Claire’s Eyelid Surgery

Eyelid Surgery

Claire, an actress who makes her home hundreds of miles from Manhattan, lives life by her own agenda. An exercise enthusiast, she takes it upon herself to take care of her body. "What I can do for myself, I do. What I can't do, I can't."

That's why Claire elected to partner with Dr. Jacobs for facial plastic surgery. She can keep her figure looking young, but she knows very well that once facial skin begins to give up its elasticity and start to sag, there's not much the average person can do about it. Instead of spending money on expensive creams that aren't effective, Claire invests in working with Dr. Jacobs.

Catching Gravity

Several years ago, when she was around 50 years old, Claire began to feel she looked older than her age. She recalls that her eyelids were drooping and her forehead was creased. Referred by the wife of a dentist acquaintance, Claire decided to have a brow lift and eyelid surgery in New York with Dr. Jacobs. "I wanted to catch gravity before it went any further!" she says.

Claire was thrilled with the results of that procedure and very appreciative of what it accomplished for her physically and psychologically. Going through a divorce at the time of her surgery, she comments that while dating can be a "miserable experience" at times, "knowing you look the best you can is wonderful!" Claire says. "Feeling confident about my looks informs my life."

A Focus on Her Eyes

Claire pays special attention to the appearance of her eyes. "Working in theater, my eyes are my most important feature." Noticing the first signs of under eye bags recently, she decided to visit Dr. Jacobs again for a consultation. She ultimately opted for blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery, for her lower lids. "It was my decision," she says. "I asked if I should have more work on my upper lids too, and he said, 'Absolutely not.'"

Surgery and Post-Op

As she underwent another procedure with the Manhattan plastic surgeon, two things stood out to Claire. One was the surgical suite. "Everything is spotless, and everyone is scrubbed and ready to go. It's a completely sterile environment, and you are the only patient there." She prefers a surgical suite to a hospital setting. "You can pick up pathogens from sick people!" she laughs.

Claire is also a fan of intravenous sedation combined with local anesthesia, the method used by Dr. Jacobs and his team. She feels this is an advantage over general anesthesia for patients who are fearful of surgery. She points out how easily she became fully awake after surgery, without feeling any grogginess at all. "I had someone to drive me home, but to tell you the truth, I could have walked out of there and gotten right on the train."

Claire followed the instructions she was given prior to eyelid surgery, such as getting clearance from her ophthalmologist and preparing for recovery with cool eye masks and eye drops.

The post-op process has gone just as she was told it would. It's about three weeks after surgery now and the swelling is almost completely gone. She is very happy about the change she sees in the mirror. "Just a little bit of fine-tuning can make a huge difference."

Claire remains enthusiastic about the impact plastic surgery can have. "I'm in my mid-60's and I look ten years younger," she says. "Plastic surgery gave me a sense of freedom to be the best I can be."

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