Cosmetic surgery procedure
Blepharoplasty (Eyelid Surgery)
Eyelid surgery removes or repositions excess skin and fat in the upper and lower lids, softening hooding and under-eye bags so your eyes look rested, open, and naturally like your own.
Eyelid Surgery in Pasadena and Sherman Oaks
Your eyes are the first feature people notice, and they are often the first place where age and fatigue become visible. Hooded upper lids, puffiness beneath the lower lids, and a persistently tired expression can make you look worn out or older than you feel, even when you are well rested. At Cosmetic Doc, Dr. Husam Elias performs blepharoplasty, commonly called eyelid surgery, to open and refresh the eye while keeping it unmistakably your own. As a triple board-certified cosmetic surgeon trained in oral and maxillofacial surgery, he understands this region from the bone outward, not just skin deep, which is why his results tend to read as rested rather than operated on. We welcome you to our Pasadena or Sherman Oaks office to talk it through.
What Is Blepharoplasty?
Blepharoplasty is a precise surgical procedure that removes or repositions excess skin, muscle, and fat in the upper eyelids, the lower eyelids, or both. It is among the most frequently performed facial cosmetic procedures and also one of the most delicate: eyelid tissue is thin and mobile, and a difference of a few millimeters can change the entire expression of the face.
Upper eyelid surgery addresses hooding and heaviness caused by lax skin that gradually settles toward the lash line. When that redundant skin drapes far enough to encroach on your upper field of view, an upper eyelid lift may also improve obstructed peripheral vision along with appearance.
Lower eyelid surgery addresses under-eye bags, puffiness, and the hollow groove that can form where the lid meets the cheek. Contemporary technique favors repositioning fat rather than simply removing it, redraping the fat pad to smooth the transition into the cheek. Overly aggressive fat removal can leave a hollow, skeletonized look over the years, so conservative judgment matters more than the volume taken.
What patients gain
Benefits of Eyelid Surgery
Blepharoplasty is a comparatively small operation with an outsized effect on how rested and approachable you look. Here is what most patients gain.
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Lift Heavy Upper Lids
Removing redundant skin from the upper lid restores a defined crease and an open, alert eye, which can also make applying eye makeup easier and far more predictable.
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Smooth Under-Eye Bags
Repositioning the lower lid fat pads softens puffiness and the shadowed hollow beneath it, so you look rested instead of chronically tired in photographs and on video calls.
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Widen Obstructed Vision
When heavy upper lid skin overhangs the lash line, an upper eyelid lift can improve the peripheral field of view in addition to refreshing your appearance.
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Keep Your Own Expression
Eyelid surgery refreshes the lid without changing your eye shape or the way you emote, so friends notice that you look well rather than that you had surgery.
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Hide the Incisions
Upper incisions sit within the natural lid crease and lower incisions rest behind the lash line or inside the lid, so mature scars are typically difficult to see.
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Combine and Recover Once
Blepharoplasty pairs naturally with a brow lift or facial fat grafting, letting you address the whole upper face during a single anesthetic and a single recovery.
How Is Eyelid Surgery Performed?
Planning begins with an examination of your lid position, skin quality, tear film, and brow height, often supported by detailed photographic analysis. Most blepharoplasty is an outpatient procedure using local anesthesia with IV sedation, though general anesthesia is available when it is combined with a larger facial operation.
Upper Eyelid Technique
The incision is hidden inside the natural crease of the upper lid. Excess skin and, when appropriate, a conservative strip of muscle or a small amount of fat are removed, and the closure settles into the crease where it becomes difficult to see once healed.
Lower Eyelid Technique
When skin also needs tightening, the incision is placed just behind the lash line. When the concern is purely fat and puffiness, a transconjunctival approach places the incision inside the lid, leaving no external scar at all. Fat is generally repositioned over the orbital rim rather than discarded.
When the Brow Is the Real Culprit
Sometimes heaviness above the eye comes from a descended brow rather than the lid itself, and removing lid skin can then pull the brow lower. Dr. Elias will tell you candidly if a brow lift, alone or with blepharoplasty, is the better answer.
What Is Recovery Like After Blepharoplasty?
Eyelid surgery has one of the more manageable recoveries in facial surgery. Swelling and bruising peak in the first two to three days, then improve steadily with head elevation and cold compresses, and sutures typically come out within about a week. Most patients feel comfortable returning to desk work and public activity in seven to ten days, and residual bruising generally resolves over two to three weeks, with makeup covering the last of it. Vision may feel blurry or dry early on. Strenuous exercise waits about two weeks, and the lid contour keeps refining for several months.
Schedule Your Eyelid Surgery Consultation
If your eyes no longer reflect how you feel, a conversation is the right first step. Our team at Cosmetic Doc will assess your lids and brow together and explain candidly what eyelid surgery can and cannot change. Cost depends on which lids are treated, anesthesia level, facility time, and any combined procedures, and we provide a personalized quote at consultation with financing available. Call our Pasadena or Sherman Oaks office to schedule.
Questions patients ask
Eyelid Surgery FAQs
How much does eyelid surgery cost?
Cost varies with whether you treat the upper lids, the lower lids, or both, the level of anesthesia required, surgical facility time, and whether you combine eyelid surgery with another procedure. We provide a clear, personalized quote at your consultation and offer financing options so you can plan comfortably.
Is blepharoplasty painful?
Most patients describe pressure, tightness, and dryness rather than significant pain. Discomfort is typically mild and managed well with over-the-counter medication, cold compresses, and lubricating ointment. Anesthesia keeps you comfortable during surgery itself, and the first two or three days are usually the most noticeable part of recovery.
How long until I look normal in public?
Most patients return to work and social activity within seven to ten days. Bruising typically fades over two to three weeks and can be camouflaged with makeup once incisions have sealed. Subtle swelling continues to settle for a few months, refining the final contour of the lid.
Will eyelid surgery leave visible scars?
Incisions are deliberately placed where they hide: inside the natural upper lid crease, just behind the lower lash line, or entirely inside the lid with a transconjunctival approach. Once healed, these lines are typically very difficult to notice, though every patient scars somewhat differently.
How long do the results last?
Upper eyelid results often last a decade or longer, and lower eyelid fat repositioning tends to be durable as well. Your eyes will continue to age naturally, but most patients find they never return to their pre-surgery starting point. Sun protection and skin care help preserve the result.
Do I need a brow lift instead?
Sometimes. If your brow has descended, the heaviness you see may originate above the lid rather than in it, and eyelid surgery alone could accentuate the problem. Dr. Elias evaluates brow position and lid skin together and will recommend the combination that suits your anatomy.
Your surgeon
Meet Your Surgeon
Dr. Husam Elias
MD, DMD, FACS
Eyelid surgery rewards restraint and an intimate knowledge of the orbital anatomy beneath the skin. Learn more about the surgeon who will care for you.
Start here
Your Choice for Expert Cosmetic Surgery in Pasadena & Sherman Oaks
Cosmetic Doc delivers board-certified cosmetic surgery with care, compassion, and artistry. From facelifts and rhinoplasty to body contouring, Dr. Husam Elias pairs dual MD/DMD training with an on-site AAAHC-accredited surgery center for the safest, most natural-looking results. Contact our Pasadena or Sherman Oaks office today to schedule your consultation.