Download What is an Eyelid-Lift: Ptosis Repair or

What is an Eyelid-Lift: Ptosis Repair or Blepharoplasty?
Patients often come to see Dr. Massry for an upper eyelid lift. This is a procedure that a cosmetic oculoplastic or cosmetic ophthalmic
plastic surgeon, like Dr. Massry specializes in. The question is, what does an upper eyelid lift mean? Well, it can mean three things: an
upper eyelid blepharoplasty, a ptosis repair, or both.
An upper eyelid blepharoplasty is the surgical procedure to remove excess or unwanted skin, muscle, fat, or any combination of the
three to make the upper eyelid look more youthful. The actual upper eyelid height is not altered. In other words the distance for the
upper eyelid from the pupil in unchanged. This is a relatively straightforward procedure with minimal risks in the hands of a cosmetic
oculoplastic specialist like Dr. Massry. The photo below demonstrates an upper lid blepharoplasty (excision of skin, muscle, and fat)
without a ptosis repair (distance of upper lid margin (lashes) to pupil does not change). This patient also had lower lid blepharoplasty.
On the other hand, a ptosis repair is the name given to the procedure of lifting the height of an eyelid that has fallen. This is very
different from a blepharoplasty, in that to lift the eyelid height, the eyelid lifting muscles has to be identified, shortened and re-secured.
This is a very specialized surgery which requires a lot of experience to perform correctly. In addition the complication rate for this
surgery is much greater than for blepharoplasty. Only a cosmetic oculoplastic surgeon, like Dr. Massry, should perform this surgery.
The photo below shows the right upper lid was lifted without excising skin, muscle, or fat from the eyelid. This is a ptosis repair and not
a blepharoplasty.
Finally, sometimes these procedures need to be combined as patients may need both a blepharoplasty and a ptosis repair. The photo
below demonstrates both an upper eyelid blepharoplasty (excision of skin, muscle and fat), and a ptosis repair (the distance between
the upper eyelid margin and pupil increases). Again, this combination of procedures should only be performed by a cosmetic
oculoplastic surgeon like Dr. Massry.
If you have questions regarding a cosmetic eyelid lift (cosmetic blepharoplasty or ptosis repair) you can contact Dr. Guy Massry
(Beverly Hills ophthalmic plastic surgery)at his website drmassry.com or at (310) 453-8474