Upper Blepharoplasty (Eyelid Surgery / Eye Lift) | Philadelphia PA and South Jersey

Upper blepharoplasty can be performed in the office or at an outpatient surgical center and usually takes about an hour to perform. Recovery from an eye lift is fairly rapid and downtime is usually just a few days. Upper blepharoplasty is an excellent procedure and patients typically love the results. Eyelid surgery, or upper blepharoplasty, is the surgical removal of excess tissues of the upper eyelid along with the sculpting and contouring of the eyelid and eyebrow region to give a beautiful refreshed result. Incisions are made in the crease of the upper eyelid so that they are hidden. Botox or Dysport may be used to enhance the result.

Many people over the age of 40 could benefit from upper blepharoplasty, as aging changes in the upper eyelids is almost universal. People feel that the eye lift procedure makes them look more alert, removes any hooding in the upper eyelids, and makes their eyes and their entire face look younger and rejuvenated. Younger patients with good skin tone can expect particularly excellent results.

Eyelid surgery is a very successful, satisfying procedure for our patients. The only real limitations are if your sagging eyelids are caused more by relaxation of the forehead skin and the eyebrow, rather than the eyelids themselves. In these cases, a brow lift may be a better procedure. Dr. Chandler is also expert in minimally invasive Endoscopic Brow Lift.

Surgical repair of sagging or drooping eyelids, known as blepharoplasty, typically lasts 8-10 years but may last much longer. Every person ages differently and every face is different. Dr. Chandler is an expert in cosmetic eyelid surgery and designs a surgical plan based on each person’s face to give an individualized result.

Upper blepharoplasty costs are not uniform – each patient that Dr. Chandler sees is given an individualized plan that is best for him or her. Typically, an eye lift can be performed in the office, saving the cost of the surgical center facility and anesthesia fees.

Upper blepharoplasty costs can vary, but typically a range of $7000-$7500 is expected for eyelid surgery in the hands of an expert that is designing a custom based cosmetic surgical plan. During an in-person consultation with Dr. Chandler and his cosmetic coordinator, costs can be reviewed for your proposed eyelid surgery. Financing is available for those that are interested and qualify. The cost of a blepharoplasty is an investment in yourself, in your appearance, and typically results are beautiful and can be enjoyed for years to come.

During an eye lift, Dr. Chandler makes the incisions in the natural crease of the upper eyelids. This effectively makes the scars nearly invisible, as they are hidden in these natural creases. Dr. Chandler will discuss proper care of the incisions in detail with you.

Recovery after upper blepharoplasty surgery is typically mild and rapid. Immediately after surgery, Dr. Chandler requests that you rest in a partially reclining position with cool ice compresses applied to the eyelid region on and off every 30 minutes for 24 hours. You are allowed to get up, to eat, go to the bathroom, etc., but resting for the first day is best for reducing swelling and allowing healing to occur. Dr. Chandler will provide you with a prescription for a special ointment to apply to the eye lift incisions that are safe for use around the eye area. It usually takes about a week or so for the bruising under the eye area to resolve. Full healing from eyelid surgery takes 6 months to 1 year, but most patients look very excellent about 6 weeks after upper blepharoplasty.

Recovery from eyelid surgery is not difficult. After your eye lift surgery with Dr. Chandler, you will return home and your eyelids will be covered with light gauze. We ask that you apply cool ice compresses on and off every 30 minutes for the next 24 hours. If you’re diligent with the compress, you can minimize bruising and swelling. Pain is not acute, and it is manageable with over-the-counter pain medication.

Dr. Chandler usually removes your stitches in about one week. At this point, your eyes will be improving, and this is the majority of any recovery you need to plan for. You may have some light swelling at times moving forward, and under eye bruising can take about 10 days to resolve. Under eye bruising can be covered with make-up if desired. Most patients can return to work within 72 hours of eyelid surgery.

After just a few days you can walk and do some light exercise, but you need to avoid anything strenuous for your first week, especially heavy lifting or anything that increases blood pressure to the face. Most patients can return to their regular exercise regimen in 2-3 weeks after eyelid surgery, but Dr. Chandler will discuss this with you because different patients heal at different rates.

Upper blepharoplasty is still that…surgery. As such, there are the potential risks and complications of any surgery: infection, bleeding, and poor wound healing. There can be some eyelid specific complications such as eye injury, dry eyes and problems closing an eyelid, but these are very rare.

This is where Dr. Chandler’s focus and expertise are important. His practice specializes in eyelid surgery, cheek surgery and forehead surgery, and he has extensive experience with the anatomy, muscular structure, and the best methods for rejuvenating the eyes safely.