Erase Eye Bags & Droopy Lids
Often, the eyes are among the first facial features to show signs of aging. Why not fix them first? Did you know that cosmetic eyelid surgery, known as blepharoplasty, is one of the most frequently performed procedures for men and women alike, and is usually the first choice for those who want to look younger? Under-eye bags and droopy eyelids can make anyone appear older and more tired than they truly are. These cosmetic concerns can often be relatively simple to aesthetically address, so open your eyes and look more youthful with an eyelid lift.
Quick Facts About Blepharoplasty
Key Benefits: Eyelid surgery can rejuvenate the eyes by removing excess skin and fat, smoothing puffiness and under-eye bags, and creating a more youthful, refreshed appearance.
Potential Candidates: Ideal candidates are often men and women experiencing signs of aging around the eyes, such as sagging skin, hooded upper lids, or under-eye bags.
Procedure Details: This outpatient procedure involves carefully placed incisions, typically hidden within natural creases or inside the eyelid, to remove or reposition fat, tighten skin, and produce a more revitalized look.
Recovery Timeline: Recovery generally involves one to two weeks of downtime, with mild bruising and swelling that gradually improve as healing progresses.
What Are the Benefits of Eyelid Lift Surgery?
Cosmetic eyelid surgery can create a more youthful look by removing, lifting, and smoothing excess skin and fat from the upper and lower eyelids. Experience and award-winning board-certified plastic surgeon Christine Petti, MD can perform this procedure on the upper eyelids, lower eyelids, or both, depending upon your unique needs and cosmetic goals. Dr. Petti’s goal with eyelid surgery, medically known as blepharoplasty, is to achieve a result where the eyes look bright and soft.
Eyelid lift surgery offers many aesthetic improvements and advantages for patients with concerns about the appearance of aging eyes, including:
- Removal and sculpting of fat deposits which cause the appearance of puffy lids or heavy bags around the eyes.
- Removal of excess skin that contributes to sagging upper lids and under-eye bags.
- CO2 laser and radiofrequency (RF) microneedling skin tightening to reveal youthful and smooth upper and lower eyelid contours.
- Well-hidden incisions along the natural crease of the upper lid. For the lower lid, Dr. Petti places the scar inside the conjunctiva, leaving no visible external lower eyelid scar.
- Direct brow lift can be combined with the upper eyelid lift, and be performed through the incision in the natural upper eyelid skin fold, so no extra incisions are needed in the eyebrow, forehead, or scalp.
Eyelid lift surgery can be performed on its own or in conjunction with other facial procedures, if more extensive rejuvenation is desired. Dr. Petti commonly performs eyelid lift as a complement to brow lift and facelift surgeries. Application of injectable dermal fillers and wrinkle relaxers can also help create smoother, more youthful-looking eyes for patients with crow’s feet, vertical creases between the brows, and under-eye hollows.
Am I a Candidate for Eyelid Lift Surgery?
Men and women who have noticed visible signs of aging around the eyes may potentially be good candidates for eyelid lift surgery. Patients bothered by loose skin above the eyes, hooded upper eyelids, loss of upper eyelid contour, and bags beneath the eyes may be good candidates and experience the aesthetic benefits of blepharoplasty.
If eyelid surgery is not a viable option, Dr. Petti may suggest alternative treatments that can accomplish your goals. Only a personal consultation with Dr. Petti can assess if you are a good candidate for eyelid lift. During your customized consultation, she will perform a thorough exam and medical history review to determine whether an eyelid lift is right for you.
Dr. Petti’s goal with eyelid surgery is to achieve a result where the eyes look bright and soft.
What Happens During the Eyelid Lift Procedure?
Dr. Petti’s surgical skill and keen aesthetic instincts allow her to perform this delicate procedure with exacting precision. Typically, when combined in one operation, upper and lower blepharoplasty can be performed as an outpatient procedure under local anesthesia with sedation or general anesthesia.
Upper eyelift can be performed alone or combined with a direct eyebrow lift through the natural upper eyelid skin fold under local anesthesia as an office procedure with oral medications and lidocaine anesthesia.
If you are having an upper eyelid lift, the procedure begins with an incision along the natural eyelid crease. Through this incision, Dr. Petti can remove fat deposits, recontour fat, and tighten the skin. Next, she removes the appropriate amount of excess skin to achieve a smooth, natural-looking result that is not overly tight. Finally, she closes the incisions with tiny sutures. For the lower eyelids, Dr. Petti hides the incision in the lower conjunctiva (pink mucosal inner lining) of the lower eyelid. Without the use of a visible external scar, she can access, remove, and relocate fat deposits through this incision. No sutures are used for closure of the transconjuctival lower eyelid incision.
Following the eyelid surgery, the eyelid skin is tightened with laser resurfacing and/or RF microneedling, as indicated. Cool iced gauze and small bags of frozen peas are applied to the eyelids to complete the procedure.
What About Recovery After an Eyelid Lift?
The precise length of your recovery after an eyelid lift will depend on the extent of your procedure and your natural healing capabilities; however, typically Dr. Petti’s patients require about one to two weeks of rest before returning to work and other regular activities. Mild bruising and swelling are common and tend to dissipate quickly as you heal. Before your surgery, Dr. Petti will thoroughly discuss proper post-operative care and what you can expect to experience following your procedure.
