A new survey shows that cosmetic surgery on drooping eyelids can improve quality of life.

The operation is called blepharoplasty. It repairs drooping eyelids by removing extra fat, skin and muscle, which can accumulate with age. Having eyelids like this can also impair vision.

Researchers questioned 26 adults who were undergoing cosmetic surgery on their upper and lower eyelids.

They learned that all of the patients were having this procedure done to improve not just their appearance but also their self-esteem – and that it worked. This suggests that among older patients, eyelid surgery can be one of the most effective procedures to make them feel good about their looks.

Actor and singer David Hasselhoff was rushed to the hospital on Sunday amid rumors than he was suffering from alcohol poisoning. But, his reps insist that a medication mix-up, not an excess of booze, was the reason paramedics were called into action.

Early rumors had abounded that Hasselhoff needed a doctor’s care after a session of heavy drinking at home. But Hasselhoff representatives told Entertainment Tonight that he became ill when his ear infection medication, Antivert, and his medication to keep him from drinking, Antabuse, didn’t agree with one another. The combination reportedly affected the actor’s equilibrium and made him feel ill.

Although the true cause of the Hoff’s off-balance behavior is still in question, the incident echoes the 2007 controversy where daughter Hayley Hasselhoff videotaped her dad while drunk and sprawled on the floor, eating a Wendy’s hamburger. She later launched the footage online as a way to shame him into curbing his drinking.

Hasselhoff’s struggle with the bottle has been public knowledge for some time, and may be linked to his decision to have eyelid surgery. In 2008, the America’s Got Talent judge reportedly underwent a procedure to remove something from his eye. But, industry insiders speculated whether the Hoff was really seeing a plastic surgeon to correct a sagging appearance around his eyelids – an operation known as a blepharoplasty. During the surgery, the doctor removes sagging skin and extra fat from the lower and upper eyelids, thus reversing signs of aging.

Since alcohol abuse is known to cause a puffy look around the eyes, the actor may have chosen cosmetic surgery to dodge the ravages of time — and evidence of hangovers. But, the rumors were never confirmed, and it’s possibly that Hasselhoff had surgery for purely medical reasons.

Although the Baywatch legend never discussed the details of his procedure, he was seen with a bandage on one eye for a few days after visiting the doc. But, unless his daughter has it on tape, fans will have to speculate about the real reason he went under the knife.

Paula Abdul’s announcement this summer that she would not be returning to American Idol left fans in a tizzy. But, it wasn’t long before buzz began that Abdul would be back on prime time in a recurring role on Ugly Betty. Unfortunately for Paula, the gig went to statuesque actress Kristen Johnson, best known for her role as Sally Solomon on 3rd Rock from the Sun.

Still, all hope is not lost. Earlier this month, multiple media outlets reported the rumor that Abdul was slated to join the judging panel on So You Think You Can Dance. Nothing is set in stone yet, but host Cat Deeley told The Sun, “I would love to have her with us, every time I’ve met Paula she’s been incredibly friendly and fun.”

If she does join the show, she may be able to pick up some beauty tips from the lovably daft Mary Murphy, who last season shocked and amused viewers by admitting she used too much Botox to move her eyebrows.

Many believe Abdul is no stranger to the plastic surgeon’s office, as well, and is definitely an avid supporter of Hollywood’s anti-wrinkle campaign. (Paula denies all accusations, and was quoted proclaiming, “Check behind my ears! I haven’t had one ounce of work done, contrary to what every plastic surgeon may believe.”)

Coincidentally, several plastic surgeons do believe Paula has gone under the knife once or twiceor more.

In his celebrity plastic surgery blog, Dr. Anthony Youn writes, “I see two major plastic surgery possibilities. First, her nose looks thinner and shorter, possibly due to a rhinoplasty. Second, her eyebrows appear to have that arched ‘Botox Brow’ look.”

In a feature on MakeMeHeal.com, Dr. Sherrell Aston concurred, noting, “I agree Paula Abdul appears to have had a rhinoplasty, upper and lower lid blepharoplasty, and breast augmentation. Her jaw line contour is very good for [her] age so it is possible she has had a short incision facelift…. She is pretty smooth between the eyebrows so I suspect a little Botox and she may have had subtle fillers.”

Regardless of whether she has had any recent work done, the multitalented Ms. Abdul still looks stunning, and will undoubtely stay in the public eye for some time. Fans will just have to wait a little longer for final details of Paula’s imminent return to prime time.

The stage musical version of the hit film 9 to 5 will be closing on Broadway next month, due to a disappointing run at the box office and mixed reviews. With music and lyrics by the iconic Dolly Parton, the musical was expected to break all the records, and become Broadway’s next Hairspray.

Many wonder whether the new Doralee Rhodes, Parton’s popular character played by Megan Hilty in the musical, didn’t live up to the legendary lady. Hilty, who previously starred in Wicked, doesn’t have the over-the-top, southern belle, bodacious Dolly-look. Was that the reason for 9 to 5′s demise? Can there be a 9 to 5 without the lovable legend? Obviously not.

Maybe Megan didn’t look enough like Dolly, but few could. The Steel Magnolias sweetheart is known for her big hair, tiny waist, short height, and of course, her ample chest. (Rumor has it, Ms. Parton actually has two implants stacked on top of each other in each breast.)

Dolly celebrated her 63^rd birthday this year, but with some help from her surgeon, she has continued to maintain her Country glam look without showing her age. Plastic surgeon Dr. Anthony Youn speculated in his celebrity blog that Ms. Parton has had a facelift, upper and lower blepharoplasty, rhinoplasty, browlift, fat grafting to the face, Botox, Restylane and chemical peels, jokingly adding, “…but who’s counting?”

