General Information on Upper Eyelid Lifting (correction of drooping eyelids)

The causes of drooping eyelids are mostly genetic. Patients usually find their drooping eyelids particularly disturbing from their mid-30s onwards, when the natural aging process begins and the water and fat content of the skin decreases. The sensitivity of the delicate skin around the eyes increases and the connective tissue loses more and more of its elasticity. This creates an excess of skin, the so-called drooping lid. In addition to the natural causes of drooping eyelids, too much sun or an unhealthy lifestyle such as smoking, stress, poor nutrition and too little sleep can also lead to drooping eyelids.

At the Sinis Clinic Berlin we place particular emphasis on the fact that upper eyelid lifting is carried out under microsurgical conditions. For this purpose, the microsurgeon not only needs the appropriate microsurgical instruments, but also the corresponding expertise in microsurgery acquired over many years. The microsurgical upper eyelid lift has clear advantages over the conventional upper eyelid lift procedures. Due to the atraumatic procedure, patients are less swollen, show fewer signs of surgery after upper eyelid lift and are generally restored more quickly. In addition, the microsurgical upper eyelid lift can significantly reduce the complication rate during this procedure.

The classic upper eyelid lift is an operative or surgical procedure in which excess skin including the fat parts or even a part of the musculature is removed through a small incision. Alternatively, an upper eyelid lift without surgery is also possible. The results of an upper eyelid lift without surgery are in many cases comparable to those of a surgical procedure if the diagnosis is correct and the extent of the change justifies the non-operative procedure.

Laser and thermal treatments can be used to achieve an upper eyelid lift without surgery. During laser treatment, layers of skin are gently removed from the upper eyelid, stimulating collagen and elastin production. This leads to an immediate upper eyelid lift, as new, smooth skin layers are created during the healing process. Radio wave based thermal technology is gentler still. The slackened areas in the deep layers of the skin are stimulated by controlled thermal energy to regain their firmness. This form of upper eyelid lifting without surgery also stimulates the formation of new collagen, which leads to a significant smoothing of the skin area. In both procedures of upper eyelid lifting without surgery, the treatment takes a maximum of 90 minutes and shows very good results already after the first application. In addition to laser and thermal technology, an upper eyelid lift without surgery can also be performed by means of an injection of botulinium toxin.

It inhibits mimic muscle contraction, smoothing the skin and leaving the eye area looking younger and fresher for several months. In a personal consultation and a detailed examination of your initial situation at the Sinis Clinic Berlin, we will discuss which treatment method will achieve the best possible result for your upper eyelid lift without surgery.

An optimal healing process is important for a natural result of your upper eyelid correction. The body is stopped by its natural self-healing mechanism, in case of an injury, the wound is quickly closed again. Often scars are the resulting signs, which should be counteracted by an optimal healing process after upper eyelid correction. A lot of rest after the upper eyelid lift promotes healing and cooling of swellings and also relieves pain, all of which are unavoidable after the procedure. For the optimal healing process after the upper eyelid correction, small instructions or rules of conduct are important for the first days at home. Therefore, we give you advice on what to consider when sleeping, handling sunlight, using make-up, computer and TV, wearing contact lenses and sports activities in order to promote an optimal healing process after an upper eyelid lift.

After a short healing period of a few weeks, the swelling and the clear signs of the surgery have disappeared. Expert planning of the incision in the natural crease of the eyelid, the microsurgical surgical technique and the adequate aftercare with ice cooling and the necessary medication help to make the result of the upper eyelid lift invisible to the surroundings.

In order for you to enjoy rapid surgical success and so that the surgical scars disappear quickly after your upper eyelid lift, we attach great importance to careful aftercare. During the surgical upper eyelid lift, the stitches are removed approx. 7 days after the operation. We treat the still slightly reddened and therefore visible scars with a fatty scar ointment. The observance of small rules of conduct, such as the correct exposure to sunlight and the use of make-up, are important to ensure that your eyelids look beautiful again quickly after the upper eyelid lift.

After a few weeks, the signs of the operation are no longer visible and indistinguishable from the surrounding area. Although the scars remain for several weeks, they become softer and less noticeable over time. Due to the positioning of the incision in the anatomical eyelid crease, the surgical signs remain undetectable not only in the long term but also in the early phase after the operation.

For us, the most important thing in upper eyelid lifting is to achieve an optimal, beautiful and above all natural result for you, which isn’t always visible at first glance. In order to give you an idea of your new appearance before the eyelid surgery, we will simulate the possible result of an upper eyelid lift in front of a mirror. Taking into account the anatomical aspects of the upper eyelids, the patient can incorporate his or her personal ideas and wishes in order to avoid overcorrections and incorrect planning. This is how we enable a before and after comparison prior the upper eyelid lift procedure.

The costs for an upper eyelid lift (drooping eyelid surgery) cannot be generalized, because they depend on the chosen method and vary according to personal findings and your desired result. An exact calculation of the costs for your eyelid surgery can only be made after the first personal consultation in which we determine which method will be used to achieve the best result for you. Factors such as the preparations used and their quantity, medication, follow-up treatment, anaesthetic and clinic costs play just as much a role in the price composition as the care provided by an experienced, highly specialised microsurgeon. Learn more about the costs of a slip eyelid surgery here.

Although the methods for upper eyelid lifting are very varied, thanks to research and further development of techniques and equipment in recent years, upper eyelid correction is on the whole one of the low-risk procedures in the facial area. It is very important to us that you enjoy plenty of rest immediately after the upper eyelid lift. At the same time, you should also ensure that swellings, which are unavoidable after an operation, are cooled in order to relieve any pain that may occur. Normal accompanying symptoms after an upper eyelid lift can be slight redness, swelling, temporary discomfort or headaches. In individual cases, a muscle slackening of the eyelid is possible, which will disappear within a very short time.

It is also possible that the eye does not close completely in the first few days, which is normal and we will observe and treat it as part of the aftercare. A permanent disruption of eyelid closure has never occurred with our patients before and, with the appropriate experience and exact planning of the incision, can be completely excluded as a risk factor. Discolouration, wound pain or bleeding cannot be ruled out completely with the surgical treatment methods of upper eyelid lifting. They also do not represent a permanent complication or risk, as they disappear after a few days and do not leave any permanent impairment.

The microsurgical operation technique is important for minimizing the risks of your upper eyelid lift, through thorough preparation for the operation, the correct diagnosis during an extensive consultation with careful examination, as well as meticulous care and aftercare.