Who Is a Good Candidate for Blepharoplasty?

Written by Dr. Smita Ramanadham on November 22, 2023. Posted in Blog.

If you have sagging skin around the eyes and eyelids, you may want to consider blepharoplasty, also called an eyelid lift.

Blepharoplasty removes extra skin, muscle, and fat from the upper eyelids. The procedure also can be done on the lower eyelids to remove excess tissue and address bags below the eyes.

There are two major considerations when people are thinking about eyelid surgery:

Aesthetics

If the upper and lower eyelids sag, they alter your physical appearance in ways you probably won’t like. In addition, these changes age us and give us a tired appearance.

When people around you see bags below the eyes, they may think you’re exhausted when you feel just fine. If they see half-closed eyelids, they may think you’re bored or angry.

Function

If the upper lids droop, they cover more of the eyes than they should, affecting the vision.

If you have droopy eyelids, in particular a droopy lower eye lid, the more eye whites are exposed, possibly causing dry eye.

The plastic surgeon may consider you a good candidate for eyelid surgery if you meet the following criteria:

You Want To Remove Extra Skin From The Upper Eyelids

As we age, skin in the eyelids is prone to wrinkling and sagging. That is why you may notice drooping eyelids that make you look tired or ‘grumpy’ as you age. Also, as the skin droops and the skin loses elasticity, you may see more folds in the upper lids.

Drooping Upper Eyelid Skin Affects Your Eyesight

If you have droopy eyelids and the drooping skin in the upper lids gets bad enough, it even can obscure your peripheral vision. Fortunately, an upper eyelid surgery can fix the problem by addressing this excess eyelid skin, and your insurance may even pay for it if it’s medically necessary.

Please tell your surgeon if the sagging upper eyelid makes it hard to see. They will document the condition for insurance purposes, and hopefully, your blepharoplasty covered by insurance or at least part of the surgical procedure.

You Have Puffy Upper Eyelids That Make You Look Older

When we get older, we can look older than we are because of sagging skin and fat deposits in the eye area. Also, circles below the eyes can make you look tired and older.

Eyelid surgery can help you deal with these aesthetic issues by reducing your puffy eyelid problem.

You Have Bags Below Your Eyes

It’s expected as we age to develop bags under the eyes on the lower eyelid. This is extra fat that has been repositioned below the eyes, leading to a puffy, tired appearance.

As noted above, drooping skin and bags under the eyes may expose more of the whites of the eyes. This problem can cause dry eyes and discomfort. This is where a lower eyelid blepharoplasty comes in.

A lower eyelid surgery can reposition the fat deposits and excess skin under the eyes to eliminate that baggy appearance. A lower eyelid surgery aims to remove excess skin so as to improve the general appearance of your eyes.

You Are In Good Overall Health

You should be in good health and able to tolerate anesthesia and the recovery process. Also, you should not have any uncontrolled medical issues that will affect the healing process. You should make your surgeon aware of any pre existing medical conditions.

It’s also essential that you are not a smoker, as tobacco and nicotine use delay healing.

If you are a smoker, you should quit at least one month before and after the procedure.

Who Isn’t A Good Candidate For Blepharoplasty?

Not everyone is a good candidate for blepharoplasty. Eyelid surgery is usually effective to correct extra skin and fat in the upper and lower lids. However, this procedure isn’t appropriate for everyone. Not everyone who wants it is a viable candidate for blepharoplasty.

Some conditions where an upper or lower eyelid surgery may be ineffective are:

Dark circles below the eyes caused by something different than the eyelids
Wrinkles in the corners of the eyes commonly called ‘crow’s feet’
Drooping or uneven eyebrows
Patients who have dry eye

If you have crow’s feet and fine wrinkles around the eyes, you may want to consider Botox injections. People with sagging skin and creases in the face may want to think about a facelift, as well.

Patients with uneven or sagging brows may need a brow lift. You can have more than one procedure at a time, too!

Blepharoplasty Recovery

One of the benefits of eyelid surgery is the effects are impressive, and the recovery isn’t as long as other procedures.

After your eyelid lift, you will be taken to the recovery room to recover from anesthesia. After you wake up, a friend or family member will drive you home.

It’s important to rest as much as possible for three or four days after your eyelid surgery. There will be swelling and discomfort, but an over-the-counter pain reliever is usually enough. Expect swelling and mild discomfort for about seven days.

At first, your eyesight may be blurred, and the eyes sensitive to light for three or four days. Note that you cannot wear contact lenses for 14 days, so have your glasses handy.

You don’t need to cover the eyes during your recovery. However, the plastic surgeon may place gauze over the eyes for three or four hours after the procedure. Please remember to wash the area around the eyes every day and keep everything clean.

Most eyelid surgery patients recover after two or three weeks. So you can probably return to work after a week.

While you shouldn’t do vigorous exercises for a few weeks, going for a daily walk aids the healing process.

Eyelid surgery can make a huge difference in the appearance of the upper and lower eyelids. When that sagging eyelid skin and fat are gone, you will look years younger and feel more self-confident than ever.

Request an Eyelid Surgery Consultation

Considering an eyelid lift in New Jersey? Dr. Smita. R. Ramanadham can help you obtain the results you want. Dr. Ramanadham will go over your options and goals to determine if this procedure fits your aesthetic and personal goals.