If you’re tired of always looking tired or have been dealing with sagging skin that blocks your vision, you might want to consider a lower or upper blepharoplasty. These eyelid surgeries can remove drooping skin and reduce bagginess under your eyes, giving you a more rested, alert, and youthful appearance.
As you consider brightening your eyes with blepharoplasty, you can review our guide to blepharoplasty featuring insights from a board-certified plastic surgeon.
What Is a Blepharoplasty?
Often called eyelid surgery, blepharoplasty refers to a surgery where excess skin is removed from the upper and/or lower eyelids. Find out more about the two main types of blepharoplasty below:
What Is a Lower Blepharoplasty?
Lower blepharoplasty is a precise eyelid surgery that targets the causes of under-eye bags and dark circles. By repositioning or removing fat pads, tightening lax muscle, and smoothing excess skin, this lower eyelid surgery reduces puffiness, softens wrinkles, and improves shadowing in the tear-trough area.
What Is an Upper Blepharoplasty?
An upper blepharoplasty, or eyelid lift, removes redundant skin and refines the upper-lid crease for a more open look. An eyelid lift may be performed for cosmetic enhancement or to improve vision when overhanging skin or true lid droop (ptosis) blocks the visual field. It’s also a particularly popular eyelid surgery for hooded eyes.
In select cases where an eyebrow is sagging and making the upper eyelid skin look saggier too, a combined brow lift and eyelid surgery may be recommended.
The Difference Between Lower and Upper Blepharoplasty Explained by a Plastic Surgeon
To better understand how blepharoplasty works, why it’s so popular, and who it’s right for, we spoke with Dr. Travis Shaw, double board-certified facial plastic surgeon at Synergy Face + Body Richmond, and our Medical Director.
“Blepharoplasty is designed to refresh the eyes by addressing excess skin, fat, and muscle around the eyelids,” explains Dr. Shaw. “For the upper lids, the goal is to remove heavy or drooping skin that can even block peripheral vision in some patients. For the lower lids, we target puffiness and under-eye bags that tend to make people look older or more tired than they really are.”
How Common Are Blepharoplasties?
According to the most recent American Society of Plastic Surgeons Statistics Report, blepharoplasties were the fifth most common cosmetic surgical procedure in 2024 (120,755 total blepharoplasties were performed!). The report also notes that blepharoplasty has stayed in the top five of all cosmetic surgical procedures for three years straight.
Why Are Blepharoplasties Popular?
The procedure’s popularity has been on the rise due to celebrities and public figures who have openly discussed eyelid surgery or appeared noticeably refreshed in the media. For example, Jane Fonda, Julie Chen, George Clooney, and Dolly Parton have all spoken about receiving eyelid surgery in recent years.
With more transparency in aesthetics, more patients feel reassured knowing that even well-known personalities are turning to upper and lower blepharoplasty to maintain a youthful look.
This cultural shift has made the treatment more mainstream, inspiring both men and women to explore the same options for themselves.
The procedure’s popularity has also grown thanks to modern lifestyle changes. With so many people spending time on video calls or social media, their eyes are constantly on display.
“The eyes are such a focal point, especially in today’s world,” Dr. Shaw shares. “When the eye area looks brighter and more awake, it makes a big impact on confidence.”
Who Is a Candidate for Eyelid Surgery?
Many patients who consider eyelid surgery are healthy individuals who feel youthful and energetic but notice that their eyes tell a different story. “I hear this all the time in consultations,” Dr. Shaw says. “Patients will say, ‘I feel great, but when I look in the mirror, I look exhausted.’ Blepharoplasty helps bring that inner vitality back to the surface.”
If you’re wondering if you’d make a good candidate for blepharoplasties, a plastic surgeon will typically take the following factors into account when approving a surgery:
- Individuals without serious eye conditions
- Individuals in good health who don’t have medical conditions that could impair healing
- Nonsmokers
- At least 30 years old (usually)
- Individuals with realistic goals and a willingness to be totally upfront with their surgeon about their goals, health conditions, and medications
What to Expect Before a Blepharoplasty
Before surgery, your surgeon will review your health and give you specific pre-op instructions. Common steps include:
- Completing a medical evaluation and any needed lab tests.
- Stopping smoking to support healing.
- Adjusting current medications or starting certain pre-operative medicines as directed.
- Pausing anything that increases bleeding—such as aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs, blood thinners, multivitamins, and herbal supplements—on the timeline your surgeon provides.
- Arranging for a trusted adult to drive you home and stay with you the first night after surgery.
What to Expect During a Blepharoplasty
One of the main reasons blepharoplasty can be very appealing to patients is how quick and easy the procedure actually is. Blepharoplasties can typically be performed as an outpatient, in-office procedure. Patients do not need to stay overnight and can return home right after their surgery.
Dr. Shaw explains that the procedure involves creating a small incision with a precise laser, placed either in the crease of the upper eyelid or along the lash line of the lower eyelid. “By placing the incision in these natural folds, the scar is very discreet once healed, often barely noticeable,” he says.
Most patients are kept comfortable with local anesthesia combined with light sedation. According to Dr. Shaw, “This approach helps patients feel relaxed throughout the entire procedure, without the need for full anesthesia.”
How Long Does Eyelid Surgery Take?
Depending on whether the upper eyelids, lower eyelids, or both are addressed, the procedure usually takes about 45 minutes to an hour. Each surgery is customized to each patient.
“No two patients are alike, so I always tailor the approach to match each person’s unique needs and goals,” notes Dr. Shaw.
What to Expect During Upper and Lower Blepharoplasty Recovery
Lower and upper blepharoplasty recovery is often easier than patients anticipate. Most people experience some swelling and bruising for about a week, and many are back to work or normal activities within one to two weeks. Makeup can usually be worn to camouflage residual bruising after the first week.
Follow-ups via phone are done one day post-surgery, and in-person follow-ups are done one week post-surgery. This follow-up timeline ensures that patients are healing correctly and helps to prevent any post-procedure complications.
Upper and lower blepharoplasty recovery times vary by patient, but full healing usually takes about 6 months to complete. However, final results tend to become more noticeable two months following the procedure.
Do You Need to Take Time Off Work After a Blepharoplasty?
Since it takes about two weeks for swelling and bruising to subside after a blepharoplasty, it’s typically recommended to take one or two weeks off work so you can heal.
Schedule a Blepharoplasty Consultation in Richmond at Synergy by Travis Shaw, M.D.
For anyone considering eyelid surgery in Richmond, VA, blepharoplasty offers a proven way to restore a youthful, well-rested appearance. It remains one of the top choices for men and women who want a noticeable yet natural rejuvenation. At Synergy by Travis Shaw, M.D., in Richmond, VA, the approach to eyelid surgery is all about enhancing a patient’s natural features.
“My goal is always to create results that look refreshed, not overdone,” says Dr. Shaw. “Patients should look like themselves, just more rested and vibrant.”
Learn more about our eyelid surgery treatments in Richmond today!
