Eye Lift Questions and Answers

Blepharoplasty is a medical term for an “eye lift” surgery, commonly known as eyelid surgery, which is a procedure for the eyelid by addressing fat pockets as well as excess tissue that causes drooping eyelids or puffy eyes. Blepharoplasty can make a real difference in your appearance, refresh your look. Dr. Prasad’s style and technical skills is well known for creating natural results.

First, you should know whether your surgeon is experienced and can handle complications. After establishing qualifications, you should ask:

1.  Am I a candidate for this procedure and why?
2. Can you explain to me how you foresee my procedure would go specifically? (how am I different than other cases?
3. How many Blepharoplasty Procedures do you do on a weekly basis?
4. May I see before and after photos of your patients?
5. How will I be sedated? – What is the recovery time needed?
6. What are the potential side effects?
7. Will there be visible incisions?
8. Where is the procedure done and is that facility certified?

In general, 5-10 days depending on the extent of the procedure. In our practice, most patients return to work in less than 1 week. Recovery time varies from patient to patient. Some of your recovery time is in your control, while other factors are not. Many of our patients go back to work as early as 3 days, but if the goal of the patient is to be discreet, 7 days is better to be away from work.

It’s important to refrain from strenuous activity during recovery . Light activity is fine In general,
Smokers beware. Healing time is significantly longer for those who smoke regularly and risk a higher rate of complications.

Under eye wrinkles can be treated in many ways from using topical creams to using lasers or radio frequency skin tightening (Pelleve).

Eyelid surgery may help the skin look better if there is redundant or excess skin. In my practice in New York, I often perform blepharoplasty to remove or reposition fat as well as excess skin and combine this surgery with the use of the Mixto SX microfractional CO2 laser to improve skin texture and wrinkles.

Revision Eyelid Surgery. There are several factors which contribute to the changed appearance of your eyes. I perform revision eyelid surgery in New York routinely for patients who are unhappy with results from other doctors.

Specializing in occulofacial eyelid surgery in NYC, I can share with you the importance of properly performed primary surgery. When revision work is necessary the “golden rule” is to restore the anatomy so that the eyelids look good and function well to protect the eye.

You may have exposure of your eyes at night from lower eyelid retraction. You should be comfortable and confident in who you choose for your procedure. Besides eyelid surgery, your options for fillers include hyaluronic acid fillers and platelet rich plasma (PRP).

Tear trough volume correction with hyaluronic acid and prp (platelet rich plasma). Genetics and aging can result in volume loss in the area of the tear trough and the eyelid-cheek junction. I have had a lot of success with combining hyaluronic acid filler such as Restylane with PRP (platelet rich plasma).

Platelet rich plasma has helped our patients improve the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and under eye dark circles. As opposed to using hyaluronic acid alone, I have found that combining hyaluronic acid with PRP to create better looking results.

I have performed a lot of eye bag surgery on ethnic skin. In my experience, I don’t recommend laser or skin removal for someone your age.

The risks of discoloration from laser and a line of incision which can be seen below the eyelashes make the choices you’re considering less desirable. I have performed radio frequency skin tightening under the eyes using Pelleve Skin Tightening which is safe for all skin types.

I would suggest you consider having the transconjunctival blepharoplasty alone and making the decision to tighten your skin after the surgery, in which you will probably not need to have a skin tightening procedure. This transconjunctival procedure which I perform routinely in my practice in New York and Long Island allows my patients to avoid any external scar and enjoy a natural appearance.

Male Eye Lift Surgery for “More Masculine” Look. When choosing an eye plastic surgeon for male blepharoplasty, it is important this specialist knows how to differentiate the techniques used in male blepharoplasty from those meant for female blepharoplasty. It is important that men retain their masculine image rather than the more stereotypical feminine result.

A man’s eyes may be characterized as feminine if they appear round or doll-like. Typically, a man’s upper eyelid crease is lower than a woman’s and the eyebrow is more level (as you probably achieve a more masculine look by squinting and lowering your brow.)

These features should be preserved during blepharoplasty for men in order to retain the masculine appearance of the face. Another important factor is not to over-correct a man’s eyelid during male blepharoplasty. As men age, their eyelids will differ from those of their youth, and blepharoplasty for men should appreciate this subtle difference.

