Sharon

Client: Sharon

Procedure: Upper and Lower Blepharoplasty

‘That first week or so after the surgery I was just SO excited, so happy that I had gone ahead and finally done it!  Finally after all these years I was without my eye bags. I couldn’t stop smiling, I felt like I was on a high!’

Background

Sharon is 49 and came to Aria Medical Group with the desire to have the loose skin under her eyes removed.

‘Since I was about 16 years old I have had these bags. I think it is hereditary in my family’ explains Sharon.

‘I’ve been conscious of them since I was a teenager, so having this procedure has meant so much to me. I have lived with the issue my whole adult life. I still remember how when I was young someone was cruel and said I had ‘suitcases’ under my eyes, not bags! That has lived with me all these years.

‘People would comment on how tired I looked, yet I felt fine!  It was just the loose skin under my eyes that made my face look older and more tired than it really was.

‘When I moved to Spain I became a weight-loss and diet consultant for a leading company and I managed to lose over 12 kilos and I was really pleased with the way I looked and felt. Yet I still had the bags under my eyes, so it just seemed to me to be the right time to go ahead and have the procedure.

Consultation

So I decided to make the first move and book a consultation. I asked friends for recommendations of cosmetic surgeons; I felt that since I was having cosmetic surgery on my face it had to be a success. There would be no way of hiding a problem, so I wanted to feel good about who I chose. The recommendations led back to Dr. Marco Vricella, at Aria Medical Group.

During the consultation with Dr. Vricella I discussed what I wanted and asked about the procedure. He examined me and suggested I also consider an upper blepharoplasty as well. If I had the two procedures at the same time it would be better value and the result would be better. It didn’t feel like a sales pitch, it just made me think that yes, my loose skin above my eyes also needed to be sorted.

‘The whole experience of the consultation was excellent. It really helped me that Louise Truelove, the chief patient care coordinator had also had a blepharoplasty a few years before, so she was able to show me her before and after photos and also talk to me about her first-hand experience.

‘Tanya the nurse was also friendly and helpful and Dr. Marco Vricella is a really professional doctor – all together I just felt confident and happy to go ahead.

The Procedure

‘As I was having both an upper and lower blepharoplasty, I had a general aesthetic. Dr. Vricella advised me that it would not be possible to get rid of 100% of the loose skin of the lower bags, without giving me a very unnatural result, as otherwise there is a risk that with the skin pulled too tight the shape of the eyes can change slightly. So I was really pleased he considered this and wanted to give me a natural, healthy looking result.

Aftercare

‘I really felt looked after throughout. For example, I had my op at 10 am and then later that day at 9pm Dr Vricella visited me in my private room to check everything was alright. I felt that Aria Medical’s aftercare was amazing. Louise and Tanya were also always available.

I’m talking about this procedure now, only 3 weeks after the surgery, and already the results are amazing. I didn’t really bruise, but I did follow all the advice about keeping ice packs on the area and dabbing a special cream on the bruises etc. I think that all really helped.

‘The small stiches were covered with plasters, so I could open and close my eyes as normal and see normally.

‘And what’s more I didn’t really feel any pain. The night after the surgery, when I was in the private hospital I did have an intravenous painkiller and then the next day Tanya the nurse offered advice for my own aftercare and pain relief.

‘So I tried to take it easy; I didn’t drive for a while and I planned the operation for when I could take time off for a week. But overall I didn’t really feel any significant discomfort.

‘Now I just have to have another check up in a few weeks’ time and then again in a few months.

Results

‘It actually took a week before I could see the initial results. I had to wait for the plasters to be removed and the stitches taken out. I have to say the worse part of the procedure was my concern about the pain of having the stitches out! I was really worried about it.

‘Yet Tanya the nurse understood the concerns and really took it slowly so I didn’t have any pain.

‘Then she handed me a mirror so I could take a look, I just felt ‘wow’; it was fabulous, I was so happy with the results!

‘Then the scars were covered with healing tape for a few days. From then on I was able to wear light make-up and carry on as normal.

‘That first week or so after the surgery I was just SO excited, so happy that I had go ahead and finally done it.  Finally after all these years I was without my eye bags.  I couldn’t stop smiling, I felt like I was on a high!

‘This op was just so important for me. It was not about a superficial desire to be prettier. I just wanted to rid myself of those eye bags which I had lived with all my adult life.

Now, a few weeks later I think the results are amazing. The incision scar now is just a small, fine line which will reduce even more with time.

As a woman about to be 50 I think the result looks really natural, my face doesn’t look fake. My eyes look the same, but  my face looks healthier and not tired anymore.

So I have to say I am thrilled with the results.

I am so happy that I have been sharing my after photos and experience on Facebook with my friends and family and the response has been amazing. Many woman have messaged me privately to find out more as they are so impressed.

Although friends and family would be polite before, and say I didn’t need surgery, but now everyone agrees that the results are amazing and I really look better for it.

I am personally full of confidence – it’s the best thing I have done for myself.

The whole experience from start to finish has been brilliant; I just can’t praise Aria Medical Group and Dr. Marco Vricella and his team enough.

I am also so happy that I went ahead with the upper blepharoplasty as well – it was the best advice.