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BOSTON PLASTIC SURGERY
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BOSTON PLASTIC SURGERY
Do people tell you — or do you feel — that you look tired when you’re actually not? Heavy, sagging, or drooping eyelids can make you look older than you are.
Blepharoplasty at Clareo Plastic Surgery can improve the eyes’ appearance and support overall facial balance by addressing excess skin and fullness. For patients considering blepharoplasty in Boston, the goal is often simple: to look more rested, alert, and like themselves again through subtle eye rejuvenation.
Blepharoplasty, or an eyelid lift, is a procedure that improves the appearance of the eyes by removing excess skin and fat around them. It can address age-related changes in the upper and lower eyelids, depending on the patient’s anatomy and goals.
As soft tissue loses elasticity, fat in the upper eyelids can begin to bulge outward and add to that heavy look. In the lower eyelids, fat often bulges and causes a “tired” appearance, sometimes even in patients in their twenties and thirties. Over time the skin of the lower lid also thins and loses elasticity, leading to excess, redundant skin.
Women and men alike can be affected by these changes and may benefit from surgical correction.
There are two types of blepharoplasty that can be performed: upper eyelid surgery and lower eyelid surgery.
Some patients only need upper eyelid surgery, while others might benefit from lower eyelid surgery. For many patients, a combination of upper and lower eyelid surgery provides the best overall result. The right approach depends on your anatomy and the degree of skin sagging that is present in the orbital eye region.
During your consultation, Dr. Michael Tantillo or Dr. Christopher Lee, board-certified plastic surgeons, will review your concerns, examine the eye area, and recommend the treatment plan best suited to your facial goals.
Lower eyelid surgery involves an incision inside the eyelid to remove and reposition excess fat, as well as an incision under the eyelashes to remove excess skin and tighten soft tissue. In just a few weeks, the incisions heal and the patient can enjoy rested, youthful eyes with a more attractive appearance.
Removing puffiness in the lower eyelids can have a noticeable facial rejuvenation effect. Excess skin removal also helps soften the look of puffy eyes, hollows, and dark circles, which may appear exaggerated when loose skin is present. For many patients, the procedure acts as a subtle lift to the eye area rather than a dramatic change.
Upper eyelid surgery involves an incision placed within the natural crease of the upper eyelid so that redundant skin and bulging fat can be removed. It can create a cleaner upper lid contour and a more open look without an exaggerated lift and can also improve the peripheral vision of patients with severe excess skin.
By refining the contour of the upper eyelids, this procedure can help the eyes look more open, rested, and awake. For many patients, the improvement is noticeable without looking obvious, which is the goal of facial rejuvenation with Clareo.
Anyone bothered by aging changes around the eyes and in good overall health may be a candidate for blepharoplasty. Be sure to let your doctor know if you have a history of dry eyes before surgery.
Blepharoplasty can be combined with other procedures, most commonly a facelift. Patients often choose to address the signs of eyelid aging early in their thirties, and sometimes even in their twenties, to achieve subtle results rather than wait for dramatic ones when they’re older.
For patients seeking broader facial rejuvenation, combining procedures can create a more balanced overall result.
Recovery after blepharoplasty is usually straightforward, but it still requires downtime and careful aftercare. Most patients notice that swelling and bruising improve gradually over the first couple of weeks.
Blepharoplasty is a one-day surgical procedure; you will go home the day of your surgery. The procedure usually takes between one and two and a half hours, depending on the treatment plan. Upper eyelid surgery can be performed using local anesthesia and sedation, while lower eyelid surgery is generally done most safely using general anesthesia.
The eyes will have ointment in them and cool compresses over them after surgery. Postoperative swelling is normal. Using ice packs or cold compresses during the first 48 to 72 hours can help minimize swelling. Most swelling improves significantly within two to three weeks.
Bruising can occur after surgery and generally fades within seven to ten days, although every patient heals at a slightly different pace.
Aftercare plays an important role in healing well and getting the best possible result. Patients should follow all provided instructions closely and give swelling and bruising time to settle.
Keeping your head elevated and using cool compresses over your eyes for the first 48 to 72 hours after your blepharoplasty will help minimize swelling. Staying hydrated may also help reduce swelling.
Sutures are removed within a week after surgery, and the incisions continue to heal over the following months. You should avoid strenuous activities for four weeks after surgery. Most patients prefer to limit their social activity for the first 7 to 10 days.
Our staff will provide detailed written instructions for post-operative care. If you have additional questions about your blepharoplasty, the team at Clareo Plastic Surgery is here to help.
Blepharoplasty is considered a long-lasting procedure because the skin and fat removed during surgery are permanently reduced. At the same time, the natural aging process continues, so the eyes and surrounding facial skin will still change over time.
Your blepharoplasty results will be visible early, but continue to improve as healing progresses, especially as swelling subsides and the incisions mature. Eyelid surgery can make the eyes look less tired and more refreshed.