How Noticeable Are the Results of Eyelid Lift Surgery?
Over the course of her career, Dr. Petti’s patients are thrilled with their results—brighter, energized, smoother, and naturally vibrant eyes as the result of her eyelid lift surgical techniques. Her careful and customized approach to eyelid lift helps create soft, natural-looking results that appear symmetrical and balanced.
Many patients feel that they look years younger and often receive compliments from friends and family about how refreshed and rejuvenated they look. For those interested in examining actual results, we encourage you to explore eyelid lift before-and-after photos featuring Dr. Petti’s patients.
How Long Do Eyelid Lift Results Last?
When performed by an experienced plastic surgeon like Dr. Petti, blepharoplasty results can be long-lasting, with many patients enjoying a refreshed appearance for 10 years or more. Upper eyelid surgery usually yields especially enduring results, though natural aging will continue over time. Lower eyelid surgery, which targets puffiness and under-eye bags, can also provide lasting improvement, but factors such as sun exposure, stress, and skin care can influence how smooth the lower eyelid skin remains as time progresses.
While this procedure doesn’t stop the aging process, it can create a rejuvenating transformation. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, routine use of sun protection, and consistent medical skin care regimens can help extend your results. In the majority of Dr. Petti’s patients, her non-surgical treatments such as BOTOX® Cosmetic, Sculptra Aesthetic® biostimulant/volumizer, dermal fillers, such as Restylane® HA gel, Eyelight, CO2 laser resurfacing with CoolPeel®, Tetra Peel, and Vivace Ultra™ RF microneedling, may be recommended later to maintain a more youthful look without additional surgery.
What procedures can complement an eyelid lift?
Several procedures can complement an eyelid lift to enhance overall facial rejuvenation. A brow lift is often performed alongside upper eyelid surgery to elevate drooping eyebrows and smooth forehead wrinkles, creating a more open and refreshed look. Facelift or neck lift surgery can address sagging skin and deeper folds in the lower face and neck for more comprehensive results. BOTOX® Cosmetic and Dysport® neurotoxins are used to soften dynamic motion related lines of the face. Dermal fillers, such as JUVÉDERM® and Restylane® and biostimulants like Sculptra Aesthetic®, help reduce static lines, restore volume, and refine facial contours. Additionally, non-surgical treatments like CoolPeel® and Tetra CO2 laser skin resurfacing or Vivace Ultra™ RF microneedling may also be recommended as a single treatment or in combination to improve skin texture and tone.
Combining these treatments with eyelid surgery can produce more balanced, youthful, and longer lasting results. Dr. Petti can help determine the best combination of procedures based on your aesthetic goals and facial anatomy.
Choosing an Eyelid Surgery Plastic Surgeon
Choosing the right plastic surgeon for eyelid surgery is just as important as understanding the cost. Patients should look for a board-certified plastic surgeon with extensive experience in facial procedures, particularly blepharoplasty. Reviewing before-and-after photos, reading patient testimonials, and ensuring the surgeon has a strong track record of natural-looking results can help guide your decision. It’s also essential to feel comfortable during your consultation. Your surgeon should take the time to understand your concerns, explain your options clearly, and discuss potential risks and outcomes. Prioritizing qualifications, experience, and communication can help ensure a safe procedure and satisfying results.
How Much Does Eyelid Surgery Cost
The cost of blepharoplasty can vary depending on several factors, including:
- The complexity of the procedure
- Whether the upper eyelids, lower eyelids, or both are being treated, and the geographic location of the practice.
- Anesthesia and facility fees
- Post-operative care
Since every patient’s needs and goals are unique, the most accurate way to determine the cost is through a personalized consultation, where a customized treatment plan can be created.
For qualified applicants, we offer financing options to help make payments more manageable.
Additional Eyelid Lift Frequently Asked Questions
Can eyelid surgery improve my vision?
Yes, eyelid surgery—particularly upper eyelid blepharoplasty—can improve vision in certain cases. When drooping skin on the upper eyelids obstructs the visual field, it can make daily activities like reading or driving more difficult. By lifting the eyelids and removing the obstruction, this procedure can restore a clearer line of sight and help reduce eye strain.
How can I manage swelling during the healing process?
To manage swelling after blepharoplasty, apply cold compresses during the first 48 hours and keep your head elevated, even while sleeping. Avoid strenuous activities, bending over, and heavy lifting for two weeks, as these can increase swelling. Having a calm disposition, staying well-hydrated, following a low-sodium diet, and adhering to all post-operative instructions provided by Dr. Petti will minimize undesirable delays in the normal healing process. Gentle walking can help promote circulation and further reduce this side effect. Most swelling resolves within weeks, though mild residual swelling may persist for several months.
Is eyelid surgery painful?
Eyelid surgery is generally not considered painful. This procedure is typically performed with local anesthesia that includes sedation or general anesthesia, so patients remain comfortable throughout.
After surgery, it is common to experience mild soreness, tightness, or irritation rather than significant pain. Any discomfort is usually manageable with prescribed or over-the-counter medication and tends to improve within a few days. Swelling and bruising are more common than pain and gradually subside as healing progresses.
If you have questions about eyelid lift surgery or other facial rejuvenation procedures we offer, we invite you to contact our practice to schedule a consultation with Dr. Petti.
