Lower Blepharoplasty

Are you bothered by sagging, baggy skin under your eyes? Do dark circles and eye bags make you look tired and aged? Are you keen to do something about wrinkles in the under-eye area? Eye bag surgery or lower lid blepharoplasty is a cosmetic procedure that can address some of these common signs of aging. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know if you're considering lower eyelid blepharoplasty.

What is lower eyelid surgery?

A lower eyelid blepharoplasty is also called an eye lift or eye bag surgery. It is a cosmetic eyelid surgery that is performed to improve the appearance of the undereye areas. It helps correct problems like eyelid wrinkles, eye bags, dark circles, and tear trough deformity which are common signs of aging in the area under the eyes. Sometimes, patients combine this procedure with other facial rejuvenation techniques such as laser skin resurfacing, brow lift, and forehead lift.

Problems corrected by lower eyelid blepharoplasty

Cosmetic eyelid surgery can correct some common signs of aging in the undereye area, including eye bags, sagging eyelid skin, wrinkles in the eyelid skin, dark circles, excess eyelid fat, tear trough deformity, and asymmetry of the eyelids.

During the initial consultation, your surgeon will discuss what bothers you most about your eyelids and plan the surgery accordingly to give you the best results possible.

How does lower eyelid surgery work?

With age, the skin under the eyes loses its elasticity. There can also be volume loss due to a decrease in fat padding in the area. These age-related changes make the lower eyelids appear baggy, puffy, and wrinkled. Many people develop dark circles and eyelid bags, which gives their face an aged and tired appearance. Lower lid blepharoplasty can help improve the eye appearance by making the area smoother and tighter, thereby giving the patient a more youthful, well-rested appearance.

To accomplish an improved eye appearance, the surgeon removes excess skin and fat from the area, performs repositioning of the tissues, and then sews the skin under the lower eyelid back together, achieving a less puffy, smoother, tighter look.

The procedure requires a precise approach to protect the delicate structures present around the lower eyelid, including eye muscles, nerves, and the eyeball itself. It is possible to do a combined upper and lower eyelid surgery in some patients. Your surgeon will help develop a customized treatment plan for you that will give you the desired results in terms of an overall youthful eye appearance.

Does cosmetic eyelid surgery get rid of wrinkles?

During lower blepharoplasty, the surgeon removes excess fat and tissues from the skin under the eyes, giving the area a tighter, smoother appearance. So yes, lower eyelid surgery does help get rid of some creases and wrinkles in the under-eye area that have formed as a result of eye bags and loose skin. However, the procedure does not treat other wrinkles that form around the eyes, such as crow's feet at the corner's of the eyes. Your surgeon can suggest other treatments for these wrinkles.

Is lower eyelid surgery painful?

Lower lid blepharoplasty is not painful. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia (numbing medicine). Your surgeon may also give you sedating medication to reduce anxiety and help you relax. You will be awake during the surgery but you will feel no pain. You may have some minimal discomfort on the day of the surgery after the anesthesia wears off, but this usually resolves quickly. If the procedure is done under general anesthesia, you will be asleep during the surgery.

How long does a lower blepharoplasty last?

You may be wondering - can eyebags return after lower eyelid blepharoplasty? The answer is it is unlikely. When performed by an experienced plastic surgeon, the results of eyelid surgery are long-lasting. People who have surgery performed on the lower eyelids rarely need touch-ups in the future. In contrast, upper eyelid blepharoplasty results last about 7-10 years, after which the eyelids may need to be tweaked again.

It is important to understand that you will continue to age after having lower blepharoplasty surgery. This means your skin can sag and wrinkle again. Ultimately, how long the results last varies from candidate to candidate and depends on factors such as the individual's age, skin quality, and skin care after the blepharoplasty surgery.

What is a good age for eyelid surgery?

There is no right or wrong age. People as young as 25 and as old as 65 can have cosmetic eyelid surgery. However, the overwhelming majority of patients who undergo lower lid blepharoplasty are in their 40s and 50s.

Preparing for lower eyelid surgery

Consultation

During your initial consultation, the doctor will discuss your aesthetic goals and develop a surgical plan and technique to help achieve these goals. At this time, the doctor will take photos of your lids for comparison after the procedure. You will have a chance to ask questions about blepharoplasty or any other cosmetic treatments that can be combined with the surgery.