Oculoplastic Surgeon vs General Plastic Surgeon for Eyelid Surgery Great question! Eye plastic surgery (Oculoplastic) training is specialized compared to general plastic surgery. This extra focused training as a specialist serves as the foundation for expertise in Cosmetic Eyelid Surgery.

As an Oculofacial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon in New York, super-specializing in the eyes, I have spent much more time than a general plastic surgeon on advanced eye plastic surgery and have spent many years instructing other eye surgeons on the topic.

A second level of expertise is based upon types of experience (training pursued after residency, the number of years spent during and after formal training on specific types of procedures, teaching others his craft, before and after photos to show). Hope this helps!

Eyelid Surgery for Bigger Eye Eyelid plastic surgery or cosmetic eyelid surgery may be an option for you. A qualified doctor can examine your eyes to help determine if your asymmetrical eyes can be fixed surgically.

An experienced surgeon who specializes in Oculofacial plastic and reconstructive surgery would be able to perform corrective surgery on your eyes that best suits you. Do your research before having eye surgery.

20 years old is young to elect for cosmetic surgery, so I recommend consulting with a qualified Oculofacial cosmetic surgeon who will understand what it is you want and to help determine the best approach for you.

Recently, I performed upper lid eye lift surgery on a young woman who had a similar problem – although hers was not asymmetry to the eyes (as it seems to be slightly in your case judging from the photos). She had excess skin that caused slight hooding to her upper eyelids.

People always thought she was tired and she couldn’t correctly apply her eye makeup to the upper lids. By removing the excess skin in an artistic way, she healed with natural appearing results so that no one knows she’s had any surgery, and is now happy with her bright-eyed appearance.

Being young, you do not want to appear as if you’ve had surgery to correct a perceived problem.

Swelling after eyelid surgery could last up to 6 months to a year to complete the healing process after blepharoplasty. You had combination procedures (Ptosis surgery, lower eyelid surgery) which makes your case unique. If you are concerned, you should seek your doctor’s advice.

Fixing the problem with the puffiness below your eyes by “masking” with Restylane filler is a temporary solution and you seem to be looking for a more permanent fix.

You may be a candidate for lower eyelid surgery should you elect to have the fat removed surgically. Because hollowness is also an issue, you may want to do a comprehensive procedure in repositioning fat. As an oculofacial cosmetic surgeon in New York for over 15 years, I strongly recommend you consult with a qualifies doctor who understands your goals and can give you natural-looking results from blepharoplasty.

With over 15 years experience as an Oculofacial plastic and reconstructive surgeon, I can tell you there aren’t any exercises that will tone the muscles in your upper eyelid. Droopy eyelids can be corrected with eye lift surgery, in some cases eyelid ptosis surgery. However, a proper consultation with a qualified cosmetic surgeon will help you determine what is the appropriate treatment for lifting your eyes.

Although the normal healing time for upper/lower blepharoplasty about 1-2 weeks has passed, I suggest asking your cosmetic eyelid surgeon as you don’t want to risk complications.

Incision will fade after eyelid surgery. It is still very early and the incision marks from eyelid surgery should heal fine and fade in 6 months up to 1 year. You may want to follow up with your doctor for advice during the healing process for your blepharoplasty.

I recommend using sunscreen or keeping out of the sun while the area is still healing to prevent scarring from getting darker.

About 1 week is normal for removing sutures after blepharoplasty. Waiting 2 weeks after a blepharoplasty follow-up with your doctor is a bit overdue, and you don’t want to risk an infection.

Eye lift surgery results are long-lasting. That is great that you are happy with your blepharoplasty results. That being said, you shouldn’t have to re-do your surgery as long as you have a proper diet, sleep, exercise and skin care.

Properly done eye lift surgery can reverse the aging clock by up to 15 years. If you are still looking to improve your facial appearance, you may consider non-surgical enhancements, such as Pelleve treatment for eye area, etc. At my practice, I see many patients who come to my practice in New York for revisional eyelid surgery after having had one or two attempts by their original surgeon and wish for us to correct problems.

