Your eyes often reveal aging first. Drooping lids, puffiness, and dark circles can make you look tired or older than you feel. These changes happen as skin loses elasticity and fat deposits shift around your eyes with age. An eyelid lift, or blepharoplasty, is cosmetic surgery that can restore a youthful, refreshed look to your eyes.
Board-certified plastic surgeon Vivian Hsu, MD, at Best Impression Cosmetic Surgery in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, can answer your questions and ensure you have the correct information about the procedure.
Eyelid surgery is a procedure designed to remove excess fat, skin, and muscle around the eyes. It targets both the upper and lower eyelids and can address different concerns. The goal is to improve the appearance of the eyes by tightening loose skin, reducing puffiness, and removing fat deposits.
You can undergo eyelid surgery for cosmetic reasons or to improve your vision if drooping eyelids impair your sight. It is one of the most effective ways to create a more youthful and awake appearance.
Ideal candidates for eyelid surgery are individuals in good health who have realistic expectations about the results. This procedure will benefit people with drooping eyelids, puffiness, or excess skin around their eyes. You might also consider this surgery if sagging eyelids interfere with your vision.
Talk with Dr. Hsu about your specific concerns and what you hope to achieve—she'll help determine if this is right for you. The surgery isn’t recommended for those with certain medical conditions like dry eye syndrome or severe eye problems, so a thorough evaluation is necessary.
Eyelid surgery typically takes one to two hours, with longer surgery time involving both the upper and lower eyelids. The procedure can sometimes be performed using sedation and local anesthesia, and general anesthesia is usually used in most cases.
Dr. Hsu will make small incisions in the eyelids' natural creases to minimize visible scarring. For the upper eyelids, she removes excess skin. She may redistribute or remove excess skin and fat from the lower eyelids, and excess skin may be tightened.
You'll head home the same day as your procedure, but make sure someone drives you. Follow Dr. Hsu's aftercare instructions carefully to heal properly and get the best results from your surgery.
After eyelid surgery, you'll need some downtime to heal properly. Expect swelling and bruising around your eyes for the first few days, though these typically fade within one to two weeks. Most patients return to work and regular activities in 7-10 days.
Take it easy, though—avoid heavy exercise and anything that might increase swelling for at least a few weeks to ensure the best results.
You may also experience dryness or eye irritation, which you can manage with lubricating eye drops. Scars from the incisions are usually minimal and well-hidden within the natural folds of the eyelids. These scars will fade significantly, leaving only subtle traces of the procedure.
Eyelid surgery can offer both cosmetic and functional benefits. It improves your appearance by lifting droopy lids, reducing puffiness, and removing excess skin that makes you look tired or older.
If sagging upper eyelids have been blocking your vision, this surgery can also significantly improve how much you can see, making daily activities easier and more comfortable.
Lifting the eyelids gives you a clearer, more unobstructed view, improving daily activities such as reading, driving, working, and wearing makeup.
Eyelid surgery can be an effective way to rejuvenate your eyes and restore a more youthful appearance. Call or schedule an appointment online today to discuss your goals and determine if eyelid surgery is right for you. Eyelid surgery can help you look and feel your best, giving you the confidence to face the world with bright, youthful eyes.