Day of surgery

Depending on the type of anesthesia you are having for your blepharoplasty procedure, your doctor will give you instructions for the day before and day of surgery. If you're getting general anesthesia, you will be asked to refrain from eating or drinking anything after midnight on the night before the surgery. You may also get oral medications and/or eye drops for use before the surgery.

Going home

Since you are having surgery on your eyes, you will need to arrange for someone to drive you home. It's also a good idea to prepare your home for your return after the procedure. Keep ice packs handy as well as sunglasses to protect your eyes. Get any prescription medications you will need after the surgery beforehand.

Procedure for lower blepharoplasty

Technique

There are several different surgical techniques that can be used during eyelid surgery to correct problems with the lower eyelid. For example, the skin pinch blepharoplasty technique is associated with better wound healing and can be combined with laser skin treatments. Your surgeon will choose the best approach depending on your aesthetic goals as well as your anatomy and skin quality.

Incisions

At the start of the procedure, the surgeon will make marks on the lower eyelid to outline the incisions. This is usually done with the patient sitting up so that the eye bags can be seen more clearly. The incision can be placed directly below the lash line or inside the eyelid.

Anesthesia

As noted, lower blepharoplasty is usually performed under local anesthesia. You will be awake during the procedure, but because of the numbing medicine, you won't feel anything. An advantage of this technique is that the surgeon can check eye muscle movement during the surgery, which reduces the risk of side effects and complications.

Occasionally, the surgeon may decide to do the procedure under general anesthesia, in which case you'll be asleep during the eyelid surgery. General anesthesia is recommended in patients who are undergoing multiple procedures, for example, upper eyelid surgery, laser skin treatments, forehead lift, brow lift, etc., in addition to the lower blepharoplasty.

Surgical approach

The surgical approach consists of making an incision in the lower eyelid to remove excess fat and lid skin. This is followed by repositioning the tissues and stitching the skin to reduce eyelid bags and dark circles and improve the overall eye appearance. In patients who have volume loss under the eyes, fat grafting may be performed to give the eyes a fuller, brighter appearance.

Aftercare and recovery

Going home

If you are having lower blepharoplasty alone, it will most likely be done on an outpatient basis. You can go home the same day of your surgery. If you are having additional work done, such as a brow lift or upper eyelid lift, then your surgeon may keep you overnight.

Symptoms

You can expect to experience some bruising, discomfort, swelling, and dry eyes after the procedure. For a day or two after the procedure, you will be advised to apply cold compresses to the surgical area to reduce these symptoms. You will also receive eye drops and ointments to lubricate the eyes and reduce the risk of infections. Your doctor may advise you to avoid wearing contact lenses during the recovery process.

Return to work and activity

You will be advised to avoid strenuous activity for one week after the procedure. During the recovery period, you should wear sunglasses when outdoors to protect the eyes.

If the surgeon used sutures that are not absorbed by the body, you will need to return to the office to get the stitches out after 5-7 days.

Most patients find they are confident about going out in public 10-14 days after a lower blepharoplasty or eyelid bags procedure. At this time, the bruising and swelling are significantly decreased. If symptoms persist for more than 2 weeks after the surgery, you should call your surgeon.

Calling your doctor

You should speak to your doctor on the phone or see them as soon as possible if you are experiencing symptoms such as fever, worsening pain, bleeding, or hot skin during the healing process after a blepharoplasty.

Are there any side effects or risks?

Like all surgeries, a lower blepharoplasty also carries some risk. Potential complications of the procedure include bleeding, infection, cyst formation, upper eyelid drooping, eyelid retraction, double vision, vision loss, numbness, fat necrosis (death of fat tissue in the area under the eye), and wound healing problems. When performed by experienced plastic surgeons, blepharoplasty is a safe and effective procedure. You can reduce your risk of side effects and complications by following your doctors instructions in the post-operative period.

How much does lower eyelid blepharoplasty cost?

Based on estimates by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the average cost of a lower blepharoplasty is $3,000. However, the cost can vary greatly depending on the experience level of your surgeon and your geographical location. Eye bag surgery is a cosmetic procedure and is therefore not usually covered by insurance.

How to find a provider

Interested in finding out if a lower blepharoplasty could improve your appearance? Want to learn more about what other procedures can be combined with eyelid surgery? The MeTime app makes it easy to find experienced plastic surgeons and aesthetic providers in your area. You can click and upload pictures and have suggestions sent directly to you. Book a blepharoplasty consultation with leading surgeons in your area. Try the MeTime app now!