If the excess skin or fat, causing the puffiness on the upper eyelid, is bothersome, then a cosmetic upper eyelid blepharoplasty is the best choice for you. See upper eye lift surgery before and after photos.

These festoons could be caused by fluid in this area can be caused by several factors such as sinus and allergy. It may be beneficial to check if sinus or allergy problems are contributing to the swelling in your upper cheek area below the eyes.

In our practice we have had success with treatment of some cases of malar swelling with nonsurgical treatment such as Pelleve Skin tightening for the eyes and face and Fractional CO2 laser skin resurfacing for the eye area and face.

It may also be best to just wait for a few weeks more and see the progress. As a Cosmetic Oculofacial Plastic surgeon operating in New York City, I might also recommend (with a proper evaluation of festoons) a lower eyelid surgery. Lower lid blepharoplasty address the bags (buggy eyes) or festoons that appear under the eyes that give a person an angry or exhausted expression.

Swelling can last for months after eyelid surgery. At my practice in New York, if a patient is concerned about a fat pocket remaining after blepharoplasty, I recommend to wait at least a month before considering additional surgery for bags beneath the eyes. After the proper recovery period, consult with your cosmetic surgeon.

Swelling under the eyes after blepharoplasty is something I deal with on a daily basis with eye lift surgery patients. Swelling after eyelid surgery can be variable and can last from a week to a month.

Even with minimal trauma after lower lid skin pinch blepharoplasty, you can still get obvious swelling and puffiness under the eyes during the recovery period.After having the lower eyelid pinch bleph, you may notice the first 2 days that swelling is at its maximum. Usually at 5 days, you can use warm compresses for your puffy eyes or and carry on with normal activity (moving, blinking, talking, smiling).

Compared to standard blepharoplasty, a limited amount of skin removal during a skin pinch eyelid surgery is less traumatic than removing fat or other surgery. However, in my 16 years of practice, I’ve witnessed a wide variation in recovery after eyelid surgery, a lot of swelling for a little procedure and virtually no swelling for a lot of surgery.

If you’ve ever had particles or debris go into your eyes or rubbed your eye due to allergies, you can remember your eyes are very sensitive to any kind of trauma. I recommend following the instructions given to you by your eyelid surgeon for aftercare following eyelid surgery. As long as your doctor sees no immediate concerns, you should be optimistic that the swelling will do down after eyelift surgery.

As a Cosmetic Oculofacial plastic and reconstructive surgeon in New York, eye lift surgery and brow lift surgery is my specialty. As I consult with my clients, one must determine if a brow lift or upper blepharoplasty is needed.

Depending on the results that one is looking to get from cosmetic surgery of the eyes or face, sometimes a combination of a brow lift surgery and upper eye lift surgery (or blepharoplasty) may be needed. One must be cautious when getting a brow lifting surgery (or performing the surgery) that the brows aren’t overdone because it could result in a “perpetually surprised” look or expression if the brows become too arched.

If a brow lift and eye lift are performed in combination: after the brow lift, it can then be determined how much excess skin is to be removed from the lids. Both a brow lift and blepharoplasty are invasive surgical procedures, however they are invasive for different cosmetic goals.

Socially visible scars are a common problem and a common reason patients are referred to my practice. I stress to my prospective patients that there is an art to performing blepharoplasty so the eyes appear natural and not have obvious signs of being operated on.

There may be some options such as revising the scar so it isn’t wide however, the fact that it is wide may mean there is a relative lack of skin. Seeking additional opinions if your surgeon has nothing more to offer may be the appropriate next step for you.

If the dissolving stitches are 6-0 fast absorbing plain gut sutures, they should be well dissolved by 9 days after having your eye lift and facelift. In my practice, I usually see my patients in 5-7 days to clear off any dissolving stitches which haven’t completely dissolved.

I see patients with this problem from all over the world who seek help for eye lift revision or corrective surgery due to an eyelift they previously had with another surgeon. Usually this problem is caused by lower eyelid retraction (the lower eyelid is not at the same level as the border of the iris or colored part of the eye).

Proper examination and performing the right eyelift procedure or corrective procedures can probably provide you with some improvement of your problem with closing your eyes after having had blepharoplasty surgery to your eyes.

