Plastic surgery is something we often delve into here at Style. It’s a topic surrounded by stigmas, assumptions and naturally, questions many want bulletproof answers to. That’s why we often jump straight into the nitty gritty and consult professionals in the field in and around Brisbane.
This time, we wanted to explore the reality of recovery and downtime following plastic surgery procedures and consulted Dr Raymond Goh from Valley Plastic Surgery who shared with us his industry and expert knowledge, focusing on eye and lip procedures, below.
No matter how big or small the procedure, plastic surgery involves potential risks as well as recovery. Breast and body procedures such as breast augmentation, lift or reduction and tummy tucks tend to involve at least two to four weeks of recovery time and at least six weeks before physical exercise can be resumed. Similarly, extensive facial rejuvenation surgery such as face and neck lifts must allow substantial time for discomfort, swelling, and bruising to subside.
With our ever increasingly busy lives, I’m seeing a trend toward plastic surgery procedures that deliver appreciable gain with minimal recovery or downtime. These include upper eyelid reductions (blepharoplasty), direct brow lifts, surgery to correct prominent ears, cheek (buccal) fat removal, and lip lifts. The upper lip, which tends to lengthen and thin over time, plays a vital role in facial balance and youthfulness. It has traditionally been enhanced mainly with fillers. A surgical lip lift however, can optimise the length of the upper lip, and thereby improve the lower face ratios whilst at the same time increasing display of the upper teeth and the red part of the lip.
The eye region is considered an important focal point when it comes to the effects of facial aging. It is the first area we see and appreciate when conversing with others. When our brows and upper eyelids become droopy, it portrays a tired, sad, and aged appearance. A direct brow lift, where skin is removed from just above the eye brow, and upper eyelid reduction, where excess skin and fat from the upper eyelid is removed, can effectively “open up” the eye region and deliver a fresher and more youthful persona. These procedures can generally be performed in the office setting under a local anaesthesia (numbing injection only), which saves in cost since hospital and anaesthesia fees are avoided.
