Eyes Don’t Lie: Learn About the Benefits of Blepharoplasty

Improving the appearance of the eyelids can have a powerful anti-aging effect for the entire face . Even though many people know smoothing wrinkles or tightening loose skin will help them appear younger, it’s worth noting that eyelid surgery can also play a crucial role in restoring youth to the face. I perform blepharoplasty at my Pasadena practice to help men and women appear more energized, refreshed, and rejuvenated by lifting and smoothing tissues around the eyes.

In this blog post, I’ll explain why addressing the eyes is an essential aspect of appearing more youthful. I’ll also discuss how a surgical approach goes above and beyond what nonsurgical treatments alone can achieve.

Eyelid Surgery Variations

I perform eyelid surgery on both the upper and lower eyelids to address unique signs of aging in each area.

• Upper eyelid surgery addresses drooping or sagging, creating a more awake appearance and potentially even improving vision that may be impaired by drooping eyelids.
• Lower eyelid surgery smooths bags or hollows below the eyes, correcting either puffiness or a sunken look.
• A combined approach achieves an overall rejuvenation of the eyes, opening up the appearance of the face and creating a more rested and awake expression.

Ideal Candidates

The ideal blepharoplasty candidate is in good physical health, has realistic expectations for the surgery, and does not have any eye conditions that may impair proper healing. Many eyelid surgery patients may be fairly young, especially those concerned about the appearance of their lower eyelids.

I occasionally recommend combining lower eyelid surgery with a facelift procedure to help blend the lower lids with the triangulated cheek pads below. In younger patients, I can achieve this with an endoscopic facelift that doesn’t require any skin removal. More mature patients, however, are often better served by a full SMAS facelift that addresses deeper tissues.

Benefits of Blepharoplasty

Eyelid surgery can help the right candidates by providing a number of both cosmetic and functional benefits.

• Cosmetic benefits: You’ll enjoy reduced droopiness, bags, and hollows around your eyes. Upper eyelid surgery can also help create or deepen an upper eyelid crease.

• Functional benefits: If your eyelids droop down toward your pupils, it’s possible eyelid surgery can help improve your vision. While insurance benefits typically do not cover cosmetic procedures, they may cover eyelid surgery if it’s performed for this reason.

• Natural-looking outcomes: An additional benefit of eyelid surgery is that it’s very difficult to detect scars or other signs of surgery. Sutures are limited, and incisions are placed along natural lines or folds within the lids so they are invisible or barely visible in the long term.

Surgery vs. Nonsurgical Treatments

With so many nonsurgical options available, why is eyelid surgery worth the recovery time? While BOTOX® Cosmetic and dermal fillers can be helpful in reducing lines and wrinkles around the eyes, they can’t effectively lift drooping eyelids or remove fat bulges from below the eyes. Fillers can replenish lost volume in hollows under the eyes, but the results are temporary and typically last less than a year. Eyelid surgery, on the other hand, provides a long-lasting improvement that most patients say is well worth the minimal downtime.

If you would like to learn more about eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) in Pasadena, please contact us using the online form or call (626) 268-4524 to request a consultation.