Depending on the type of eyelid surgery you will have, the incision lines can be very effectively placed so they are not obvious and barely noticeable.

In the upper eyelids, I place the incision within the natural crease of the upper eyelids. In the lower eyelids, if an external incision is necessary (often I do the procedure from behind the lower eyelids), it can be placed strategically below the eyelashes to minimize the visibility of scarring.

Surgery might be the solution for drooping eyelids. It is natural to want to avoid surgery. It is self evident that with all the miracle creams and “non-invasive” procedures that a practice such as mine sees so many people who require surgery. In my practice, we have been successful in minimizing the stress and difficulties associated with having surgery such that I feel that we’ve made it less stressful than most dental procedures. It’s important to spend your time and resources intelligently.

I see too many people who bought into the hype of non-invasive procedures only to be disappointed and still require properly performed surgery.

Deciding between Browlift or Blephaphorplasty, the answer to this questions depends on whether or not you have noticed your eyebrows have drooped or are lower than they have been in the past.

It is common to perform a brow lift to reduce the excess tissue over the eyes and do the blepharoplasty (upper eyelids) after 3-6 months to allow for any settling of the eyebrows (depending on the technique used to lift the eyebrows). If the upper eyelid skin excess is primarily what is bothersome, then a cosmetic upper eyelid blepharoplasty is the best choice for you.

Normally, eyes will be able to close post-eyelid surgery. It is a common perception that people are unable to close their eyes after eyelid surgery. Although this may be true temporarily in procedures such as ptosis surgery (drooping eyelid muscle) or when eyelid surgery is combined with significant eyebrow lifting surgery, it is normal for the eyes to be able to close comfortably.

In my practice, I counsel my patients to expect that there will be no difficulty with eye closure after cosmetic eyelid surgery. Cosmetic eyelid surgery should restore and enhance the natural appearance of the eyes. This means avoiding the removal of too much skin from the upper and lower eyelids as well as performing procedures to prevent the lower eyelid from being pulled down. 

I generally advise people to wait about 1 to 2 weeks after Eyelid surgery to wear contact lenses. 

It is normal for there to be some decrease in tear production after eyelid surgery so it is a good idea to have contact lens lubricating drops. Of course it’s important not to stretch the eyelids to place the contact lenses and to make sure your hands and contact lenses are sterile.

Be patient and let the eyelid heal to determine if your ptosis surgery was successful in fixing your drooping eye. In adults, the most common type of ptosis is called “involutional ptosis.” 

This condition is due to a stretching or thinning of the muscle responsible for lifting the eyelids. While I cannot determine if your ptosis was caused by giving birth (rare) or developed because of other factors, I recommend you consult with the surgeon who performed your ptosis surgery for follow-up advice.

As a Cosmetic Oculofacial Plastic Surgeon who specializes in eyelid surgery in New York, I think it is ideal to wait. There are social issues that you may want to do ptosis surgery for a drooping eyelid sooner; however, if there isn’t a basis to do surgery for vision affected by ptosis, it is best to hold off on doing the eyelid surgery. 

It is easier to do this type of eyelid surgery with patient cooperation as the muscles in eyelid are very sensitive. With children, surgery is done using very objective measurements and we anticipate the results from ptosis surgery will be close to ideal.

On older patients, we get the cooperation of the patients, thus we are able to have the patient open and close eyes in order to do precise measurements and ensure the eyes will match as much as possible after ptosis eyelid surgery. In my practice and 20 years of experience, it is best to perform the eyelid surgery safely under local anesthesia with light IV sedation.

Heavy Eyelids: Upper Eyelift Surgery vs. Ptosis Surgery As a board certified Oculofacial Cosmetic Surgeon practicing in New York, I can say based on your description that you either have excess skin on/above your upper eyelid OR weak levator muscles of your eyelids (ptosis). 

Pictures would better help, but you must consult with a qualified surgeon who can best determine what kind of blepharoplasty candidate you are: upper eyelift surgery OR ptosis surgery.

Asymmetrical eyes. Although it is difficult to determine from your photos, facial asymmetry is normal and natural. While you do have almond-shaped eyes, the relationship between your eyes and your face is important when determining facial balance, so a full photo taken at a normal angle would help better. 

