The Eyelid Expert - Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian
The delicate eyelid skin is prone to the process of aging and often defines the contour of the upper face. The cumulative effects of aging, sun exposure, and genetics can make the eyelids heavy and wrinkled, giving adult men or women the appearance of tiredness and age. Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian is considered the eyelid expert, having developed a unique technique for eyelid rejuvenation known as the Foxtail Eyelid Lift. This meticulous procedure rejuvenates and dramatically improves eyelid hooding and heaviness, allowing the tail end of the eyelids to lift up and contour the eyes. Dr. Karamanoukian's genuine expertise in eyelid plastic surgery, coupled with his discerning approach to beauty make him among the most sought after eyelid lift specialists in Los Angeles.
Realself100 Surgeon Dr. Karamanoukian
Our surgeon exclusively performs the Foxtail™ Eyelid Lift, a minimally-invasive cosmetic procedure that rejuvenates the eyes by removing excess eyelid hooding and recontouring the eyelids. The procedure is meticulously performed under local anesthesia. The goal of a Foxtail™ blepharoplasty is to reduce the heaviness of the upper eyelids and achieve a more youthful cosmetic appearance.
What Is An Eyelid Lift?
In medical terms, an eyelid lift is known as a blepharoplasty. Experienced plastic surgeons will tell you, though, that not all eyelid lifts are the same. Dr. Karamanoukian, a double board-certified plastic surgeon, developed a modification of the traditional eyelid lift and performs this procedure, The Foxtail™ Eyelid Lift, exclusively. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia and functions to remove excess skin and improve droopy or sunken eyelids. The Foxtail™ Eyelid Lift is unique in that it also focuses on the lateral tail of the eyelids, thus lifting them and enhancing the appearance of the eyes and eyebrow relationship. As a board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Karamanoukian is uniquely trained and experienced in the art of eyelid rejuvenation, having performed countless procedures in countries all over the world. His approach is truly unmatched, and can help you achieve a youthful, beautiful, and natural look with minimal surgery.
Foxtail™ Eyelid Lift
We recommend that you prepare for your eyelid procedure at least one week prior to surgery with a healthy protein-rich diet, Vitamin C 500 mg daily supplementation, and Collagen supplements. On the day of your procedure, you will review the risks and benefits of the procedure and visualize the surgical markings prior to surgery. Incisions are all made in the tarsal crease and lateral eyelid skin to minimize the visibility of an upper blepharoplasty lift. Once surgery is complete, you will be encouraged to apply ice-packs onto the area followed by avoidance of strenuous activity. Try your best to sleep upright and avoid pressure on the eyelids when sleeping or reclining. You may actively engage in work duties and daily activities within 48 hours of your procedure, but expect bruising and swelling for at least 5 days.
Facial asymmetry is an common occurrence in almost everyone, so it is not uncommon to have eyebrow position and eyelid hooding different on the right and left. Dr. Karamanoukian will take that into account when planning your blepharoplasty procedure, as the biometrics may dictate that different amounts of skin may be removed on either side. This will be more noticeable in the weeks following your procedure as there may be different amounts of swelling on either side. Within a few weeks, your eyelids and eyebrows will balance out and become more symmetric.
Suture removal will likely be scheduled within 7-10 days after your procedure. Dr. Karamanoukian will use a combination of absorbable and non-absorbable sutures, depending on the severity of the hooding.
Recovery after an Eyelid Lift?
The eyelids play an important role in the functioning and health of your eyes. After your eyelid lift, you may experience some mild bruising and swelling in the upper and lower eyelids. Most of our patients return to normal function within 24 hours, provided they are not socially-concerned about the bruising and swelling. It is important to use Plato’s Bruise Balm as often as possible to reduce the resolution time of the bruising. Driving is permitted within 48 hours of your procedure and makeup can be applied to the incision sites within a few days. The swelling may travel to the upper cheeks and ice-packs are recommended for the first few days, followed by lymphatic massage to reduce the swelling. It is vitally important to keep in close contact with our office so that we can advise you on the appropriate aftercare for eyelid blepharoplasty scars.
About Dr. Karamanoukian
Dr. Karamanoukian is a surgical perfectionist when it comes to the Foxtail™ Eyelid Lift. It’s important to choose a board-certified surgeon who is experienced in both eyelid blepharoplasty and revision blepharoplasty. Dr. Karamanoukian is an active expert on Realself in the topic of blepharoplasty techniques and teaches his approach to visiting plastic surgeons from around the world. As a specialist in eyelid rejuvenation, Dr. Karamanoukian employs the latest techniques in blepharoplasty surgery. Schedule a consultation today to discuss the Foxtail™ Eyelid Lift with Dr. Karamanoukian at Kare Plastic Surgery in Santa Monica. We will help you decide on the best surgical option for your rejuvenative goals.
Schedule a Consultation with Dr. Karamanoukian
Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian is a double-board certified plastic surgeon and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He is an expert surgeon in eyelid rejuvenation and performs the Foxtail™Eyelid Lift, Browlift, and Facelift with meticulous attention to detail. Our office is the leading center for eyelid rejuvenation in Los Angeles and we can help you combine your surgical treatment with non-invasive laser options including Morpheus8, Thermage, Ultherapy, Fractional laser, and Exilis to further enhance your results. Schedule a consultation today.
Non-Surgical Eyelid Rejuvenation
Not everyone is a candidate for surgical eyelid lifts. As such, Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian has non-surgical eyelid lift protocols available at Kare Plastic Surgery in Santa Monica to help reduce fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes without surgery. The process uses either fractional laser resurfacing of the skin or nano-fractional RF treatments to tighten upper and lower eyelid skin. These treatments can be used as an alternative to an eyelid surgery, or can enhance the results of a blepharoplasty.
Morpheus8
Morpheus8 Tissue Tightening is a game-changing advancement in subdermal cosmetic rejuvenation. The technology uses RF radiofrequency energy to stimulate skin and soft tissue tightening in the face. Areas of concern are treated with micro-pin RF to stimulate collagen and elastin contraction, reduction in wrinkles, and tissue tightening. In our office, we have found the Morpheus to be a stellar treatment for non-surgical tightening of the brows, eyelids, neck, and jawline. Treatments take approximately one hour to perform and have minimal downtime. Patients can benefit from full facial tightening, or spot tightening to the eyelids or eyebrows.
During your consultation, Dr. Karamanoukian may also discuss whether Morpheus8 skin tightening and PRP can be combined with your eyelid procedure to enhance results. PRP is a platelet-derived treatment that utilizes your own body's growth factor to harness natural healing and tissue perfusion. When used in combination with Morpheus8, PRP can help build additional collagen and elastin. The clinical team may also use the combination of treatments to improve skin quality and tone. Morpheus8 can be applied to the skin to reduce fine wrinkles, improve skin quality, and tighten loose skin.
Fractional laser resurfacing is ideal for patients who have excessive looseness and fine wrinkles on the eyelids. The fractionally-ablative laser stimulates collagen contraction and stimulation, thereby reducing the fine wrinkles and inducing contraction of the skin.
Dr. Karamanoukian is also pleased to introduce Nano-fractional RF to help tighten lower eyelid skin tone. RF energy can stimulate collagen contraction and thus tighten lower eyelid skin.