Few cosmetic procedures provide as much visible change for as little recovery time as eyelid surgery. The incisions are small, and the results make a difference both in the appearance and function of your face. At Ridenour Plastic Surgery, Dr. Ridenour specializes in facial plastic surgery and offers blepharoplasty to patients who are experiencing signs of aging or loss of peripheral vision due to excess skin around the eyes.
Why the Eyes Have a Strong Effect on Your Appearance
The human brain is wired to prioritize the eye region above every other facial feature. In an article published in Acta Psychologica, it was found that people were far more likely to direct their attention to the eyes first, even when instructed to look elsewhere on the face. Because of this, aging around the eyes is often more noticeable.
Drooping upper lids and puffy lower lids can change how someone perceives you. Others may think you look tired or unhappy even when you feel fine. Small changes in this area can create big changes in how you are received by others.
What Can Eyelid Surgery Do?
Blepharoplasty can be performed on the upper lids, lower lids or both. These procedures can:
- Remove excess skin on the upper eyelids
- Reduce puffiness caused by displaced fat
- Smooth crepey eyelid skin
- Eliminate under-eye bags
- Correct hollowing beneath the lower lids
- Make the eyes look more open and rested
How Does Eyelid Surgery Compare to Other Facial Procedures?
Recovery Time Is Shorter Than a Facelift
While blepharoplasty is still a surgery and requires healing and downtime, there is often less downtime than with other procedures, such as a facelift. Most blepharoplasty patients can return to work within two weeks and will see their full results four to six weeks after the surgery. Face and neck lift surgeries address more tissue and involve deeper facial structures.
Incisions Are Small and Well-Concealed
Upper lid incisions are placed inside the natural crease of the eyelid, so they disappear into the fold when the eyes are open. Lower lid incisions are made either just below the lash line or on the inner surface of the lid. Once healing is complete, visible scarring is minimal.
Results Last for Many Years
Blepharoplasty permanently removes excess skin, so the results are long-lasting. The skin around your eyes will still age, but you will look more youthful than you would without the surgery, even as natural aging takes place.
What Are the Functional Benefits of Eyelid Surgery?
Improved Peripheral Vision
When upper lid skin hangs low enough to encroach on the visual field, patients often do not realize how much it is limiting them until after surgery. Reading and driving both feel easier.
Less Eye Strain and Forehead Tension
People with heavy upper lids often compensate by subtly raising their eyebrows throughout the day. That constant micro-effort translates into forehead tension and end-of-day fatigue. It can also cause wrinkling on the forehead from the constant movement. Removing the excess skin lets the forehead relax.
Easier Eye Makeup Application
When upper lid hooding covers the natural crease, eyeshadow disappears the moment the eyes open. After blepharoplasty, makeup stays visible and takes far less effort to apply.
Fewer Comments About Looking Tired
Most people mean well when they ask if you are feeling okay or comment that you look worn out. That does not make it any less frustrating to hear every week when you feel rested. Blepharoplasty removes the anatomical cues that trigger those assumptions, and patients routinely say the comments simply stop.
How To Tell If Eyelid Surgery Will Be Impactful for You
Strong candidates are in good health, free of serious eye conditions like severe dry eye or Graves’ disease, nonsmokers or willing to stop for several weeks before and after, and realistic about what surgery can do.
Age is less of a factor than people assume. Most patients are somewhere between 40 and 65, but some develop heavy upper lids in their 30s due to genetics, and others reach 70 without ever needing surgery. Assuming you are healthy, the right time is when the appearance of your eyes starts affecting your confidence or your vision.
When Other Procedures Should Be Considered Instead
Not every tired-looking eye area is actually an eyelid problem. Severe midface descent and deep tear trough hollowing sometimes call for a facelift rather than lower lid surgery. Surface concerns like fine lines and pigment changes often respond better to laser resurfacing.
Having an honest conversation with Dr. Ridenour is the best way to determine whether eyelid surgery is the right answer or not. You can get a sense of what real results look like in our blepharoplasty before and after gallery.
Why Surgeon Experience Matters for Eyelid Surgery
Eyelid tissue is among the thinnest and least forgiving on the body. Removing too much skin, taking too much fat or misjudging lower lid support can produce hollowed or permanently altered eyes that are very difficult to correct. General surgical experience is not enough. You should look for someone who has specific training in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery.
Dr. Brock Ridenour is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon, certified by both the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Before entering private practice in 2003, he spent over a decade as the Director of Facial Plastic Surgery at Washington University in St. Louis. Every surgical procedure he performs is on the face. Read more about Dr. Ridenour’s background and philosophy on our website.
Schedule a Blepharoplasty Consultation in St. Louis to Learn More
At Ridenour Plastic Surgery, we welcome patients from throughout the St. Louis area and across the country, with virtual consultations available for those traveling to us. To find out whether eyelid surgery is right for you, call or text our St. Louis office at 314-878-8600 or request a consultation online.
