What is Eyelid Surgery?
Eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) is one of the most common cosmetic procedures that patients have performed. It is often the first procedure that patients have performed when they are looking to improve some of the signs of aging. Blepharoplasty surgery is commonly performed with other facial procedures such as a facelift.
Eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) is designed to help remove excess skin and fat from the upper and lower eyelids. The procedure can correct sagging skin from the upper lids that tend to sag with time and the puffy bags below the eyes. Many patients say that they look more rested after a blepharoplasty. Women also say that they are able to apply eye shadow much more effectively after an upper lid blepharoplasty.*
Although many patients are in their 50′s and 60′s when they have this procedure, it is not uncommon for patients to have this surgery in their 40′s and 30′s. Patients in their 20′s can also have lower lid blepharoplasty to remove congenital fat.*
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Patients can elect to have cosmetic surgery of the eyelids performed on either the upper eyelids, the lower eyelids or both. This surgery is performed in a hospital as an outpatient (you go home the same day). It can be done under sedation (so you’re semi-awake) but you can be put to sleep if that is your preference. After the surgery, your eyes are not bandaged and the pain level is relatively low. You should expect some bruising of the lids which usually resolves in 10 to 14 days. Your sutures are removed in 3 to 4 days. At ten days, you will be able to apply makeup to your eyes again. Sun exposure should be at an absolute minimum to the eye area for at least a month to minimize any scarring. After one month, normal sun exposure, utilizing a sun block of at least SPF 30 is acceptable.
Most people are able to return to work in a week to 10 days. Light exercise can be resumed in about two weeks and most patients are able to resume their full exercise program by six weeks. Insurance does not cover cosmetic surgery of the eyelids.*
*Individual results may vary from person to person.
