“Unhappy with result of blepharoplasty and mid facelift for eye bags”
Eyelid Surgery: NOT worth it
Pain: Uncomfortable
Treatment was a mid face lift/blepharoplasty performed via transcutaneous incisions. Obicularis sewn to periostium. This was unsuccessful as my lower eyelid became retracted almost immediately. I developed considerable lower scleral show and accompanying foreign body sensation and tearing.
My eye shape was totally altered. Outer lower half was sloping downwards. I had a canthopexy and tarsal strip procedure 2 months ago to attempt to correct this. My left lower lid just now comes up to the iris and my right lower lid is still sloping downwards. This was observable 2 wks after surgery.
My surgeon (cosmetic/craniofacial surgeon) says that this is because the muscle on the outer side of this eye is not working yet. I am dubious about this because I had this problem with my right eye before since my original surgery. I could never get it to lift as high as the left, even when I smiled. My eyes look quite asymmetrical now.
I was aware that the canthopexy may not work because we are dealing with soft tissue and gravity first surgery and the lower lid sat about 2mm over the iris. I always had some bags under my eyes even as a child they were puffy. However I would never do it again. Or at least never with the original surgeon.
He ruined the shape of my eyes and caused huge amounts of discomfort. None of which I was warned about. I think tampering with the obicularis has altered the support structure of my eyes and just using one stitch to hold it up was not a good procedure for me.There was not too much skin taken but my cheeks just weren't held in place by the one stitch.
. What do you think would be the best way to go now? Should I have the canthopexy redone? Or will that just be more of the same? Is there a more permanant fixture? Would a hard palate graft be the way to getting more height in my lower eyelids? What about from behind the ear? Is there a problem with either of these grafts?
Updated on Aug 3, 2009:
Since the above I have had subsequent surgery, a canthopexy and a tarsal strip created. This has only been partially sucessful At first it looked great and now two months+ later it is not so good. My left lower eyelid just barely touches my iris. It looks passable though but my lateral canthus does not have the acute angle it had before any surgery. My right eye is still a mess. The outer half of the lower lid slopes downwards, continueing to give my eye a round look. There must be some muscle ptosis as even when I smile the right lower eyelid does not come up as high as the left. This was damage from the previous surgery. Also despite my surgeons promise that my eyes would not be smaller than before the canthopexy. They are. I have measured the fissure and it is definetely smaller. 2mm to be exact. So I am left with assymetrical eyes. I have given up wanting them to look as they did before any surgery, I just want them to look normal. What does anyone out there suggest?
I am thinking a hard palate graft maybe in the lateral lower lid to bring the corners up a bit more? My surgeon did tell me at the conclusion of this surgery that I would not need a graft and that if he had to redo he would redo canthopexy again. Would this work? Or is this just a dog chasing its tail situation? I have a feeling he did canthoplasty not pexy, As he told me he plicated canthus and moved it 4mm. I do not want to end up with tiny little eyes. What do you all think? I am due to return to my surgeon on 17th of this month and would like to have a plan in place. I am a nurse so have access to any literature you could advise me to read in advance. I only wish this had been the case before my initial botch up 3 years ago.
Jun 26, 2009Comments and replies (16)
5 posts
30 Jun 2009
i had a eyelid remowed and midfacelift and i do missing my old smile and my eyes they are different but everyday getting better its been 1 and half month i hope my right eye will stop pulling down..
14 posts
1 Jul 2009
For your sake I hope it will too. However mine did not get better, but instead got worse. If by the 3 month mark your eye is still pulling down I would go back to your doctor. Both mine continued to pull down. By the end of 3 years my eyes were totally round with scleral show beneath both.
