Blepharoplasty

What is Blepharoplasty

Blepharoplasty is surgery to reshape the upper eyelid, lower eyelid, or both by removing or repositioning excess skin, muscle, and fat. It may be performed for functional reasons — when excess upper lid skin obstructs the superior visual field — or for cosmetic improvement of a tired or aged appearance. Most blepharoplasties are done under local anesthesia with sedation as outpatient procedures.

Am I a Candidate for Blepharoplasty?

Good candidates for eyelid surgery are adults in reasonable general health who are bothered by excess upper-lid skin, puffy lower-lid bags, or a heavy, tired appearance that no longer matches how they feel. Blepharoplasty corrects skin, muscle, and fat — it does not lift the eyebrow, erase fine crow’s-feet, or treat a drooping lid margin caused by a weak levator muscle. Understanding which structure is actually responsible for the tired look is the single most important step before surgery, because the wrong operation will not fix the problem.

Functional vs. Cosmetic Blepharoplasty

Upper-eyelid surgery falls into two categories that often overlap:

• Functional (medically necessary): When redundant upper-lid skin hangs low enough to block the top of your vision, the procedure restores the superior visual field. This is documented with a formal visual-field test and eyelid photographs, and it is the version most likely to be covered by insurance.
• Cosmetic: When the goal is a more rested, youthful appearance rather than improved vision. Lower-eyelid blepharoplasty for under-eye bags is nearly always cosmetic.

A droopy upper lid is not always a skin problem. If the eyelid margin itself sits low — when the distance from the pupil light-reflex to the upper-lid margin (MRD-1) is about 4–5 mm normally and drops to 2 mm or less — the cause is ptosis, a stretched or weak levator muscle, and it needs a different repair. Many patients have both excess skin and true ptosis and benefit from combining the two operations. See Ptosis vs. Blepharoplasty for how surgeons tell them apart.

Types of Blepharoplasty

Eyelid surgery is tailored to which lids are involved and what needs correcting. Explore each procedure in depth:

Surgery Description

Blepharoplasty is performed through external incisions placed along the natural skin lines of the eyelids — the crease of the upper lid, or below the lashes of the lower lid — or through the inner conjunctival surface (transconjunctival blepharoplasty). The surgeon removes excess skin, trims or repositions fat, and tightens supporting structures before closing incisions with fine sutures.

The operation typically takes one to three hours depending on the number of lids treated and the techniques used. After surgery, swelling and bruising are expected for 7–14 days; the final result is typically stable by 3 months.

Stepwise Surgical Description

1. Marking: Incision sites are marked before surgery with the patient seated upright. Meticulous marking dictates the outcome.
2. Anesthesia: Local anesthesia is injected for each eyelid; IV sedation is added for comfort.
3. Incision: Upper lid incisions follow the eyelid crease. Lower lid incisions are placed just below the lash line or through the conjunctiva.
4. Skin and fat excision: Excess skin is excised; the orbital septum is opened to access fat compartments. Fat is removed or repositioned as needed.
5. Hemostasis: Careful hemostasis is essential — the orbicularis oculi is highly vascular and retrobulbar bleeding can threaten vision.
6. Closure: Incisions are closed with interrupted fine sutures, removed at 7–8 days.

Recovery

• Discoloration, bruising, and swelling for up to 7–14 days
• Ice packs, head elevation, and restricted activity for the first week
• Lubricating eye drops as prescribed
• Final result stable at 3 months; upper-lid results are long-lasting (often 10+ years), while lower-lid results are more variable

Below is a surgical video demonstrating an actual upper eyelid blepharoplasty

Recovery Timeline

Swelling and bruising peak at 48 hours and resolve substantially over 1–3 weeks. The progression below shows a typical upper blepharoplasty recovery.

Blepharoplasty vs. Related Procedures

The upper face ages as a unit, so blepharoplasty is frequently discussed alongside — and sometimes combined with — neighboring procedures. Choosing correctly depends on what is actually descending:

• Heavy brow, not just lid skin? If the eyebrow has dropped below the bony rim, removing lid skin alone can worsen the crowding. A brow lift may be needed instead of, or with, blepharoplasty. Compare the two in Brow Lift vs. Blepharoplasty.
• Midface and cheek descent? Blepharoplasty addresses the eyelids only; sagging of the cheek and jowl is a facelift question. See Blepharoplasty vs. Facelift.
• Hollow tear troughs or dark circles? Volume loss at the lid-cheek junction is often better treated with fillers or fat repositioning than skin removal — see Tear Trough.
• Not ready for surgery? Early or mild changes may respond to a non-surgical eye lift.