Dolly is refreshingly open about her cosmetic surgery beliefs. “Ain’t nothing I can do about the numbers but there’s plenty I can do about how I look,” she told Ladies Home Journal last year. “And how I act… If somebody asks me point-blank, ‘Have you had plastic surgery?’ It’s like, well, duh. I never talk about it unless someone asks me. But I don’t want to lie about it.”

Although the musical is a bust, Dolly continues to thrill fans, thanks to her unfailingly positive attitude, enduring musical talent and iconic look. What a way to make a livin’, indeed.

Blepharoplasty – or eyelid surgery – is the MOST popular surgical cosmetic procedure in Asia. And the patients driving the trend are actually young girls – often of school age — who are opting to have a crease surgically added to the eyelids to minimize the typical ethnic look of Asian eyes.

Now, a University of Hawaii professor has published a report warning that failure by cosmetic surgeons to take ethnic differences in eyelid size into account can cause undesirable surgical outcomes.

Around the world, wide, sparkling eyes are considered ideal by millions of women. Yet while people’s actual eyeballs are more or less the same size across the globe, their eyelids are not.

According to a report published in The Asian Journal of Ophthalmology, the typical Asian eyelid is 7.49 millimeters, while the eyelid of a typical European descendant measures 10 millimeters.

This extra length creates a double crease in the upper eyelid, and allows the lid to fold over itself when opened, revealing more of the eye and producing the “wide-eyed” look typical of Caucasians.

The shorter eyelids of people in the Far East lack this crease, making the eyes look comparatively smaller.

The University of Hawaii’s Dr. Jorge Camara, says that more and more Asian patients are being subjected to eyelid surgery based on typical European eyelid measurements, which can result in their new eyelid creases placed too high, giving the patient a look of permanent surprise. Corrective surgery is necessary to repair such damage.

Of course, many Asians have no desire to modify their ethnic look, and members of certain ethnic Asian advocacy groups argue against cosmetic blepharoplasty on principle. Nevertheless, the demand for eyelid surgery shows no signs of letting up, and some surgeons recommend that people considering cosmetic eyelid surgery use tape or a fine  marker to show their plastic surgeon exactly where the crease on their eyelid should be.

Facial surgery can refer to one of many procedures that involve surgical reshaping of the facial features. One of the most common surgical procedures is a rhinoplasty, or a nose job. Face lifts or partial face lifts are also popular, especially among aging individuals who want to restore the youthfulness of their appearance.

Rhinoplasty

Also called a nose job or nose surgery, rhinoplasty  is a common solution for patients who are bothered by the appearance of their nose, whether their nose is too large or is awkwardly shaped, as well as for patients who suffer from breathing problems caused by the size or shape of the nasal passages. Rhinoplasty reshapes the bone and cartilages of the nose to enhance its appearance or to improve one’s breathing.

Rejuvenation
Rejuvenation is set of sub-procedures that can be performed to improve the appearance of sagging skin, wrinkles, and other signs of aging, as well as to repair facial appearance after injury and reduce scarring.  Procedures can include:
Face lift – Also called rhytidectomy, this procedure is used for minimizing signs of aging in the face and neck.
Brow lift – Known by other terms such as browplasty and forehead lift, the procedure is used for erasing prominent worry lines across the forehead and raising drooping eyebrows.

Eyelid lift – This procedure, which is also known as blepharoplasty, can correct eyelids that are drooping and can eliminate eye bags or puffiness under the eyes.

Skin peeling – Although performed by a surgeon, this procedure is non-surgical treatment used to treat wrinkles on the face using chemicals.

Ear surgery – Called an otoplasty; ear surgery is used to correct prominent or malformed ears, often in children.
Facial surgery can be a realistic option for many people who wish to repair or restore their facial appearance. With so many options available in facial surgery, it is prudent to seek advice from a specialist who is an expert in the field to understand all the possible results and risks of facial surgery.

Upper and Lower Blepharoplasty

Upper eyelid blepharoplasty can be done both to improve one’s vision or for cosmetic purposes.  Lower eyelid blepharoplasty is always done for cosmetic reasons, since it improves the physical appearance of the eyes by removing the “eye bags” and reduces the wrinkling of the skin in the area.

Post Surgery
After the surgery, most patients will experience bruising and swelling that lasts about seven to ten days. Patients should have ample time to rest their eyes and should avoid wearing eye makeup and contact lenses during the recovery period.

Risks and Complications
After a blepharoplasty , certain complications may arise which. Although risks and complications are rare for the blepharoplasty procedure, it is still advisable to be aware of possible complications.  Complications can include bleeding and infection, abnormal folding of the eyelid skin, and abnormal discoloration. Patients may also experience an inability to fully close their eyes after the procedure.  All side effects should be immediately reported to your doctor.

Non-Surgical Blepharoplasty
Patients have the option of having injectable fillers like Juvederm or Restylane to replace volume in the area between the lower eyelid and the cheek to replace the fat from this area that has moved or sunk with age. As newer, longer lasting fillers become available, non-surgical alternatives to blepharoplasty are now possible.  Non-surgical blepharoplasty takes about ten minutes, is relatively painless, and causes little to no bruising. The effects of non-surgical blepharoplasty can last around 18 months. After the procedure it is common to have swelling or bumpiness below the eye.

Although a doctor may suggest the blepharoplasty for a variety of important reasons, it is critical to understand the expected aesthetic and functional enhancements as well as the possible risks of blepharoplasty surgery.  Depending on your reasons and desired expectations, you should also be aware of non-surgical alternatives to traditional blepharoplasty that may enable you to enhance the appearance of your eyes without a surgical procedure.