With blepharoplasty, or blepharoplasty, as Hollywood’s best-kept aesthetic secret, a Dubai patient explains the pros, cons and unfiltered results of this game-changing lifting surgery.
TikTok’s latest aesthetic obsession, “skin pinching,” has made blepharoplasty, or blepharoplasty, a hot topic for beauty enthusiasts. While the term skin tuck refers to a specific type of blepharoplasty that only removes excess skin from the lower eyelids, a full blepharoplasty involves removing both excess skin and fat from the lower and upper eyelids with the goal of reducing bags under from the eyes and the relaxation of the eyelids. Journalist Sarah Hedley Hymers details her review of the ‘bleph’, sharing her journey and the results of a blepharoplasty surgery in Dubai.
“Ever since I was in my twenties, I wanted full blepharoplasty. Aging just wiped out a problem that was always there. Like my bulging facial beacons, my unwanted bags and heavy eyelids broadcast every late night and the poor food choice I’ve ever indulged in betraying me too many times.
This year, with the grand old age of 50 approaching like a bullet train, I finally decided to take matters into my own hands – or rather, put it in the expert hands of Dr. Ramzi Alameddine. Dr. Ramzi based in Lebanon specializes in ophthalmic plastic surgery and is a visiting physician in Dubai Dr Kayle Aesthetic Clinic. For me, it was necessary to secure the services of an ophthalmologist, rather than a general plastic surgeon, because I believe in the logic behind the old saying that practice makes perfect.
I booked a consultation and met with both clinic founder Dr Dany Kayle and Dr Ramzi to assess my suitability for blepharoplasty. Eyelids and bags can – to some extent – be lifted, tightened and ironed with non-invasive treatments such as fractional ablative laser, but feeling that it was enough replacement skin to wrap my own birthday presents, I assumed that I would be a suitable candidate. I was right. The doctors recommended a full blepharoplasty and even suggested a round of laser ablation later to smooth out the remaining fine lines as well as reduce the scarring from the surgery. Additionally, Botox around the temples has been recommended to reduce crow’s feet wrinkles. It sounded like a well-rounded plan.
Preparation for surgery
After the consultation, I had a meeting with an anesthetist at the hospital where the operation would take place. One week before surgery, I had to stop taking aspirin and anticoagulants, anti-inflammatories like Advil, and certain supplements like garlic, fish oil, flaxseed oil, vitamin E, and ginkgo biloba. I was also advised to get the ABC’s for managing swelling and bruising: arnica montana, bromelain and vitamin C. INFO: Bromelain is hard to find in drugstores, but is readily available in supermarkets in pineapple.
The day before surgery, I started a series of ABC triads. eight hours ago, I stopped eating food. four hours before I stop drinking water. At 14:30 I checked into my private suite at the luxurious Dubai Hospital. At 16.30 they took me to the theater. It was time to go under the knife!
During Surgery
What most people find shocking about blepharoplasty is that patients are usually awake during the procedure. Take a moment? let it sink in. It’s annoying, but not as bad as it sounds. A local anesthetic is administered and patients are also heavily sedated. It’s like being in a dream.
I was vaguely aware of my surroundings and my doctor’s hands, blurred by the bright lights, moving over my face, but I couldn’t feel anything. I was invited to choose what music I wanted to listen to, and Yellow by Coldplay turned out to be a particularly good choice. Surprisingly rested, I only started to feel discomfort in the last 10 minutes of the two-hour procedure.
In the hour after surgery, my vital signs were monitored as I became more lucid, and then Dr. Ramzi gave me an unexpected run through on applying ice packs. Ice reduces pain, but it’s the pressure that’s applied that helps keep the swelling down. The lesson I learned was to apply the ice packs every hour for about 20 to 30 minutes and to continue this after going home as long as the swelling was a problem.
Vogue Arabia, March 2017. Photo: Valentina Frugiuele
Holiday time After the Surgery
Right after the surgery, I was afraid to look in the mirror, but once I got up the courage, I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of damage. I wasn’t as deformed as I expected. I even took a selfie to share with friends and family.
I checked myself out of the hospital that same night after getting the all clear from the doctors. As with most cosmetic procedures, the surgery isn’t the hard part, it’s the recovery that is. For the next week, I had to sleep upright with my head on a triangular pillow that helped keep me from rolling onto my side.
Since I couldn’t wear makeup for two weeks, there was nothing I could do to hide the bruises. The most extreme swelling occurred in the first week after surgery. Some days my eyes shot up and I looked like I was in the ring with Tyson Fury, and then my fingers started swelling. Regular facial lymphatic drainage was essential.
Watching your own discolored face twist and contort with waves of fluctuating swelling and scarring is difficult. These are the worst times. when the prescription antibiotic cream blurs your vision and regrets begin to surface. The rabbit hole of “What ifs…” can swallow you up. I found myself thinking: what if I get scarred for life? What if my eyes are asymmetrical? What if I can never close my eyelids again? What if my vision remains blurry forever?
Full disclosure: potential complications of blepharoplasty include asymmetry. loss of vision; strabismus (incomplete closure of the eyelids). epicanthium (a fold of skin at the inner corner of the upper eyelid) and ectropion (a condition in which the eyelid turns outwards). It’s important to know all of this before committing to surgery, but the knowledge can also fuel paranoia and sleepless nights during the healing phase.
Nothing prepared me for the profound physical and emotional nausea I felt when I let these doubts cloud my mind. The self-flagellation for giving in to my vanity was overwhelming and I admit I broke down in tears a few times. Not everyone feels this way. My friend who had the same procedure – and talked me down the rabbit hole in my darkest moments – was less emotional during her recovery, but before going under the knife, it’s important for people to know the risks and the activation of cosmetic surgery. Essentially, by fixing something you don’t like about yourself, you’ll make it look much worse in the first place. As my “bleph BFF” said, this is no time to look in mirrors.
The stitches on my upper eyelids were removed after a week, while the stitches on my lower eyelids dissolved on their own within two weeks. Significant downtime is estimated at two to three weeks. Preparing for downtime is just as important as preparing for surgery. You need a support network and ways to deal with any stress you may feel. Create a good meditation practice as well as comfortable ice packs for the face along with prescription painkillers and antibiotics. Makeup cannot be worn for four weeks. Vigorous exercise is also not allowed for about four weeks after surgery, but you may want to take gentle walks to keep your limbs mobile and improve your mood.
Three Months Later
The relief I felt after three months was palpable. The weight of post-op stress was lifted off my shoulders when I was finally able to see a clear indication of the results. The full effect of blepharoplasty takes one to two years to sleep, but I already looked less tired, fresher.
Now, my daily routine includes applying the recommended scar treatment, NewGel+, a medical-grade silicone gel designed to flatten and fade scars, and massaging my eyelids with organic castor oil. Steady soothing strokes seem to smooth the scar tissue.
Dr. Ramzi warned me that my scars may look more pronounced and purple some days for up to six months, and flare up occasionally, but – with makeup on – I’m back to business as usual, hosting events on stage and no one ever notices the traces of the operation.
Socializing again, some friends who didn’t know about my surgery have commented on how good I look and, at the end of a long night, I’m often shocked by my reflection in the bathroom mirror, momentarily forgetting why I look so awake at such a late hour. Then I remember, those telltale eyes are gone forever.
Blepharoplasty procedures start at AED 15,000. For consultation: Aesthetic Clinic Dr Dany Kayle
