Dear Dr. Seckel, Would it make sense to see an ocular plastic surgeon for blepharoplasty surgery and fillers around the eye area. After consulting with cosmetic surgeons for facelift procedures, many seem to get insulted when I tell them I will be seeing an ocular surgeon to address my eye rejuvenation issues. Thank you, Karen, Boca Raton, FLA
Dear Karen,
No doctor who is self confident should ever be insulted when you express interest in seeking alternate opinions–that shows you are an intelligent informed patient-as I say in my book an informed patient is the best patient.
Eyelid surgery and eyelid rejuvenation is very delicate surgery that requires expertise-not all “cosmetic surgeons” or facial surgeons and not all ocular surgeons are capable of doing the latest safest most effective procedure.
In my experience many doctors who call themselves “cosmetic surgeons” are not surgeons at all but dermatologists. There is no “board of cosmetic surgery” and a dermatologist is a skin doctor not a plastic surgeon.
A board certified plastic surgeon (a facial plastic surgeon is an Ear Nose and Throat doctor who does plastic surgery) has been trained in eyelid surgery, eyelid rejuvenation as well as facial surgery-one who is experienced in the latest techniques can do an excellent job.
There are also ocular surgeons–Ophthalmologists who have had special training in Plastic Surgery of the eye–they are called Oculoplastic Surgeons–they should be able to do excellent eyelid surgery and eyelid rejuvenation. Do not see a general Ophthalmologist who dabbles in plastic surgery.
However not all Plastic Surgeons and not all Oculoplastic Surgeons are up to date on the latest eyelid rejuvenation techniques-so you need to do some homework.
Currently, in my opinion, the most effective, modern, up to date eyelid rejuvenation or blepharoplasty procedure is: a laser upper blepharoplasty to remove eye hooding or loose skin from the upper eyelids and a transconjunctival laser lower blepharoplasty (through a small laser incision on the inside of the lower eyelid-thus no visible scar and no change in eyelid shape) with an arcus marginalis release, to remove dark circles under the eyes, puffy eyes, and eye bags and a canthoplasty to tighten the lower eyelid and upper cheek.
Not all surgeons (plastic or oculoplastic) in this country are up to date on this most recent combination of techniques. I suggest you visit my website and print some of my writings on eyelid rejuvenation and removal of dark circles under the eyes from the archives section of “ask dr. seckel” and “what’s new” and prepare questions to ask the doctors you see in consultation and you can gauge their response to your questions.
Chapter 10 of my book Save Your Face entitled “Don’t Let Just Anyone touch Your Face”–details questions you should ask and I recommend you read it before seeing a doctor.
I also want to warn you that I do not do filler injections around the eyes, fillers such as Restylane, Radiesse, Hylaform, Sculptra, Zyderm, Cosmoplast, Cosmoderm, and others in my opinion should not be injected around the eyes. The companies that make these fillers do not recommend that doctors use fillers around the eyes. My worry is that an improper injection could blind you. Also if you check the “ask dr. seckel” archives on the saveyourface.com you will read about some patients who had terrible results from filler injections around the eyes.
I would be delighted to see you if you choose to come to Boston for surgery. Patients come here from Europe and many states in the US to have this procedure. You would need to be in Boston for 5-7 days before returning to Boca if you choose to come to Boston for your plastic surgery, please contact me.
I hope I have helped you.
For more information on plastic surgery, blepharoplasty, dark circles under the eyes, eyelid rejuvenation, fillers and non-surgical facial rejuvenation read Save Your Face or contact me.
Sincerely,
Dr Seckel
Boston, Massachusetts