Blepharoplasty costs: how much does the blepharoplasty procedure cost

Blepharoplasty: what is it?

Eliminating the so-called bags under the eyes is a fairly common desire. It is in fact a blemish that affects both men and women and which in the most serious cases can be resolved with surgical treatment, blepharoplasty. Bags under the eyes are formed due to fluid stagnation, which is often accompanied by an increase in adipose tissue. Although it is also frequent in young people, it is more visible in those who are advanced in age, also due to the breakdown of skin elasticity. The most common signs of bags under the eyes are swelling and loss of skin tone. Generally they are more evident in the morning, when you wake up, since the continuous movement of the eyelids during the day hinders the accumulation of liquids, while at night the eyelids remain still for a long time and consequently the liquids are deposited more easily. 

Blepharoplasty: what do the costs depend on?

Costs vary depending on the needs of the individual patient and depending on the specific characteristics of the procedure used. THE costs of blepharoplasty they also depend on whether a unilateral or bilateral blepharoplasty is performed and also whether it is upper, lower or complete. The costs of blepharoplasty are generally determined during the consultation with the cosmetic surgeon, an occasion in which the doctor evaluates whether the patient has the appropriate characteristics to perform the procedure. In general, the costs of blepharoplasty also include the operating room, the paramedical team, the subsequent checks, the tests carried out before the operation, the cosmetic surgeon's fee, the electrocardiogram and the anesthesiologist's fee. Since blepharoplasty aims to remove sagging periorbital skin, it is a purely aesthetic correction, since the blemish does not affect visual function. In this case the blepharoplasty costs are not deductible as medical expenses. There are cases, however, in which the blemish can be so serious that it negatively affects the normal function of the eye, in this case the blepharoplasty costs can be deducted from taxes. 

Blepharoplasty: what are the main causes of bags under the eyes

There are many causes for bags under the eyes, however some determining factors are:

• tiredness and lack of sleep
• excessive salt consumption, resulting in water retention
• dehydration
• allergies
• hereditary factors: genetics is one of the main causes of bags under the eyes
• aging of the organism

Although they are often associated, bags under the eyes and dark circles are two completely different things. As anticipated, bags under the eyes are caused by the relaxation of the tissues and depend on the sagging of the skin around the eyes. Dark circles, on the other hand, appear as dark rings under the eyes and are caused by a slowdown in blood microcirculation, a consequence of high levels of stress, an unbalanced diet or an irregular lifestyle. Sometimes to eliminate bags under the eyes it is sufficient to adopt a regular routine, saving yourself the costs of blepharoplasty.

Blepharoplasty: how the surgery works 

The operation to eliminate bags under the eyes can be performed under local anesthesia. Only in rare cases is general anesthesia chosen. The duration of the operation is about an hour, if you decide to operate only on the lower eyelids, to eliminate bags under the eyes, or on the upper ones, to eliminate drooping eyelids. If it is necessary to operate on all four eyelids, the duration is approximately two hours. The incisions are made in the immediately inferior part of the eyelashes and then the excess skin is removed, reshaping the muscle and periorbital fat. The scars are almost imperceptible, thanks to the extremely thin suture. At the end of the operation, ice and a compression bandage may be applied. In general, discharge occurs after a few hours, only in rare cases is the patient kept in the clinic overnight. Once home, however, to avoid unpleasant complications, it is advisable to apply ice or cold gauze on the eyes, sleep with the head raised for the first few days and not use contact lenses for at least ten days after the operation. Swelling and bruising are completely normal in the days following surgery and, although the extent varies from patient to patient, they generally resolve within five to ten days at most.