As they say, “the eyes have it.” Or something like that. Truth is, your eyes are the first features someone notices when they look at you – and they’re one of the top tell-tale indicators of your age. If you’re aiming to smooth out those under-eye crinkles that add years to your look, you’ve got several options including under eyelid surgery and Botox. Jacksonville’s Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery can help you choose.

Also known as “blepharoplasty,” eyelid surgery effectively removes excess skin and bulges from around your eyes, including both upper and lower eyelids. This excess skin below the eyes is what causes that crinkled look. Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery’s Dr. Phillip Garcia and Dr. Roberto Garcia remove the skin via a tiny incision underneath the eyelashes in the first crease or behind the eyelid. Careful placement of the incisions assures that your plastic surgery scars will be unnoticeable or even invisible.

Another option for treating under-eyelid crinkles is Botox. This method of treatment is used far less frequently because it demands an incredibly skilled hand and a tiny amount of Botox. Also, Botox may not work well for every patient, depending upon the facial structure and the way the skin beneath the eyes fold when the patient smiles. It’s most effective in conjunction with Botox treatment of crow’s feet.

Chemical peels also can be an effective choice for treating under-eye crinkles, but again – this takes a highly skilled professional. Chemical peels that are too strong or administered incorrectly can be harmful to the sensitive skin around the eyes.

Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery can help you decide the best treatment for your under-eye crinkles and set you up with great skincare products and vitamins that help keep your skin smooth and youthful. Call 904-247-8522 to schedule a consultation today.

Eyelid surgery by Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery can be an effective option for anyone seeking a more youthful, rejuvenated look around the eyes, and a particular benefit to patients whose drooping eyelids impair vision.

Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery near Jacksonville focuses on both aesthetic and functional benefits of eyelid surgery.

Formally known as blepharoplasty, eyelid surgery involves removing excess skin, muscle or fatty tissue from the upper and lower eyelids. Most upper eyelid surgeries and lower eyelid surgeries are performed for cosmetic reasons. The primary aesthetic result is a firmer, refreshed look around the eyes. But in many cases, eyelid surgery can significantly improve a patient’s vision as well. For instance, a blepharoplasty procedure can address a severely hooded eyelid that partially obscures a patient’s vision or open up naturally small eyes.

The body’s thinnest and most delicate skin is the skin around the eyes. As we age, the underlying eye muscles weaken and the skin stretches. For most, this simply means an older, often tired look. For many others, however, the resulting droop of the upper eyelids can compromise vision by more than 50 percent. Patients considering blepharoplasty often complain that their eyelids feel heavy and that they feel tired even after a full night’s sleep. And any amount of vision loss can hinder independence and everyday activities from reading your favorite novel to assembling a puzzle with your grandchild to driving your car.

In an upper eyelid surgery, excess fat, muscle and loose skin is removed with incisions made along the natural folds and creases of the eyelid, and fine sutures are used to close the incisions. This helps minimize the visibility of any scar. Lower eyelid operations involve removing excess fat and skin through a tiny incision beneath the eyelashes in the first crease. If only fatty pockets need to be removed, your surgeon may instead cut behind the eyelid, making the incision completely invisible. Self dissolving sutures are used, leaving no visible scar.

Typically, upper and lower eyelid surgery is completed within two hours. Permanent stitches are removed three to five days following the surgery and you’ll be advised to use cold compresses and keep your head elevated when lying down to help speed healing and relieve discomfort. You’ll also need to avoid certain activities and environments – particularly bright, direct sunlight – while you heal.

Eyelid surgery done for cosmetic reasons only won’t be considered by insurance companies. However, photographic documentation of obstructed vision and physicians’ projections on the percentage of vision improvement may convince your insurer to pay for a portion of your eyelid surgery costs. Insurance providers differ on the requirements for such coverage, and Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery’s surgeons and staff will work diligently with you and your provider to help land coverage of qualified costs. We also accept major credit cards and work with financing companies including CareCredit and CapitalOne Healthcare Finance. For more information or to schedule an eyelid surgery consultation, contact Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery near Jacksonville at 904-247-8522.

More than 17 million cosmetic procedures were performed nationwide throughout 2009, according to a new survey by the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. Jacksonville Baby Boomers likely won’t be surprised by these results. The survey shows that the Boomer generation represents a large percentage of cosmetic procedure patients. In fact, among the client base of AACS members, the average age of facelift patients is 54.1 years. The average age for blepharoplasty is 52.3 years. And the average age of patients opting for Botox is 46.6.

Baby Boomers account for a growing percentage of cosmetic procedures performed in Jacksonville and nationwide.

A few highlights of the survey:

• Facelifts by AACS members rose 44% from 2008 to 2009, totaling 34,455 last year compared to 20,478 in 2008;
• Blepharoplasty procedures jumped 42 percent to 60,507 from 42,602;
• Rhinoplasty surgeries went up 74% to 21,730 from 12,460
• Invasive procedures showing the largest gain in the past five years are Blepharoplasty, abdomonoplasty and rhinoplasty;
• Less invasive procedures with the biggest 5-year gain are laser resurfacing, chemical peels and fillers.

The study is the first of its kind performed by the AACS and involves polling of AACS members plus randomly chosen physicians nationwide. The total number of procedures performed by AACS members has increased by eight percent since 2008.

When it comes to cosmetic procedures, Jacksonville follows the same trend that physicians and surgeons are seeing across the United States – a boom in Baby Boomer clientele. Many patients of the Garcia Institute are in their 50s and 60s and not quite ready to concede their looks. Today’s mature population is healthier, more active and more consumer savvy than any previous generation. They also are more informed about medical, plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures. Jacksonville’s Boomer population is one that knows what it wants and is comfortable asking for it.

“The Baby Boomers are getting older but they still feel young and they want to look that way too,” said AACS President Mark Berman, MD. “With anti-aging procedures, people tend to feel much better about themselves afterward.”

Cosmetic procedures in Jacksonville and beyond are expected to grow as America’s economy recovers.

“The cosmetic surgery industry continues to grow at a rate many people never thought it
would reach,” Berman said. “With the aging of the Baby Boomer generation, I don’t think we’ve come close to hitting the ceiling yet. That 17 million is only going to expand.

If you’re a Baby Boomer who wants to look as great as you feel, contact the Garcia Institute at  (904) 247-8522 today.

Whether insurance will cover your plastic surgery in Jacksonville depends chiefly on the type of plastic surgery you choose. The primary consideration is whether your will undergo a cosmetic plastic surgery or a reconstructive plastic surgery. Jacksonville’s Garcia Institute defines the two using the same definitions adopted by the American Medical Association and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. We define cosmetic plastic surgery as a surgery “performed to reshape normal structures of the body in order to improve the patient’s appearance and self-esteem;” and reconstructive plastic surgery as one “performed on abnormal structures of the body, caused by congenital defects, developmental abnormalities, trauma, infection, tumors, or disease.” Reconstructive plastic surgery primarily is performed to restore or improve facial functions such as the ability to smile, open and close your eyes or speak clearly, but may also be done to restore or approximate a patient’s normal appearance. Read more »