magazine where he has discussed procedures including Facial Rejuvenation and Breast Surgery. Dr. Sárraga has been awarded one of Castle Connolly’s top doctors in Miami for the last 5 years. He has also been featured with his friend and mentor Dr. Storch. Since Dr. Storch’s retirement, Dr. Sárraga now runs ARTIS Institute Plastic Surgery as a single practitioner.
Blepharoplasty, also known as eyelid lift surgery, is a frequently performed procedure at our Aventura plastic surgery facility. The procedure is designed to improve the appearance of tired, puffy, or wrinkled skin around the eyelid areas. This is done by removing and often repositioning excess fat and excess skin from around the eye area. These procedures are also frequently combined with eyebrow repositioning procedures.
Plastic surgeons can use a variety of techniques when performing brow lift procedures, depending on the specific needs and desires of the individual. Some people prefer an artful combination of eyelid, brow, and other facial and neck procedures that result in the most effective and natural improvements of one’s appearance.
THE BLEPHAROPLASTY PROCEDURE
Eyelid surgery will be done under either intravenous sedation or general anesthesia, depending on the recommended approach by Dr. Sarraga. The placement of incisions will depend on whether you’re undergoing upper eyelid surgery, lower eyelid surgery, or both.
All incisions will be created so that they are concealed within natural creases of the eyelid area for minimal scarring. When combined with brow rejuvenation, patients can enjoy a refreshed, youthful appearance of the upper face and brow areas. Any incisions will be sutured, which can be removed within one week.
In general, recovery time is dependent on the extensiveness of your procedure—the more extensive your eyelid surgery, the more time you will need to recover fully. Patients commonly experience swelling and bruising after surgery, though this should subside within a week. It is recommended that patients keep their head elevated during recovery to help prevent swelling. We will also recommend supplements to help you with healing, swelling, and bruising. While most patients can return to work within 10 days, you should speak to Dr. Sarraga during your consultation to determine how long you can expect to recover.
WHERE TO FIND EYELID SURGERY IN MIAMI, FL
As is the case with any facial surgical procedure, you want to ensure you are working with a specialist. Andres Sárraga MD, FACS is a fellowship trained eye plastic and reconstructive specialist and a double board-certified plastic surgeon. He has over 10 years experience in helping his patients achieve their desired results in eyelid and facial rejuvenation procedures. When making a decision for your procedure, you can be certain you are in good hands with Dr. Sárraga.
Men and women who wish to rejuvenate their facial appearance and eliminate sagging skin around the upper and lower eyelids can often benefit from eyelid and brow rejuvenation in Aventura. Contact the ARTIS Institute for Plastic Surgery today to schedule your initial consultation. You can reach us by calling (305) 932-3200 or filling out our contact form online.
FUNCTIONAL EYELID SURGERY
While many individuals undergo eyelid surgery for aesthetic reasons, there are also many who are living with excess eyelid skin, in- or out-turning eyelids, or droopy brows that can benefit from these types of procedures. These changes can also have detrimental changes on your overall eye health with dry eyes, tearing, irritation, blepharitis, and higher incidence of infection. In the case that excess eyelid skin is heavy and causes the eyelid to droop low or with age and the eyelid level comes down (ptosis) enough to impair your vision, insurance may help cover the functional part of the eyelid surgery to help restore a wider field of vision.
As is the case with any facial procedure, you want to ensure you are working with a specialist. Andres Sárraga MD, FACS is a fellowship trained eye plastic and reconstructive specialist and plastic surgeon, and is double board-certified. He has over 12 years experience in helping his patients achieve their desired results in eyelid and facial rejuvenation procedures. When making a decision for your procedure, you can be certain you are in good hands with Dr. Sárraga at the ARTIS Institute for Plastic Surgery.
WHAT IS FUNCTIONAL EYELID SURGERY?