If it concerns you that much, you should consult with a qualified oculofacial cosmetic surgeon who understands the face and eyes to better understand your goals and a possible way to help you.

Genetics and certain lifestyles such as smoking, sun worshiping, excessive weight gain, or high stress are more likely to make droopy eyelids appear. Sleeping on your face isn’t so much a huge factor usually. 

If it is a concern that bothers you, I recommend getting an examination by a qualified doctor who can better determine if you need treatment.

Eye drops moisturize your eyes and keep them from becoming dry and reducing irritation, but don’t correct asymmetry or affect the shape of the eyes. After blepharoplasty, healing could take anywhere from 7-10 days and swelling could last from 6-10 months. 

You’ve had blepharoplasty on both your eyes, and it is still too early to tell if your eyes are in fact asymmetrical. I recommend you consult with your eyelid surgeon for care and concerns regarding your eyelid surgery.

As a cosmetic oculofacial plastic & reconstructive surgeon, I stress to my prospective patients that there is an art to performing blepharoplasty so the eyes appear natural, balanced and not have obvious signs of being operated on. Many eyelid surgery patients come to my practice in Manhattan for “revisional surgery” after being dissatisfied with results from other surgeons.

A proper analysis by a specialized oculofacial cosmetic surgeon, is necessary to determine the asymmetry of your eyes and what can be done to correct your uneven eyelids. As a Oculofacial Plastic & Reconstructive Cosmetic Surgeon super-specializing in eyelid surgery in New York, I gather it may result from ptosis, or drooping of the eyelid.

For hollowness beneath the eyes, I would recommend a hyaluronic acid injectable filler (such as Restylane or Juvederm) or a “Vampire Facelift” to add volume in that area . 

I see many patients with hollow eyes and dark circles as a concern at my practice in New York. A proper consultation with a specialized is necessary for treatment advice.

You should communicate with your doctor and review the photos which were taken before surgery. Many times, people notice the asymmetric features they naturally have after surgery because they study their faces in more detail after surgery than before surgery. 

Eyelid incisions typically are thicker in 1 month after surgery and don’t require any topical medical treatment. I perform facelift with eyelid surgery routinely at my practice in New York and usually wait for at least 3 months before considering the placement of volume enhancing fillers.

There are certain treatments for hollowing eyes that are less invasive and beneficial for adding volume to the eye area. 

I have seen many people who need my help after having injectables done incorrectly and end up looking “lumpy” with many irregularities, so it is important you get the help of a qualified professional.

Hyaluronic acid fillers (such as Restylane) can be injected along the orbital rim of the eye as well as under the brow. Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and Platelet Rich Fibrin Matrix (PRFM) are also very helpful for hollow eyes. PRP or PRFM, often referred to as the Vampire Facelift, which I offer in New York uses platelets and growth factors extracted from your own blood and used as injectable filler to the eye area with volume loss.

The advantages of the The Vampire Facelift or PRP injections is that there is some of your body’s natural collagen being generated, so when the sunken appearance becomes more pronounced, this method helps to build collagen and thicken the skin. By can enhancing skin quality (with lasers or chemical peels) and add volume around the eyes (with Vampire Facelift PRP or Restylane), you may be able to improve your appearance.

There are certain sunken eye treatments that are less invasive and beneficial for adding volume to the eye area. 

Hyaluronic acid fillers (ex: Restylane) can be injected along the rim of the eye as well as under brow. Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and Platelet Rich Fibrin Matrix (PRFM) are also very helpful for sunken eyes, often referred to as the Vampire Facelift, which I offer in New York offices. By drawing your blood, platelets and growth factors are extracted from blood and used as injectable filler to the eye area with volume loss.

The advantages of the The Vampire Facelift or PRP injections is that there is some of your body’s natural collagen being generated, so when the sunken appearance becomes more pronounced, this method helps to build collagen and thicken the skin.

As you age, the volume of soft tissue, bone, fat starts to diminish; so if you have deep-set eyes, you can naturally have a more sunken eyed appearance. There is no 100% perfect solution for deep set eyes as this is a function of your anatomy: your eyes relative to the bone have particular positions.

