So Glad I Finally Did It - Westport, CT

I've wanted to have my upper eyelids fixed for the last 12 years and either never had the time or the money. I saw several doctors for consults and finally picked Dr. Ellen Mahoney in Westport, CT for a number of reasons. The first, and most important, is that I felt immediately comfortable with her and she took a lot of time to go over the procedure in detail. I already knew a lot about it, after much research, but she was one of the few who really explained everything, including things that had never occurred to me to ask. She was compassionate and kind and all of her staff were very helpful.

I had seen her for a consult before leaving the states for the winter and so trying to arrange things was a bit tricky, partially because I had a tight timeline. The communication with her staff was excellent. They worked with me and my difficult schedule to accommodate my arriving and leaving the country again in a short 6 week span. They were calm and supportive when I had moments of freaking out and they reached out to me to keep things on track.

The surgery itself was an absolute snap. It was performed at Norwalk Hospital and I was amazed at their efficiency. I was in and out in probably less than 3 hours. The surgery itself took much less than that.. most of the time was pre-op and post op. At no time was I uncomfortable or in any kind of pain. I was groggy after the procedure but that was to be expected and, frankly, a relief because it meant I would go home and rest like I should.

I had two small pieces of tape over the stitches which were kind of annoying as they limited my ability to open my eyes but it wasn't a major problem. I iced religiously to keep swelling and bruising down. It is really helpful and if you do this, or any other kind of plastic surgery, it absolutely will help so don't skimp on it. I iced for several days after the advised period and I'm glad I did.

They called to check on me the first night and I went for a follow up visit the next day. Everything was in order and I felt great. I had to force myself to go home and rest because I really felt fine and had a lot that needed to get done.

I had a tiny amount of bruising on the first day. I probably would have had virtually none if it weren't for the fact that by the third day I was feeling so totally "normal" and going stir crazy, that I decided to go do some shopping. I experienced some swelling and bruising started to drift down under my lower eyelid after running around for too long. I do believe that if I'd stayed put, this would not have happened although they do say that bruising/swelling is generally worse on the 2nd and 3rd day.

I went back for a 1 week follow up and again, everything was fine. Stitches and tape were removed which was nice. There was still bruising but it was starting to fade already.

One word about stitches. I appreciated the fact that Dr. Mahoney does a line stitch instead of individual knotted stitches. I think it helps create a smoother line and is certainly easier for removal. This was another reason I chose her.

By 2 weeks I looked great even though I could see a scar if I closed my lids, no one else really could and a friend of mine who knew I was doing it and had said I didn't need it told me that he never would have known that I had something done but that I looked more awake. I was massaging the scar area as directed and it may have helped minimize scarring.

I had, (and still have after 10 months), a few tiny bumps but they are basically invisible. I highly recommend Dr. Mahoney for her skill, compassion and care. It was a great experience all around and I am completely thrilled with the results.