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has been said that the eyes are the windows to the soul. But as we grow
older, sometimes the curtains on those windows sag more than we would
like for them to. Wrinkles and folds of skin in the area of our eyelids
and eyebrows can make us feel as though we look older and more tired
than we actually feel. And while there are many procedures to help reduce
the effects of aging on the face, the skin around our eyes needs the
care of a specialist. There are less than 20 facial plastic surgeons in Colorado according to Raj TerKonda, MD, FACS. Dr. TerKonda, who is board certified in Ear, Nose, and Throat as well as facial plastic surgery, has been associated with the Longmont Clinic since 2000 and has been specializing in head and neck surgery for over 15 years. According to Dr. TerKonda, taking care of the area around the eyes—specifically the eyelids and eyebrows—is something that should be undertaken with care and consideration. “Often as we age, the eyelids begin to droop or feel heavy and the eyebrows begin to descend as you age,” explains Dr. TerKonda. “Sometimes this can be so severe that it creates visual difficulties for people. I can do an eyelid rejuvenation or an eyebrow lift to help minimize these issues.” Dr. TerKonda has a large patient file with before and after photographs of his patients. Looking through the book, it is dramatically apparent how much difference these procedures can make for many people. Some of those photos include patients who had a procedure done somewhere else, and then they came to see Dr. TerKonda to help them because their initial results were not as good as they had hoped. The photographs are a compelling tool to show just how much Dr. TerKonda is able to assist some patients. “ It is important to carefully consider the options when thinking about procedures that involve work around the eyes,” Dr. TerKonda stresses. “Choosing the person who performs these procedures can make all the difference. There are not many people around who specialize in facial plastic surgery as I do. I have studied it for many years and taken great care to provide the most effective advice I can for patients considering these kinds of procedures.” Eyelid lifts and brow lifts are two surgical procedures that can make a great difference for many patients in the way they feel about themselves and an eyelid rejuvenation can help improve the patient’s vision. An upper eyelid lift, known medically as a blepharoplasty, is where the surgeon removes excess tissue through a small incision which is hidden in the folds of the eyelid skin. It is often combined with an eyebrow lift to create a more natural looking result for patients. “These two procedures can be part of an overall skin care process for many patients,” says Dr. TerKonda. “With a lower eyelid lift only, we may need to do some skin tightening to smooth things out.” As a facial plastic surgeon, Dr. TerKonda feels he is able to create the best possible outcome for his patients and they see more natural looking results than those patients who might have these types of procedures done elsewhere. “One of the things I have to be aware of is that there are different facial and brow structures for men and women,” adds Dr. TerKonda. “Women’s brows have an arch while men have more of a straight line brow. Often those brow lifts that put too much of an arch in the brow make people look odd and it is not easily correctable.” Another procedure that will help people look refreshed and rejuvenated is a lower eyelid lift. The difference between these two procedures is that while the upper eyelid lift is a skin issue, when the lower lid area sags it is usually due to fat deposits. “When I do a lower lid lift, I make a small incision on the inside of the eye,” explains Dr. TerKonda. “This method is a safer way to remove those fat deposits in and around the lower lid and does not leave any scar.” Dr. TerKonda also says that there are ways to minimize the bruising and swelling that are often associated with facial surgery procedures. “Some of the things I do to help relieve (bruising and swelling) are to put patients on a course of anti-inflammatory vitamins prior to surgery and to use platelet-rich plasma in the incisions prior to closing the sutures. This really decreases bruising and helps speed the healing process.” Dr. TerKonda suggests that patients take off work for about a week to 10 days when they have any of these procedures done—even though the sutures can be removed in about three days. And then patients need to refrain from physical activities for about two weeks in order to allow everything to heal properly. Another precaution that Dr. TerKonda takes for patients having these procedures is to insist on a complete eye examination prior to the surgery. “It is important to make sure that patients have no other eye issues prior to doing any of these procedures,” stresses Dr. TerKonda. “We make sure they don’t suffer from anything like dry eye and I may order a visual field test to see how much visual obstruction patients may have from the drooping eyelids.” But most importantly to many patients, these procedures can all be done on an outpatient basis at a nearby day surgery center. Dr. Raj TerKonda’s office is located in Longmont Clinic at 1925 West Mountain View Avenue in Longmont, Colorado. To schedule a consultation with Dr. TerKonda, call their office at 720-494-3120 or visit their Web site at www.longmontclinic.com. |
Raj TerKonda, |
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