Self-esteem in patients undergoing blepharoplasty

Background: The eyes are important anatomical structures in the aesthetic whole of the face. A person’s gaze communicates aspects of their personality and feelings. This study evaluated the effect of blepharoplasty on the patients’ self-esteem. Methods: From May 2006 to April 2007, 49 female patients aged 30 to 40 years (mean, 34 years) were subjec ted to blepharoplasty. In the upper eyelids, we excised excess skin and resected excess adipose tissue around the orbit (“fat pockets”) in all patients. In 24 and 25 patients, closure with Dermabond® (2-octyl cyanoacrylate) and intradermic suturing with mononylon 6-0, respectively, was performed. In the lower eyelids, we performed lower transconjunctival blepharoplasty without resecting excess skin in 25 patients and lower transconjunctival blepharoplasty with myocutaneous flap in 24 patients. In all the lower eyelids, we resected the excess fat of the adipose body of the orbit. To evaluate the effect of blepharoplasty on the patients’ self-esteem, we applied the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale before and at 30 and 90 days after the operation. Statistical analyses were performed by applying analysis of variance (ANOVA), Bonferroni correction, and Pearson’s linear correlation coefficient. Results: The mean score in the self-esteem scale changed from 7.0 before the operation to 4.72 and 4.63 after 30 and 90 days of the operation, respectively. Conclusions: We observed an improvement in self-esteem after blepharoplasty, but this improvement was only statistically significant in the group subjected to upper blepharoplasty with Dermabond® closure and lower blepharoplasty with myocutaneous flap.