Eyelid Surgery: Stories

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Skin Graft

  • posted 4 years ago
  • updated 9 months ago
  • Not Worth It
  • Cost: $5,000
  • California

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

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...

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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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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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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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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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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DONT have blepharoplasty unless you HAVE to. I too have the whole hollow eyed, 90 year old look, unfazingly produced by Greg Taylor in Auckland. I previously had a friendly laughing pretty albeit slightly tired looking face, now I look stressed and really old. I have had upper eye filler from an amazingly caring cosmetic practitioner, but this is not a long term solution. He hates doing it as it may cause blindness. Old wrinkly smiling eyes have now become so attractive to me. Why dont these so called professionals with lots of qualifications and experience know all of this??? Its SOOOO obviously not good. Are they blind?
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I have had the same experience with the upper lid optosis. Too much skin taken from the left eye leaving no crease and can hardly close the eye, must keep it taped down all the time. The left eye is oposite - too small, too tight and pulls the bottom up. I have been to about 5 optomogists/ocular plastic surgeon in my state capital, well known clinic and private plastic surgeon. Every one has a different story, lack of continuity of the problem left eye and ignore the right eye saying "you always had a smaller eye and just didn't notice it". I've been told by my now shrink needed for nerve meds that no one will take on the problems created by a previous physican and it certainly sounds accurate. I can only hope to find that special talented ocular plastic surgeon who can help me. There is not enough room to write how dysfunctional the MD & staff really were. They repeatedly said how suttle the MD was and the nurses want him to do their surgery,but they can't pass the eye test. I was so excited about finally being able to retire that I let my guard down and missed all the red flags. This should be the best time of my life and it has been miserable and non productive. I am tired of blaming myself for the bad decision and feel these arrogant doctors should be held responsible for their actions and held accountable so to limit the number of people they are really hurting. My discomfort is becoming worse and don't know how I can continue. Let's hope some exceptional surgeons step up to do the ever growing revisions.
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hi i too can relate to all these stories i think its a case of learning things the hard way lifes teaching you a lesson to value what u have in this case had and some things you just dont get out too easy its double punishment for sure i dont know whats worse the pain of exepting your less attractive appearance or the fact that you could pay someone to do this to you i have learnt a huge lesson i should have listen to my family and freinds i had nice eyes i just had an ugly lifestyle the wan_er should have told me to get some rest cause i was obviously not thinking straight anyway it makes me so angry cause they know u gona look worse theve done it many times its unreal the leve u high and dry with defomities skin shortage nightmares anxiety and deppression. well i too find this hard to except and iam looking for someone to do a reverse lower and upper i need i few things rearanged and added i found a good eyelid specialist here in austalia who sounds like he can do something maybe even a skin graft to the uppers im persistant ive had to wait a year but hopefully have surgery in september i will put fotos and keep yous posted meanwhile the best website i found for revision so far is frank meronk would like to hear of other good websites take care
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I had the same problem in 2005 after a bleph, too much skin and fat removed from upper lids that it cahnged my look completely and is now hollow. Who is this eyelid specialist in Australia? I live in Sydney and am considering fat transfer. Cheers
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iam sorry to say i have not found anyone that can perform miracles and return u bak to the way u looked before but i came close and found a realy nice eyelid specialist that has supported me throughout some of this he was realy understanding there is some things he could help with but iam still looking for miracle. i have not seen his work but i know he has a good reputation he has worked alongside frank meronk who is one of the best revision occuplastics in america he is so nice his name is angelo tsirbas he is in sydney and canberra
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Thank you so much for responding. I am in the same exact situation. He took to much skin and up turned eye lid. The other eye needs rearranged-he took to much skin and left an over hand that looks like a crease, but isn't. My face is tight from hair to hair line across my eyes. Took skin from the inner eye corners and is tight across the the bridge. My lids do not function - I am on medication and sleep most of the day because I can't move my eye lids or raise my eye brown w/o discomfort and pain at the top of my eye balls. I wish you well and hope you find your miracle.
Do you have any idea of the cost for this revision?
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I had my upper eyelid done 6 months ago and same thing too much skin was removed. Skin around my eyes becomes very tight and my eye shape changed to too round and they look much smaller!! i hate looking at myself now! Since too much skin was removed, I can't close my eyes completely when I'm asleep. I want to try skin graft on my upper lid. Does anyone know any doctor do this in Sydney?
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I have gone to several very prominent eyelid surgeons in CA and other states, basically, they all say the same thing - too much fat and skin removed, especially on the right upper lid leading to eyelid shortage. My plastic surgeon was Dr. Richard Nesmith in Gainesville, Florida. I also had face lift and have I have contacted him about the problem several times but he has no compassion at all. I should have known something when he didn't even show up for the pre-op appt. and during my initial consultation, he left the room to take a phone call. During my post op visits, I had to ask the nurse to see him, because she was the only one I saw. I should have seen where his priorities lie. I must now live with what he did to me and hope no one else will be hurt like me.
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Hello again, I fully understand the problem. But regarding the volume there is a solution for that, for sure! I fixed the volume in my eye. The skin graft is nessecary for you. It IS very possible to have it fixed with the right surgeon though. Have you contacted Dr Hoenig in Beverly Hills? He is incredbly talented. Please don't give up. It is so depressing, I know, but there is a solution. Yes, the behavious of your Doc was inexcusable! He left the room for a phone call during your consultation? He did not show up for the pre-op appt? My God! That was a very big sign! I know it does not help to hear this now, but that was your instinct screaming: RUN! My doc kept looking at his watch the whole consultation and was very cold to me. I actually did not like him , we did not "click" and that was my "sign" but he was pushy and I knew he was good although my inner voice said: NOT THIS DOC! I was right. Intution is ALWAYS right. This is such an expensive and painful lesson. Now I am very careful when my instinct tells me something. I have learned the hard way. Please take your time to find the right surgeon to help you this time around. There are incredibly gifted people out there doing wonderful revision work and actully care about their patients. Warmly, Goldilock.
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The same thing happened to me as well. I had upper eyelid surgery in 2006 and it has been a nightmare ever since. I had bad scarring on one eyelid that contracted the eyelid, loss of skin and fat and I was left with hollowness in upper eyelids. I now have skin shortage in the left upper eyelid and must use saran wrap at night to create a moisture chamber so the eye can keep lubricated and am now told that I need a skin graft. The doctor who did my surgery was not helpful at all and worse of all, he appears to have no compassion for what he has done to me and my life.
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