3 posts
24 Oct 2009
You describe some of the same exact problems I had with the same surgery - mid face lift via transcutaneous lower lids. I had surgery over 3 years ago and I regret it every moment. I do not recommend this type of surgery for any reason whatsoever. The stresses placed on the orbital muscles are too great, and that being so even if no damage is done to the important nerves around the eye. To sum up the damage done to me... right orbicularis nerve damage, scleral show right eye, eye asymetry, downward pull in both outer eyes giving me a different sort of sad look, shortened smaller rounder eyes, hollowed out lower orbital space, oddly shaped upper cheek, unilateral lip nerve damage making my smile more of a snear and a pucker that plumps on only one side. The almond shape and pleasant quality of my eye appearance is gone. I have no skin left around my eyes to give me my natural expressions. The contours and softness of my previous cheeks are gone. My cheeks do not bunch up in a happy healthy way when I gently smile anymore - I have to really be grinning to get them up there, and then there are the slack lines in the lower cheeks. At an angle my cheeks have been flattened, with a pointy cheek very high. I look haggard and damaged, very different from my former self. Just as bad if not worse is the physical sensation that my face is not right. Pulling down, tearing, asymmetry in mouth movements, and fatigue and tension around the eyes. Prior to surgery I received enough compliments from both genders in one form or another to understand on some level I was a somewhat attractive person despite my flaws. Since surgery, not one compliment that I can remember. Really. I either am dismissed, ignored, or looked at strangely. The surgeon never admitted any wrongdoing or even that I had less than good result. He would just look at me when I cried, listen to my questions without answering, just basically biding his time until I moved on. He would have tried to correct some of the eye damage with a canthopexy. However, I could not bring myself to go under the knife again, let alone with him. Another surgeon, regarded as a "fixer" of bad eye surgeries, told me the canthopexy would not have helped anyhow as it would have given my eyes an unfavorable "pinched" look. He discounted the palate graft by saying the nominal change in results would not be worth the risks. He basically encouraged not doing anything at all (imagine that, a surgeon who recommends no surgery - refreshing and disheartening at the same time). He said I could expect that over time gravity might help lower my other lid to help even out the look. Great. Not what I was hoping to hear, a symmetrical houndog appearance in my future. Various fillers were suggested and tried to fill in the depressions and even out some of the asymmetry, which they did to some extent, but they are expensive as everyone knows and ripe with their own set of problems and risks. And of course, they don't touch the nerve damage issues of how your face moves, or doesn't. I didn't decide to re-fill, and it's been a couple years since I tried those. They are probably all depleted by now. What I see in the mirror still makes me shudder. I do think my appearance is rapidly worsening with time, accelerated by the fact that my natural pre-surgery support networks of nerves and muscles were screwed around with and damaged. I still hope for some new breakthrough treatment that would restore my eyes, cheeks and lip. I'm in my 40's so I still have a while. But that's more of a dream than anything. I just hope someone out there contemplating this surgery will read this or some other problematic outcome and give it pause. And find something else less invasive and and less risky to aid your problem! I wonder how long before this technique will be viewed as flawed and outdated by ALL surgeons?
3 posts
24 Oct 2009
You describe some of the same exact problems I had with the same surgery - mid face lift via transcutaneous lower lids. I had surgery over 3 years ago and I regret it every moment. I do not recommend this type of surgery for any reason whatsoever. The stresses placed on the orbital muscles are too great, and that being so even if no damage is done to the important nerves around the eye. To sum up the damage done to me... right orbicularis nerve damage, scleral show right eye, eye asymetry, downward pull in both outer eyes giving me a different sort of sad look, shortened smaller rounder eyes, hollowed out lower orbital space, oddly shaped upper cheek, unilateral lip nerve damage making my smile more of a snear and a pucker that plumps on only one side. The almond shape and pleasant quality of my eye appearance is gone. I have no skin left around my eyes to give me my natural expressions. The contours and softness of my previous cheeks are gone. My cheeks do not bunch up in a happy healthy way when I gently smile anymore - I have to really be grinning to get them up there, and then there are the slack lines in the lower cheeks. At an angle my cheeks have been flattened, with a pointy cheek very high. I look haggard and damaged, very different from my former self. Just as bad if not worse is the physical sensation that my face is not right. Pulling down, tearing, asymmetry in mouth movements, and fatigue and tension around the eyes. Prior to surgery I received enough compliments from both genders