Amanda Bynes says undergoing blepharoplasty surgery was 'one of the best things.' What is it?
Amanda Bynes has revealed she underwent blepharoplasty surgery. What is that?
According to Mayo Clinic, blepharoplasty is a procedure that removes excess skin from the eyelids, potentially improving vision and making the eyes "look younger and more alert." Bynes, 37, shared in a TikTok last week that getting the surgery was "one of the greatest things I could have ever done."
"So I saw a couple of stories online that say I have a new look," she said. "I was never open about this before, but I actually had blepharoplasty surgery on the skin folds in the corner of my eyes, so I don't have those skin folds anymore."
"It was one of the best things I could have ever done for my self-confidence, and it made me feel a lot better in my skin," she continued. "So I just wanted to post about that, just to clear up that rumor, as to why I have a new look. I feel a lot better now about myself, and I'm so glad I had that blepharoplasty surgery."
What is blepharoplasty surgery?
According to Mayo Clinic, blepharoplasty is a procedure used to alleviate the following conditions: baggy or droopy upper eyelids, excess skin of the upper eyelids that partially blocks peripheral vision, excess skin on the lower eyelids and bags under the eyes.
For some who get the surgery, the results last a lifetime, but, for others, droopy eyelids recur, Mayo Clinic says.
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What are the risks of blepharoplasty surgery?
Eyelid surgery carries rare risks, Mayo Clinic says.
These include infection, bleeding, eye dryness, eye irritation, difficulty closing the eyes, scarring, eye muscle injury, skin discoloration, temporarily blurred vision and loss of eyesight.
Why Amanda Bynes' transparency should be applauded
By coming forward about her blepharoplasty surgery, Bynes is modeling transparency with the public, something experts say is essential for celebrities who do not wish to promote unrealistic body image expectations.
Bynes isn't the only public figure to embrace this ethos. Sia revealed she underwent a liposuction procedure; Kaley Cuoco was lauded for openly discussing her plastic surgeries; and Dolly Parton famously said "if something is bagging, sagging or dragging, I'll tuck it, suck it or pluck it."
"Many celebrities look good naturally, but many also have work done. And when they're not honest about it, I think they're being unethical because they're in the spotlight," Dr. Daniel Barrett, a plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, previously told USA TODAY.
"They ... have a moral obligation to be transparent about anything they've had done that helps them achieve a certain look," Barrett added, unlike ordinary people, who can benefit from and take advantage of keeping their body alterations private.
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The consequences of deceiving the public in this way can be detrimental and long-lasting, experts say, especially when it comes to people's mental health.
"The psychological pressure to meet societal beauty standards can be difficult to manage, especially because it can leave you feeling like you're never good enough," Naomi Torres-Mackie, a clinical psychologist and head of research at the Mental Health Coalition, previously told USA TODAY.
It can be tempting to compare yourself to seemingly perfect celebrities or influencers, but Torres-Mackie said it’s healthier to separate who you are from what you or others look like.
"In a culture where a lot of value is placed on appearance, it takes a lot of effort to distance yourself from that," she said. "Consider unfollowing social media accounts that leave you feeling bad. Be mindful as you scroll about which accounts leave you feeling good and which leave you second-guessing your own value. Unfollowing those is a way of practicing trigger elimination."
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Contributing: Katie Camero
