Blepharoplasty, the technical term for eyelid surgery, is a cosmetic operation that seeks to give the upper and lower eyelids a more youthful look by removal of excessive skin, fat, and/or tissue. There are many reasons why you would choose to get a blepharoplasty. This procedure can help remove signs of aging such as droopy or baggy eyes; however, it cannot correct things such as crow’s feet, sagging eyebrows, and dark circles. Some patients are concerned that blepharoplasty will remove any racial or ethnic features. While it does not erase any evidence of heritage, it can add a crease to the upper eyelid for Asian women or men.

Blepharoplasty procedures typically take one to three hours, but this depends on the extent of the surgery. For a patient who is having both upper eyelids and both lower eyelids done, the surgeon will likely work on the upper lids and then work on the lower lids.

Typically, incisions are made along your natural lines and creases so that extra fatty tissue can be removed. The surgeon will also trim any extra skin and/or tissue that is sagging. Depending on your situation, longer incisions may have to be made along your crow’s feet.

If you are a young patient with more elastic skin, you can also undergo a transconjunctival blepharoplasty, which seeks to remove only excess fat, not skin. In order to avoid visible scarring, your surgeon will place the incision inside the lower eyelid and then finely close up the incision with fine sutures.