Blepharoplasty: Can You See Your Age in Your Eyes?

Blepharoplasty / Upper and Lower Eyelid Lift

Blepharoplasty is not only a cosmetic surgery solution to sagging skin around the eyes, but also a way to improve peripheral vision and other vision problems. Dr. Michael L. Thornton, a double board certified cosmetic surgeon at Mansfield Cosmetic Surgery Center, serving blepharoplasty clients in Mansfield, Arlington, and Fort Worth, helps you through the process.

As we age, many parts of our bodies have “seen” better days. For the eyes, that statement is quite literal, as skin supporting the eyelids stretches and the blink muscles weaken.  This may result in excess fat gathering either above and/or below the eyelids and cause sagging or drooping of the eyebrows/upper eyelids, and “bags” or “festoons” under the eyes.  Most of our clients who desire eyelid lift surgery or blepharoplasty do so to reduce a “tired look” or “droopy eyelids.”

 According to Medscape, the number of eyelid lift surgeries, or blepharoplasties, performed has continued to increase over the past 20 years and is the most common invasive cosmetic surgical procedure of the face. “Blepharoplasty is performed more often in women than in men,” Medscape reports. “Women continue to request the procedure at a younger age than males. Cosmetic blepharoplasty is most commonly performed in the fifth decade of life.”

The upper blepharoplasty procedure is easily performed under local anesthesia by Dr. Michael L. Thornton at Mansfield Cosmetic Surgery Center for the upper eyelids (excess skin removal).  However, lower blepharoplasty (fat bulge removal) is performed under monitored anesthesia at our affiliated out-patient surgery center, Baylor Surgicare at Mansfield.  Through the use of advanced techniques, Dr. Thornton performs scarless lower eyelid blepharoplasty or transconjunctival blepharoplasty to minimize eyelid scaring complications. Dr. Thornton also performs complete periorbital rejuvenation by combining both upper and lower blepharoplasty along with CO2 laser skin resurfacing and fat grafting around the lower orbit regions to tighten the lower eyelid skin, smooth out fine wrinkles, and eliminate dark circles. 

Fat transfer to the lower orbital rims is a popular procedure performed by Dr. Thornton to improve a “tear trough” deformity by transferring fat to the lid-cheek junction, nasal labial folds, zygomatic region (cheek bone), and other areas of the mid face to improve overall volume.

Recovery following blepharoplasty or fat transfer is usually complete within 5 to 7 days, though mild swelling may last 7-10 days.