Why Choose Dr. Zenn?
Unparalleled Training
- Plastic Surgery Residency: Harvard / Massachusetts General Hospital
- Facial Surgery Fellowship: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
- General Surgery Residency: Cornell / NY Presbyterian Hospital
- Medical School: Cornell Medical College (Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society)
- Undergraduate: University of Pennsylvania (Phi Beta Kappa)
Extraordinary Experience
- Former Vice Chief, Full Professor, Duke Plastic Surgery
- Director of Duke Plastic Surgery Resident training for a decade
- Has performed thousands of complex facial surgeries over his 25-year career
- Recognized as a master surgeon by colleagues around the world
- Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery
What is Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)?
Eyelid surgery or Blepharoplasty is surgery to correct signs of aging in the eye area. Over time our eyes lose their youthful almond shape, lids begin to sag and develop excess skin, and wrinkles appear at the corners of the eyes (crow’s feet). Additionally, fat that normally supports the eye area may shrink and shift in location, leaving hollows above or creating eyelid bags below. Raleigh board-certified plastic surgeon Michael R. Zenn, M.D. performs eyelid surgery to correct these issues leaving you looking younger and refreshed!
Dr. Zenn’s Approach
Blepharoplasty surgery can correct signs of aging through a variety of techniques, depending on the cause of the problem. It may include the upper eyelids, lower eyelids, or both. Therefore, correctly diagnosing the problem is a crucial first step toward fixing it. Dr. Zenn’s extensive and unique experience with complex surgeries in the eye area, allow him to diagnose issues quickly and accurately.
Upon examination, Dr. Zenn may find that you have excess skin or fat tissue in the eye area that needs removal. Or, he may determine you have drooping eyelids or eyebrows that require a suspension or lift. And maybe he will find a loss of tissue (fat) around your eyes causing them to look hollow; this is best fixed with fat grafts. He may determine that you are not a surgical candidate (yet) and suggest Botox® and/or dermal fillers for improvement. Of course, patients often suffer from more than one of these conditions.
At times Dr. Zenn recommends that patients combine blepharoplasty surgery with other procedures for a more comprehensive aesthetic improvement. Often he will perform a browlift and eyelid surgery in the same surgical session. By elevating the eyebrows that droop over the eyelids, he can often open the eye area further which gives the patient a more youthful and rested appearance.
Your Blepharoplasty Consultation
During your initial consultation, we encourage you to openly share your aesthetic concerns. This is an unrushed opportunity to talk about what you like and dislike about the way your eyes look. It also gives you a chance to get to know Dr. Zenn.
Once Dr. Zenn learns about your health background and has a clear understanding of your goals and expectations, he will examine you to determine if eyelid surgery alone or in combination with other procedures is the right approach for your needs. After all, some patients are not ready for surgery and benefit from non-surgical treatments like Botox and the Juvéderm® family of facial fillers. These patients can have these treatments at the time of consultation if desired – with no downtime.
Following your exam Dr. Zenn will share his extensive gallery of before and after photos with you. In particular, he will show you past patients who had similar concerns to yours — and explain what he did to correct the problem.
Your personal treatment plan will be developed based on aesthetic evaluation, your desires, and the amount of downtime you have available for recovery. When you are ready to move forward, you will schedule your pre-operative appointment and surgery.
Your Eyelid Surgery Experience
All Zenn Plastic Surgery patients have surgery in accredited ambulatory surgery centers in the Raleigh – Durham – Wake Forest – Cary area. A board-certified anesthesiologist (MD) will administer anesthesia and provide you with additional medication so that you sleep through the procedure and awaken pain-free and comfortable.
During blepharoplasty surgery, Dr. Zenn will:
- Remove only the amount of excess skin and fat necessary to achieve a natural, refreshed appearance. Because if too much skin is removed, the eye may not close naturally (and everyone will be able to tell you had plastic surgery)
- Replenish lost fullness with facial fat transfer to fill the hollows above the eyes, smooth out bags below the eyes and/or fill in cheeks, all to give the face more youthful, shapely contours. Fat grafting is a game changer; it can make a huge difference in your final result and is often a missed opportunity for correction.
- Pro-actively tighten the eyelid by strengthening supporting structures of the eye. This advanced technique called a canthopexy will prevent the lower lid from being pulled down and the shape of the eye changing following surgery.
- Employ precision instruments to create small, very well-concealed incisions.
I have received so many compliments about how “radiant” I look!! If I could give 6 stars, I would! Sincere thanks to Dr. Zenn and his team.
Your Recovery from Blepharoplasty Surgery
Eyelid Surgery is outpatient and most patients leave the surgery center an hour after surgery.
While eyelid surgery is not painful, patients are advised to take it easy the first week post-surgery. Relaxing and applying ice packs ensures the least amount of swelling and bruising. Bruising, when present may last up to two weeks, so prevention is key. At that point, swelling is minimal and make up can be worn. Many patients choose to work from home during that second week if they do not want others to know they had a procedure.
You will see Dr. Zenn the day after surgery for your first post-op appointment. There will be another office visit at one week for removal of sutures. With most patients back to work at two weeks, follow up is generally for your “after” photos in two months. Of course, Dr. Zenn and his team are available for your questions or concerns at any time.