Cost & Insurance

Cosmetic blepharoplasty is an out-of-pocket expense, and the total varies with geography, the surgeon’s experience, whether one or both lids are treated, and facility and anesthesia fees. Functional upper-lid surgery may be covered when a visual-field test confirms that hooding skin obstructs the superior field; Dr. Cockerham’s office documents this and seeks pre-authorization. One important nuance: when blepharoplasty is performed at the same session as ptosis repair, the skin (blepharoplasty) portion is considered cosmetic even if the ptosis repair is covered. Ask for an itemized estimate that separates surgeon, facility, and anesthesia fees. For typical prices, the medical-necessity criteria in detail, and payment options, see our Eyelid Surgery Cost & Insurance guide and Is Blepharoplasty Covered by Insurance?

Anesthesia & the Day of Surgery

Most blepharoplasties are outpatient procedures done under local anesthesia with light intravenous sedation — you are relaxed and comfortable but not under general anesthesia, which shortens recovery and lowers risk. You arrive having avoided blood thinners and aspirin-type medications for the interval Dr. Cockerham specifies, the lids are marked while you sit upright, and you go home the same day with someone to drive you. Plan to keep your head elevated and apply cold compresses that first evening.

Choosing an Oculoplastic Surgeon

The eyelids are delicate, functionally critical structures millimeters from the eye itself, and the difference between an excellent and a disappointing result is often surgical judgment about how little to remove. Blepharoplasty is most safely performed by an oculoplastic surgeon — a physician with combined training in ophthalmology and plastic surgery of the eyelids and orbit. Surgeons who are ASOPRS fellowship-trained (American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery) manage eyelid anatomy, tear function, and complications every day. Ask about board certification, how many blepharoplasties the surgeon performs annually, and review before-and-after photographs of their own patients. You can find fellowship-trained surgeons through our surgeon directory.

How Long Do Results Last?

Upper-eyelid blepharoplasty is durable: results are typically stable at three months and often last 10+ years, though the lids continue to age slowly like the rest of the face. Lower-eyelid results are more variable. Blepharoplasty does not stop aging, but for most patients a single well-planned operation delivers a long-lasting, natural refresh rather than a “done” look.

Upper vs. Lower Blepharoplasty: Techniques Compared

Although both are called "eyelid surgery," upper and lower blepharoplasty solve different problems with different techniques, incisions, and recovery. Matching the operation to the anatomy is what separates a natural result from an operated look.

The two are frequently combined in a single session (four-lid blepharoplasty). The decision is anatomic, not menu-driven: a heavy upper lid caused by a dropped brow needs a brow lift, not more skin removal, and a low lid margin needs ptosis repair rather than a skin operation.

What Determines a Natural Result

In eyelid surgery the most common regret is not "too little done" but "too much taken." A trained oculoplastic surgeon plans around three principles: preserve enough skin for the eye to close fully (avoiding lagophthalmos and exposure), keep or reposition fat rather than hollowing the socket, and respect the fellow eye so the two match. Because the tissues heal and settle over three months, conservative surgery with a planned minor touch-up beats aggressive surgery that cannot be undone. This surgical judgment — not a single technique — is why eyelid surgery belongs with an ASOPRS-trained specialist who operates on these structures daily.

Continue Reading — Your Complete Blepharoplasty Guide

This page is the hub of an in-depth library on eyelid surgery. Explore each part:

• Upper Eyelid Blepharoplasty — correcting hooded upper lids.
• Lower Eyelid Blepharoplasty — treating under-eye bags.
• Four-Lid Blepharoplasty — upper and lower in one session.
• Asian Blepharoplasty — double-eyelid crease surgery.
• Blepharoplasty Recovery — the complete healing timeline.
• Brow Lift vs. Blepharoplasty — which procedure you need.
• Blepharoplasty vs. Facelift — eyelids or whole face.
• Ptosis vs. Blepharoplasty — droopy margin or excess skin.

Not happy with a previous eyelid surgery? Asymmetry, over-resected skin or fat, a lower lid that has pulled downward, or an eye that will not close fully can usually be improved. Read more about revision eyelid surgery, including surgery performed elsewhere.