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Skin Graft

In the summer of -07 I decided to have eyelid...

  • 21 May 2009

In the summer of -07 I decided to have eyelid surgery due to bags under my eyes and a slight hooding of my upper eyelid. The surgeon was very experienced and well known. I thought I was in good hands.

I asked for a very conservative approach in the upper eyelids. Less is more I said to the surgeon more than once and do NOT change the shape of my almond shaped eyes. That did not happen. He removed so much fat and skin that I could not recognice my eyes. My whole face changed because of this surgery.

I really did not need to touch the upper lids at all. The lower are fine, somewhat hollow but I can live with that. I found a great surgeon who has injected juvederm in the upper eyelids. The fullness is back but I am still in chock over what has happened to me and can not get used to this face. I am in therapy and suffer great depression. Did not know it all could go so wrong. Surgeon said it was so easy and never complications.

My question is to anyone and everyone: Is there a way to stretch the upper eyelid skin so that I can create a crease again. I would like to have some tissue back in this area, has anyone had a skin graft in the upper lid? All I want is to look like myself again. I regret this more than anything in my life. Can not accept this result and will look for a solution until I find one.

It has been a little over 3 years now since I had...

  • 10 Sep 2012
It has been a little over 3 years now since I had fillers injected into my upper eyelids. This was done to correct a botched eyelid surgery that was done -07. To much skin and fat was removed at that time from the upper lids, leaving my eyes looking really awful and I did not "recognize" myself any longer. The emotional pain was unbearable. My pretty eyes were gone!
I desperately searched for solutions to the problem and found that fillers were the answer for me.
I want to update you all in regards to what my results have been with the fillers I used. Dr Honeig in Beverly Hills CA, injected juvederm into my upper lids with care and skill. He restored my eyes beautifully, and still after 3 years it is looking really good and is very natural with nice full lids. My skin has also stretched from the fillers which is creating a small crease in the lid. it's looking better and better!
Finding a surgeon who is an expert on fillers in the eye area is VITAL! My self-esteem is back again and I have been able to move forward with my life from this horrible trauma. I hope this info will be of help to anyone in the same situation. There is a solution! :)
warmly, Goldilocks
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Comments (45)

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I know this is an old thread but can you send me before and after pictures. I am going through the same thing and I just want to die!
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Hey there, how are you going...just checking that you're ok. I'm happy to share photos, just via email rather than online. I think you can email me direct if you want. I have already shared photos with another lady in the same situation, and we chat about our progress. It's quite therapeutic to share with someone in the same situation:)
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I take one day at a time but it is still very difficult. I can't believe I did this to myself. Would very much appreciate your photos. Can you send them to my private email ***@gmail.com
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I know this is an old thread; but I'm wondering if you'd be willing to send before and after photos to me. I'm considering filler for upper eyelid hollows by your surgeon. Thanks
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Sure can. Do I do this via your email? My last lot of filler has lasted 2 years and still going strong. I would be pretty sure this is a better solution than fat grafting. Adam Watson at Eye Insitute in Auckland has been great. How do I get your email address?
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I'll PM you and give it to you.
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Hello Goldilocks, I'm from Germany and 6 weeks ago I had the same experience like you. I would like to have more information about Dr. Honeig. Thank you! Gatta
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I have found a doctor who can perform skin graft for me.
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I am seeking skin grafting. Who is the Doctor you are talking about here?
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Hello unofactasunt:
I can feel for you; it is the same everyday for me. Burning and dry eyes, keeping one of them taped at night with saran wrap over it to keep air out. The results of a bad performed upper bleth are disastrous and it does affect every aspect of your life. I tell anyone - please think about this before you do it - I went to a local plastic surgeon, Dr. Richard Nesmith and I regret it everyday. I hope that others will read this and make the decision to leave their eyelids alone.
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My eyes don't look bad and if I didn't have to tape them no one would notice much. The problem is the lids don't function. Left eye lid turned up exposing the underside of the lid to the environment. It pulls up and will not fully close. Miserable on a daily basis -have to hold it down. Left eye still has overhang, but under neath the droppy part the some skin was cut out on the side make the eye smaller and pulling downward-hard to raise my eye brows.
That is a big thing for people to keep in mind - it may look OK and heal OK, but is otherwise miserable becasue the MD was not really skilled enough to do this surgery. He made more mistakes then you can believe, but it doesn't function and it's been over 2 years and don't know how much longer I can hold out. Have to meds so I can tolerate the pulling and all the air going under my entire lid. Thanks for responding.
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When my eyes were botched I bought a pair of slightly tinted plain glass eyeglasses. The slight tint masked my eyes enough so no one could see my asymmetry but it was light enough so people could still see my eyes. I knew it worked because no one seemed to notice the defect! And it was also quite fashionable!
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Wow, i feel for everyone here.. i had a car accident last year, and lost my upper eyelid, just 2 weeks ago i had a skin graft, they took skin from the back of my ear and made a new eyelid, i'm scared if it gets infected or doesn't look the same, and i'm 15 so appearance means alot to me :( i'm hoping it gets better soon, doctors should take a couple of months or years, i don't go out anymore and i have left school so people don't look at me. i even missed all my gcse's and doubt i can get into college now.
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Don't give up-use some make-up on the lid for now and where tinted glasses. You are young and research and technique is always being perfected. The important thing is that it feels normal and you can function. There is special makeup used by actors and people to match skin color. So cheer up there is a light at the end of this tunnel. I on the other hand am a senior citizen with too much skin taken and eye turns up. Feels like I don't have a lid. You on the other hand have the time for skin to change and there is an ointment to help thin out the skin - need a RX from your doctor. Good luck.
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I am sorry to hear of yet another person who has experienced pain and unhappiness. im sorry for your loss, because it is a loss. the depression can be unbearable.

