Upper Blepharoplasty
Hooded eyes, heavy upper lids, and excess eyelid skin can make the face look tired or shadowed even when it is not. Upper blepharoplasty refines the upper eyelid to restore an open, rested appearance, without changing the underlying shape of the eye.
As skin loses elasticity and there's volume loss, the upper eyelid can develop excess skin (dermatochalasis) that drapes over the lash line and weighs the eye down. The result can be a heavy, hooded, or tired look, and in more advanced cases, a real obstruction of peripheral vision. Upper blepharoplasty removes only the precise amount of redundant skin and, when needed, a small amount of fat from the upper eyelid. The incision is placed inside the natural eyelid crease, where it heals as a fine line that is difficult to see.
Dr. Boxrud approaches upper eyelid surgery as an oculofacial plastic surgeon, not as a general cosmetic surgeon. The eye area is dense with delicate anatomy: the levator muscle that lifts the lid, the orbital septum, the lacrimal gland. Over-aggressive removal of tissue at any of those layers produces a hollowed, surprised, or asymmetric look that is difficult to correct later. Her approach is conservative: take only what should be taken, preserve what should be preserved.
Patients across Los Angeles seek out Dr. Boxrud for upper eyelid surgery specifically because of this anatomic, restrained approach. The goal is not to look operated on. It is to look like a more rested version of yourself, with the same eyes you have always had.
- Procedure
- Outpatient, typically 60 minutes.
- Anesthesia
- Local anesthesia or mild sedation.
- Recovery
- Most patients return to activities within 5 to 7 days. If bruising occurs, it typically fades by two weeks. Full settling of the result takes about three months.
What is upper blepharoplasty?
Upper blepharoplasty is the surgical procedure that removes excess skin, fat, and sometimes muscle from the upper eyelid. It is performed to address hooded eyes, heavy upper lids, and the tired or aged appearance that comes from upper-lid descent. Patients seek it for both cosmetic and functional reasons.
Will upper eyelid surgery look natural?
Yes, when done conservatively. Dr. Boxrud’s approach is to refresh the upper lid without changing the shape of the eye. Removing too much skin or fat is the most common reason upper blepharoplasty looks operated on; her training as an oculofacial plastic surgeon is built around preserving natural anatomy.
How long is recovery from upper blepharoplasty?
Most patients return to non-strenuous activity within 5 to 7 days. Visible bruising typically fades by two weeks. Final settling of the result takes about three months.
Is upper blepharoplasty covered by insurance?
It can be, when there is documented visual obstruction from upper-lid skin. A visual field test is usually required. Purely cosmetic upper blepharoplasty is not covered. The office can guide you through the documentation process.
How long do the results last?
Upper blepharoplasty results typically last 10 to 15 years or longer. Some patients never need a second procedure; others choose touch-ups much later.
Will there be visible scars?
Incisions are placed in the natural upper-lid crease and are designed to be virtually invisible once healed. After the first few months, most patients cannot find their own incision lines.
At what age should I consider upper eyelid surgery?
There is no fixed age. Patients in their late thirties through their seventies have upper blepharoplasty. The right time is when the upper lid is bothering you visually or functionally, not when a number says it should.