However, while it can slow the look of aging around the eyes, it does not stop future skin aging. Most patients enjoy a dramatically fresher, more rejuvenated appearance for at least five to seven years after the procedure. Looking more rested and alert, without changing the overall character of the face, is one of the main reasons patients seek eyelid surgery.
Clareo Plastic Surgery serves men and women in the Boston region and beyond, including Newton, Needham, Brookline, and surrounding communities, who want to improve the appearance of eye wrinkles, puffiness, and sagging eyelid skin.
To learn more about blepharoplasty in Boston and whether eyelid surgery is right for you, please call our team at (617) 793-7272 to schedule a consultation with one of our board-certified plastic surgeons today.
Your consultation is a chance to discuss your concerns, review your anatomy, and decide how eyelid surgery fits into your broader facial goals. Clareo Plastic Surgery emphasizes personalized care, clear communication, and one-on-one guidance at our Chestnut Hill office so patients can make informed decisions about treatment.
Blepharoplasty, sometimes known as an eyelid lift, is a procedure designed for eyelid rejuvenation. The upper eyelids can be treated, the lower eyelids, or both the upper and lower eyelids. It involves removing excess skin, removing or repositioning fat, and often tightening the muscle of the lower eyelid.
This procedure is often chosen by patients who feel their eyes make them look tired, heavy, or older than they feel. Depending on the treatment plan, the procedure can improve hooding of the upper lids, puffiness beneath the eyes, or both. The goal is usually a more rested, natural-looking appearance rather than a dramatic change.
Patients often seek a consultation with Clareo Plastic Surgery because they feel, or have been told, that their face always looks tired. Excess skin and fat in the upper eyelids can make them look heavy, while the lower eyelids might look baggy due to excess skin and fat. Your doctor will review the most appropriate options for your situation during the consultation.
In general, good candidates are in good overall health and want to improve aging-related changes around the eyes. Some patients are bothered mainly by heavy upper lids, while others are more concerned with under-eye bags or loose lower lid skin. A consultation helps determine whether upper blepharoplasty, lower blepharoplasty, or a combination of both would be the most appropriate approach.
Patients should avoid strenuous activity for three weeks after surgery. Bruising generally lasts seven to ten days, and patients often return to non-strenuous work activities seven to ten days after blepharoplasty.
Swelling is also expected during the early healing period and usually improves significantly over the first couple of weeks. Most patients feel comfortable returning to many normal daily activities fairly soon, but final healing continues beyond that initial recovery window. Specific downtime can vary depending on whether the procedure involves the upper lids, lower lids, or both.
Blepharoplasty cost varies depending on whether you are having the upper, lower, or both upper and lower eyelids done.
Cost can also be influenced by the details of the surgical plan, including the complexity of the procedure and the type of anesthesia used. The most accurate way to understand pricing is through a consultation, where your anatomy and goals can be evaluated and a treatment plan can be recommended based on your needs.
Blepharoplasty incisions are usually placed in natural creases or discreet locations so they are less noticeable once healed. While every surgery creates some degree of scarring, the placement of the incisions is designed to help them blend in as healing progresses.
Most patients find that the scars fade well over time and are difficult to see in normal conversation. Healing varies from person to person, but carefully following aftercare instructions can support the best possible scar appearance.
Yes, upper and lower blepharoplasty can often be performed during the same operation when both areas would benefit from treatment. Combining procedures may create a more balanced result around the eyes and allow both the upper and lower lids to be addressed at once.
For many patients, this also means going through one recovery period instead of planning separate surgeries at different times. Whether that approach is appropriate depends on your anatomy, goals, and overall treatment plan.
You will see improvement early, but final blepharoplasty results take time as swelling resolves and the tissues settle. Many patients look presentable within a couple of weeks, especially as bruising begins to fade and the eye area starts to look smoother.
More refined healing continues over the following months after surgery, depending on the treatment performed. As the incisions mature and residual swelling improves, the eyelids typically look more natural, rested, and refreshed.
The type of anesthesia used depends on whether the procedure involves the upper lids, lower lids, or both. Upper eyelid surgery can often be performed with local anesthesia, while lower eyelid surgery is more commonly done under general anesthesia for safety and comfort.
The right choice depends on the details of your procedure and your surgeon’s recommendations. During your consultation, your treatment plan will be reviewed so you understand what to expect on the day of surgery.
Patients should wait until they are cleared by their surgeon before wearing eye makeup or contact lenses again. The timing can vary based on swelling, incision healing, and personal comfort during recovery.
Because the eye area is still healing, it is important not to rush back into normal routines too early. Following individualized aftercare instructions is the best way to protect healing tissues and avoid unnecessary irritation.
Blepharoplasty can improve the appearance of dark circles when loose skin or under-eye puffiness is contributing to the problem. In those cases, smoothing the lower eyelid area can help the eyes look less tired and reduce some shadowing beneath them.
However, not all dark circles are caused by excess skin or fat. Some patients may need other treatments to address discoloration more effectively, depending on the underlying cause and the look they want to achieve.
