Eyelid Surgery
Eyelid surgery – whether just upper lid or both upper and lower – is a straightforward, relatively simple surgery to perform and my patients really like the results. The recovery time is brief, and the procedure opens the eyes up, taking years off the face. It’s safe, it’s quick, and it works. Usually, my patients who choose eyelid surgery have grown weary of being told they look tired. Sagging upper lids and bags under the eyes will do that. Take those flaws away and the face looks alert, clear, and definitely more attractive..
Sagging, excess eyelid skin can make you look aged, constantly tired, and sometimes even impair your vision and normal eye function. Eyelid surgery, or blepharoplasty, is designed to correct these problems by removing loose, wrinkled skin from the upper and/or lower eyelids, rejuvenating tired eyes, and reducing puffiness and eye bags. By smoothing the contours of the upper and lower eyelids, men and women in East Texas and beyond can reclaim a brighter and more energetic look. The procedure not only helps refresh the upper face, but many patients feel the rejuvenation achieved after blepharoplasty provides a more accurate reflection of how youthful and vital they feel internally.
Key Points
- An eyelid lift (blepharoplasty) can be performed to smooth puffiness, “hooding,” and excess skin in the upper and/or lower eyelid contours, creating a more youthful, energetic, and rejuvenated appearance.
- Performed under general anesthesia, blepharoplasty is completed in an outpatient setting and takes approximately 1 to 3 hours.
- The recovery process takes about ten days depending on the details of each person’s surgical plan, although the majority of swelling typically resolves in 2 to 4 weeks.
What Is Blepharoplasty?
Blepharoplasty, also known as eyelid surgery, is a cosmetic procedure that removes excess skin, fat, and muscle from the upper and lower eyelids to improve appearance. It aims to reduce puffiness, bags under the eyes, and drooping eyelids, creating a more youthful and rested look. The surgery can be performed on the upper lids, lower lids, or both, depending on the patient’s needs. It is often sought for aesthetic reasons but can also improve peripheral vision obstructed by sagging skin.
What Are the Benefits of Eyelid Surgery?
Upper and lower blepharoplasty can address a range of cosmetic concerns for patients, yielding both aesthetic and functional improvements. Benefits include:
- Reduction in loose, sagging eyelid skin, resulting in a more open and alert eye appearance
- Reduction in undereye puffiness and dark circles for smoother, tauter skin around the eyes
- Reduction in lines and wrinkles around the eyes
- Potential improvements in peripheral vision for patients whose line of sight has been obstructed by loose, hanging upper eyelid skin
- Enhanced confidence and a more youthful appearance
In addition to the above benefits, eyelid surgery also typically entails a relatively short recovery timeline when compared to other cosmetic procedures, and the results can last for many years.
Who Is a Candidate for Eyelid Surgery?
Eyelid surgery is best for patients who are in good health and wish to remove excess, crepey skin from the eyelid area and correct drooping upper eyelids, lower eyelids or both. Most blepharoplasty patients are 35 or older, however in some cases eyelid surgery may be appropriate for younger adults who have a hereditary tendency to develop droopy, excess eyelid skin before the effects of aging start to play a role. Some conditions, such as dry eye, glaucoma, detached retina, cardiovascular disease, thyroid problems and diabetes, may make eyelid surgery unsafe in a small group of patients who should check with their ophthalmologist before seeking eyelid surgery.
Patient Results
Before 
After How Is the Eyelid Surgery Procedure Performed?
Blepharoplasty is performed while you are under local anesthesia with IV sedation or general anesthesia. The procedure takes about 1-3 hours, during which time excess skin, fat and muscle is removed and remaining tissues are repositioned on the upper eyelids, lower eyelids or both, depending on your cosmetic goals. Incisions are well hidden and follow the natural creases of the upper eyelid and lower lash line, but if only fat repositioning to correct lower eye bags is needed, incisions will be made only in the inside of the lower eyelids. Eyelid surgery will not correct dark circles caused by under eye hollowness, nor will it raise sagging eyebrows. To correct these problems, fat injections or Restylane® injections and brow lift surgery may be needed.
What Is the Eyelid Surgery Recovery Process Like?
Most patients need about 10 days to recover after eyelid surgery. No contact lenses may be worn for two weeks during eyelid surgery recovery and exercise may be resumed after three weeks. Mild swelling and bruising in the delicate eye area is common and will typically resolve within 2-4 weeks.
Are There Any Eyelid Surgery Alternatives?
Yes, those seeking more harmonious facial rejuvenation have a myriad of options to age more gracefully. At our Nacogdoches practice, Dr. Wittpenn offers many facial plastic surgery procedures to create a more refreshed and balanced look. While eyelid surgery can improve the region around the eyelids, the procedure has limitations in its ability to comprehensively treat the face. Options to address signs of aging across the rest of the face include:
- Upper Face: As the forehead and eyebrows naturally lose elasticity with age, the brows can gradually descend and push excess skin onto the upper eyelids. This can create a fatigued, stern, unhappy, or aged look. In these situations, addressing the position of the brow rather than the eyelids themselves may offer a more effective solution. A brow lift is one of the most prominent surgical alternatives to eyelid surgery, elevating the eyebrows to a more youthful position while brightening the entire upper face.
- Mid-Face: As the cheeks lose fullness with age, the support they once provided to the lower eyelids diminishes, potentially leading to a more hollow, tired appearance and the illusion of under-eye bags or dark circles. For those who would like to restore a youthful mid-facial contour, cheek augmentation can enhance cheek projection and provide a smoother transition between the lower eyelid and cheek.
- Lower Face: In the lower face, skin laxity and jowls are often considered the most visible signs of aging. A modern facelift is typically considered the gold standard in redefining more youthful facial angles and creating a slimmer, smoother transition between the chin and neck. For some patients, especially those with moderate to advanced facial aging, a facelift may provide more comprehensive and natural-looking improvement than eyelid surgery alone.
Speaking about your concerns with an experienced plastic surgeon who can carefully evaluate your facial proportions and patterns of aging is essential in determining whether eyelid surgery or another procedure may be the best option to achieve the results you envision.
Contact New Horizons Plastic Surgery
If you’re seriously considering eyelid surgery to get rid of tired eyes, correct eye bags or reduce sagging, crepey eyelid skin, contact New Horizons Plastic Surgery at (936) 564-3744 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Gregory Wittpenn. Dr. Wittpenn is an expert Nacogdoches blepharoplasty surgeon serving patients throughout eastern Texas and western Louisiana, including residents of Lufkin, Huntsville, Longview, Tyler and Shreveport.