Sunday, January 23, 2011

Doc, Can You Make Me Look Good for the Chinese New Year (CNY)?

It is amazing how desperate some patients can be just before some major events or occasions. Last year, it was a beauty finalist who wanted double eyelids 5 days before the grand final and this time it was a young patient who wanted to have swelling-free and bruising-free double eyelids for the Chinese New Year (10 days from now). If I were to use the incisional method, the patient is likely to develop some bruising and swelling which may take more than 10 days to get better. I advised her to have the procedure after the CNY but she said she would have gone oversea to study by then. Sensing the desperation of the patient and not wanting to lose a good businss, I opted to perform the suture technique. The suture technique involve the placement of non-absorbable sutures to create double eyelid without removing any eyelid tissue. There are many methods of suture techniques for doubel eyelid but I chose the continuous type which has a lower faillure rate. The technique involves making small incisions along the skin crease to be formed and use a 6/0 non-absorable suture to tie the subcutaneous (below the skin) tissue to the tarsal plate (see picture below).

The patient only consented to her right eye being shown so as to remain anonymous.


The right eye before the procedure.

Markings done to mark the sites for suture placements.

Suture was passed to tie the subcutaneous tissue to
the tarsal plate.

During the procedure.

End of the procedure. Some puffiness from the local
anaesthesia and tissue swelling.

15 hours after the surgery. There was still some swelling but
no bruising. The swellling will subside over the next 4 days.

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