in one form or another to understand on some level I was a somewhat attractive person despite my flaws. Since surgery, not one compliment that I can remember. Really. I either am dismissed, ignored, or looked at strangely. The surgeon never admitted any wrongdoing or even that I had less than good result. He would just look at me when I cried, listen to my questions without answering, just basically biding his time until I moved on. He would have tried to correct some of the eye damage with a canthopexy. However, I could not bring myself to go under the knife again, let alone with him. Another surgeon, regarded as a "fixer" of bad eye surgeries, told me the canthopexy would not have helped anyhow as it would have given my eyes an unfavorable "pinched" look. He discounted the palate graft by saying the nominal change in results would not be worth the risks. He basically encouraged not doing anything at all (imagine that, a surgeon who recommends no surgery - refreshing and disheartening at the same time). He said I could expect that over time gravity might help lower my other lid to help even out the look. Great. Not what I was hoping to hear, a symmetrical houndog appearance in my future. Various fillers were suggested and tried to fill in the depressions and even out some of the asymmetry, which they did to some extent, but they are expensive as everyone knows and ripe with their own set of problems and risks. And of course, they don't touch the nerve damage issues of how your face moves, or doesn't. I didn't decide to re-fill, and it's been a couple years since I tried those. They are probably all depleted by now. What I see in the mirror still makes me shudder. I do think my appearance is rapidly worsening with time, accelerated by the fact that my natural pre-surgery support networks of nerves and muscles were screwed around with and damaged. Deepening depression probably plays a big role too. I still wishfully hope for some new breakthrough treatment that would restore my eyes and cheeks and lip. I'm in my 40's so I have a while. But that's more of a dream than anything. I just hope someone out there contemplating this surgery will read this or some other problematic outcome and give pause. I wonder how long before this technique will be viewed as flawed and outdated by ALL surgeons?
14 posts
26 Oct 2009
This is a really sad outcome for you. I hope you take some action against your surgeon, although it may be too late. I still would write him a letter and also send him a copy of my posting in regard to my bad outcome to show him that the procedure is flawed and it is not just you who thinks so. Your surgeon didnt say anything when you questioned him as he doesnt know what to say. They are totally hopeless when it comes to complications and so they just deny everything. They are so frightened that if they admit guilt we will sue the pants of them and their insurance wont cover them if they admit guilt. That is why nothing ever changes. If you just go off quietly he will keep doing this procedure!!! I intend to send your email (identifying factors deleted) to my surgeon and let him see what has happened to you. Maybe you should try another surgeon. they are out there. My original surgeon's practice nurse even told me to see 4 or 5 others to see what I could get done. My eyes are so messed up to. I no longer wear eye makeup or look in the mirror. If these monsters could see what they do to people!!!
6 posts
31 Oct 2009
Hi there, I have had lower eyelid surgery too, it will be 2 years nov 6 09. i went in a for a well what i thought was a smoother more rested appearance. that's what i asked for. Well i didn't work out that way. i didn't have have fine lines, wrinkles, just maye a touch of extra skin that made lil foldes when i smiled. Before i was wheeled in to get cut on, i had this feeling something told me don't do it! How i wished i listened to my inner voice. My dr did not warn we of anything that could go wrong. He thought alot of his self so i felt safe with him, since he was called the top rated Dr.
6 posts
31 Oct 2009
Hi there, I had lower eyelid surgery 2 years ago. i did not have any fine lines, i had lil foldes under my eyes when i smiled. i thought i would get them smoothed out.he never explained what could go wrong. i thought i was in good hands. i was wrong! I have pulling down in both eyes. i'm hollowed out, i have fine lines and wrinkles now. I complained, he said it would get better with time. one month in, 2 month in over and over he would say it would get better. a year later i was not better. when i told him i went to 5 different Dr's did he stop telling me it would get better. he just said well you trade one for the other. Trade what for the other? He was so arrongant. He said i'm hear to listen to your concerns but never said anything but i think you have a nice result. i told him i wish i never had this surgery and all he could say is that's water under the bridge, i'm davasted here! All five Doctors said i should have never had this surgery. my eyes are rounded out now and he said that's what happens with this surgery. I told him about my fine lines and wrinkles and my now hollowed out look and all he could say is that your getting older hello 6 months after surgery? why have surgery? It's to look better not worse! I'm considering a hard palate graft. I feel so depressed, i can't sleep. I hope for the best.