A functional blepharoplasty, or functional eyelid surgery, is performed similarly to those chosen for cosmetic blepharoplasty. However, they are deemed medically necessary for patients who have a reduced field of vision due to excessively drooping upper eyelids and lower eyelids. Functional eyelid surgery can help to remove excess upper eyelid skin to improve vision or repair the muscle to restore the lid to an appropriate level. As a bonus, this surgery, along with an improved line of vision, also produces cosmetic enhancement of the eyes. In some cases, functional eyelid surgery is recommended by a patient’s ophthalmologist or optometrist, who will then work alongside an experienced facial plastic surgeon such as Dr. Sárraga to recover a better field of vision.
CANDIDATES FOR FUNCTIONAL EYELID SURGERY
A majority of patients who experience some vision loss due to drooping eyelids are good candidates for functional eyelid surgery. However, patients should be in good overall health, including their eye health. Prior to a functional eyelid surgery, you should have an ophthalmologist or optometrist evaluate the health of your eyes to ensure that the procedure is a safe option for you.
Patients who are only concerned about the appearance of their eyelids are mostly still candidates for blepharoplasty, but their surgery would be cosmetic in nature. While the surgery is performed in much the same way, some considerations—including the potential for insurance coverage—will vary.
The best way to determine whether you are a good candidate for functional eyelid surgery is to schedule a consultation with an experienced eyelid plastic surgeon at the ARTIS Institute for Plastic Surgery.
THE FUNCTIONAL EYELID SURGERY PROCEDURE
Functional eyelid surgery is done similarly to cosmetic eyelid surgery. Surgery can be done under local anesthesia or a light sedative as an outpatient procedure. In some cases, however, general anesthesia will be used. This may be more likely if patients are having multiple surgeries in the same setting or if the surgery is more extensive. An incision will be created on the natural upper eyelid crease to remove excess skin and other tissues and lift the eyelid. Ptosis (drooping) repair can be done by going deep into the eyelid soft tissue and tightening the muscle tissue. If the drooping is from excess skin, the removal of such skin will serve as the “lift.”
Incisions are created in the natural eyelid crease to make the incision and resulting scarring as inconspicuous as possible. With his expertise, Dr. Sarraga is able to modify muscles and lift the brow area through this incision using his custom SIMPLE eyelift when indicated. Sutures will be used to close any incisions, and patients can return home after surgery to begin healing.
FUNCTIONAL EYELID SURGERY RECOVERY
Recovery is very much like that of cosmetic eyelid surgery. Swelling and bruising will occur, which should subside within a week when the stitches are typically removed. Immediately after surgery, many patients choose to wear dark sunglasses to help with sensitivity to light. Eye drops and an ointment are frequently prescribed to reduce dryness or other uncomfortable side effects. Patients should keep their head elevated during recovery to control and prevent swelling. As needed, pain medication may be prescribed to keep patients comfortable throughout the healing process. Many patients can return to work in about 7 to 10 days, though recovery time will differ from patient to patient. Dr. Sárraga will discuss your recovery time during your consultation and the staff is always available to answer questions.
INSURANCE COVERAGE
Because functional eyelid surgery is done to improve quality of life instead of cosmetic reasons, insurance may pay for part of this procedure. In order to qualify for insurance coverage, there must be a medical documentation that confirms that your upper eyelids impair your line of vision or other issues which may be affecting your eye and eyelid health. Many health insurance companies also call for a visual field test, in which they will test the amount of obstruction. Regardless of health insurance coverage, it is typically recommended that patients have an examination with an ophthalmologist or optometrist prior to any eyelid surgery to ensure that they can safely undergo the procedure. Contact your insurance provider to learn more.
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“The Definition of Professional and Class”
Dr. Sarraga and the whole office is the definition of professional and class. He does amazing work and always takes time to listen to the results you are trying to achieve. My family and I have had dozens of procedures done at his office and have all been very happy with our results. He’s gentle and precise. His office also does not try to oversell or tell you that you need procedures that you do not actually need. Best plastic surgeon in South Florida hands down.
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