i had the same procedures in 2008 and have suffered in similar ways to yourself.

i found an excellent oculoplastic surgeon here in london and have had fillers to the upper and lower eyelids.although you will never have that crease back the fillers do help to fill out areas that are deficient in fat and skin.

honestly i can say i am no closer to accepting myself now than a day after the surgery but fillers in the hands of an experienced eye surgeon can help to make you feel a little better about yourself.

i have researched skin grafts cos i so wanted my old eyes back but it seems that it should only be performed for reasons other than cosmetic, that 2 was a hard blow to handle.

i wish you all the best from the bottom of my heart and please if you find any solutiond to your issues please let us know as we are all searching together

much love dan
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Hi Donny,
Just wonder what doctor did you see in London. I'm also based in London and desperately need to see somebody with my upper lid problem.
Many thanks
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I am very glad I found this forum !
So sorry to read what you had to go through Goldilock, I hope one day the pain will fade away, or find a surgeon who can help you.

I too had an upper eyelid correction, and I regret it deeply. My eyes weren't the biggest to begin with, so it made them look even smaller, hollowed and the usual weird droopiness in the creases, instead of my almond shaped eyes before surgery. Afterwards I was afraid to go outside, and get the weird stares of strangers. I felt depressed and ugly. Years after now I finally feel better mentally, yet there is a sadness still with me in my heart.

I decided to get help and I went to see Dr. Meronk who gave me a fat graft in the upper eyelid.
It turned out good, and I am grateful for that, but he couldn't perform a skin graft, as that would look unnatural he said. I asked for a second opinion on that with Dr. Kami and he said the same. So it still feels half done, half complete now.
I would like to get in contact with the people on here that experienced the same, message me if you want to :)

Anna
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I understand your frustration that doctors can't fix it. My eyes don't look bad, but intolerable with air going under the lid all the time-still using tape on both eyes to pull one down and pull the other skin out where it makes the eye smaller. I get depressed going to doctors and hearing the same story. I was told that some doctors see this as a personal challenge rather then send people where it can be cone right in the first place. I do believe this as my md was so arrogant and just did not care - lied about every thing. WE all need to find the influential source to complain and demand proper training before they can perform eye surgery. There is so much more to it than we are told and they do not have the expertise to correct the problems being created. I understand some MD's only take a test to be able to do plastic surgery. How bad it that. WE need for start a form on twitter, etc. to get help for those who have been hurt.
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Esthelis is softer than restylane and after a month of settling the results look very natural. I dont think the 2 products can be mixed in the same area tho, so one needs to deplete before the new one is introduced. The only down side is that the fillers will need to be topped up once a year. But at least the hollow eyed look has gone for this year! I think that is a very old fashioned look and hopefully plastic surgeons will start to get the message that "less is more!!".
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I am glad Dr Watson in NZ did a good job for you. I had mine done using Restylane in upper and lower lids by Dr Aharonov in LA and he was great (close to my old good eye look).
I visited Dr Tsirbas here but he has little experience in fillers and needs more practice -nice guy though. I would not trust him doing fat transfer because of experience and because he works with DR GEORGE MARCELLS the idiot ENT who screwed up my eyes unecessarily in 2005 by doing an unecessary blepharoplasty on my upper and lower lids that changed my identity completely!! So be careful you that you choose a good dermal filler injector to correct the bleph!!
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Dr Adam Watson at the Eye Institute in Auckland. He's been fantastic.
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I am seeing an oculoplastic surgeon. He's put esthelis filler into my upper hollow eyelids, with pretty fantastic results. I've had to spend around $2500 on this, but the results are worth it. Many many surgeons wont do this but I found a good one with lots of experience at injecting filler into upper and lower eyes. I think I will have to do this for the rest of my life.
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who is your occuloplastic surgeon?
Does he live in Australia or NZ?
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hi, once again iam still looking for a miracle and i will keep looking believe me i will find my way bak from this i have seen my eyes look the way they looked before this mess i pull my eyelids around my eyes and i see a better picture so i know its possible just gota keep hopes up cause you know you cant give up you want to live again you want to remove the scars that are there its a feeling like your so uncomfortable all the time like something is on your face and you have to remove it and youl be free again only they those barstds they did remove it and youl get it bak dont worry there is a solution but it takes longer and you have to be sure so good luck i know Il fix my problem and Il keep posting updates but so far i think iam going to california to ask frank meeronk what i should do or if he recommends someone i think he is the best but he is retirin
g this year so i better get a move on cause iam in australia
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yes, they are blind except for seeing the dollar bills from you or especially now the baby boomers. I believe my mess which is not bad to look at, but doesn't function - can't raise my eye brows only one of many issues was a big scam to get my insurance. A columbus intern made the most profound statement he said "these doctors see the surgery as a challenge, rather then send patients to MD's who can do it write". He was able to see all the errors. But doctors are good at taking your money and won't do anything, but give you eye drops.
It will be a year in May and I am on nerve pills and ever so sick in the stomach, I have to sleep alot to get relief from the eyes hurting.
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