You can’t push the eyes out, however, you can enhance skin quality (with lasers or chemical peels) and add volume around the eyes (with PRP or Restylane), but it has to be done artfully by a qualified doctor able to perform these cosmetic eye treatments. I have seen many people who need my help after having kit incorrectly end up looking “lumpy” after getting injectables and creating too many irregularities.

Vampire Facelift® for Volume Loss Under Eyes & Cheeks Being that you haven’t had any success with Restylane or Radiesse, I might recommend a non-surgical procedure I perform for my patients at my Manhattan and Garden City, New York offices called the Vampire Facelift®. 

The Vampire Facelift® is a unique approach to helping you look younger using the natural growth factors in your own blood with a filler such as Restylane or Juvederm performed in a special way.After drawing your own blood, it is processed so the platelets (cells which stimulate collagen for healing) from the other main components of the blood (this is called “platelet rich plasma” or “PRP”) The platelets are processed and made into a platelet-rich fibrin matrix (PRFM) which becomes a gel.

Since PRFM is like a gel, it has similarities to other fillers, and can be used to sculpt the face. When the growth factors activate the stem cells of the skin, then the stem cells generate: New Skin New Blood Flow New Collagen New Tissue

I would recommend a hyaluronic acid injectable filler or a Vampire Facelift to add volume in that area. For my patients with tear trough deformity, I sometimes perform tear-trough implant surgery. 

Tear trough implants are made of silicone – a soft rubber-like material that is inserted through a small incision and placed over the bone mass under the eyelid to augment its shape and create a more youthful appearance. A proper consultation is necessary for treatment advice.

Dark circles under the eyes after eyelid surgery, there can be some temporary darkening of the skin (particularly for people who tan easily). 

Dark circles below the eyes are a combination of ethnic pigmentation, skin thickness, vascularity, and other factors such as allergies. In my practice in New York, I advise my patients after blepharoplasty to use an under eye cream with sunblock and typically the skin color returns to it’s normal pigmentation. I even developed a medical-grade skin care line in helping my patients maintain their skin after surgery, including Eye Rescue and an antioxidant sunscreen.

After eyelid surgery, there can be some temporary darkening of the skin particularly in people who tan easily. In my practice in New York, I advise my patients after blepharoplasty to wear an under eye cream with sunblock and typically the skin color returns to it’s normal pigmentation. I even developed a medical-grade skin care line dedicated to helping my patients maintain their skin after surgery.

It is possible that too much fat was removed. For the dark circles beneath your eyes, Laser skin resurfacing by a qualified professional may be a solution. 

The Micro Fractional CO2 Laser treatment shows dramatic improvement in skin texture and color and leaves it smooth, firm and even-toned. Also, at my practice in New York, after a proper consultation, to determine if I might offer PRP or platelet rich plasma injections combined with a hyaluronic acid filler to help fill out the hollowing beneath eyes and restore color to the skin.

In my years of experience skin maintenance is important following surgery, so I formulated a medical grade line of skin care products in which we carry Eye Rescue (by Prasad Medical Skincare) to reduce dark circles and has vitamins to help nourish the delicate skin around the eye.

Dark circles under the eyes can be caused by allergies, genetics, sun exposure and even smoking. Proper skin examination is necessary to determine the best plan. At my practice in New York, options for treatment can include topical creams, chemical peels and lasers. 

When dark circles are caused by sun damage, I use the Mixto SX microfractional CO2 laser with very nice results. Before choosing a procedure, a proper diagnosis needs to be made.

Not very often will insurance pay for blepharoplasty. In most cases, the simple answer is no. In the case of vision blockage due to ptosis or excess skin, there are very specific vision tests that insurance companies will demand as well as photo documentation before approving such a surgery. There are times a procedure can be approved because of medical necessity.

That said, if it is approved, the insurance company will have an amount that they deem normal for the procedure and the area it is performed in. Oftentimes, in a private cosmetic practice, that covered amount is a fraction of the actual cost of surgery.

Insurance companies rarely account for the specialty involved in these surgeries. My advice would be to deal with your insurance company first. Get approval from them. Submit it all your is dotted and t’s crossed and then knock on wood and cross your fingers that the claim will process.