Eyelid surgery, or blepharoplasty, is designed to remove excess skin, muscle, and fat to improve the appearance of the eyes. Bright, open eyes convey alertness, vigor and youth.

Droopy eyelids can make you look older and can also impair vision. Blepharoplasty corrects these problems and also removes puffiness and bags under the eyes that make you look worn and tired. This procedure cannot alter dark circles, fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes, nor can it change sagging eyebrows.

As the face ages, certain characteristic changes occur. The skin loosens and some of the youthful fat descends and shrinks. The face begins to take on a more rectangular appearance as jowls develop and the skin under the neck sags. Fine forehead lines become creases which gradually become deeper folds. Beneath the chin, another chin or vertical folds appear at the front of the neck. Personal habits, heredity, the effect of gravity, and sun exposure can contribute to the aging of the face.

The effects of aging are inevitable, and, often, the brow and forehead are one of the areas that show the first signs. The skin begins to lose its elasticity. The pull of gravity and strong muscles around the eye also affect the face, resulting in frown lines, wrinkling across the forehead, and an increasing heaviness of the eyebrow region. Even people in their thirties may have faces that look older than their years.

A well defined chin helps give balance to the face and creates a major part of one's profile. When people look in the mirror, most focus on the size and shape of their noses, their ears, sagging jowls, or fine wrinkling of the skin. But even though few examine their chins with the same discerning eye, having a "weak chin" is certainly not an asset. Dr. Honrado may suggest that changes in chin size or shape may enhance a profile as much as rhinoplasty. Fortunately, this is a relatively straightforward procedure that can make a major difference.

Probably no other physical characteristic cries out for facial plastic surgery more than ears that protrude. Children, long the victims of cruel nicknames like "Dumbo" or "Mickey Mouse," are the most likely candidates for otoplasty, but this surgery can be performed at any age after the ears have reached full size, which is usually around five to six years of age. Even if the ears are only mildly distorted, the condition can lead to self-consciousness and poor adaptation to school. When it comes to otoplasty, conventional wisdom is the earlier the better.

Most people are self-conscious about facial scars. When the skin is healing from an injury, whether the result of an accident, surgery, a burn, or acne, scarring will occur wherever multiple layers of the skin have been affected. You may also experience diminished functioning of the eyes, mouth, or nose due to scarring. Once a scar forms, it is permanent but Dr. Honrado may be able to make it less visible or relocate it surgically.