Upper Blepharoplasty
Your eyes are the focal point of your face, conveying your emotions, energy, and warmth during every interaction. Over time, the delicate eyelid skin loses its elasticity faster than almost any other area of the face, leading to sagging skin and heavy folds. This age-related change causes excess upper eyelid skin to gather over the upper lid, hiding your natural eyelid crease and contributing to a permanently tired appearance. Upper blepharoplasty restores balance to this delicate area, clearing away excess tissue to reveal a bright, open gaze.
Dr. Paige Kennedy performs upper blepharoplasty with a focus on balance, function, and naturally refreshed results. A double-board-certified facial specialist, Dr. Kennedy's specialized expertise allows her to evaluate how your eyelids interact with your brow and forehead muscles, creating a highly customized plan for your features. If you are ready to explore how an eyelid lift can bring energy back to your reflection, we welcome you to schedule an initial consultation at our boutique Breaux Bridge facial plastic surgery practice, serving patients from Acadiana and beyond.
Removes sagging skin, reduces under-brow puffiness, and restores a crisp eyelid crease.
The outpatient procedure typically takes about one hour to complete and can be performed with local anesthesia.
Most patients experience mild swelling and bruising but feel comfortable returning to public settings within one to two weeks.
Delivers long-lasting, refreshed improvements that keep your eyes looking beautifully bright for a decade or more.
An upper blepharoplasty, also known as upper eyelid surgery, is a precise surgical procedure designed to correct heavy, drooping upper eyelids. As the skin and underlying tissues lose elasticity, excess skin in the upper lids can create a tired expression and detract from the naturally bright, rested look of youthful eyes. Blepharoplasty helps open up the eyes and, in some cases, restore peripheral vision that has been obstructed by excess skin.
While injectables can provide subtle improvements in the appearance of the eyes, an upper eyelid blepharoplasty remains the gold standard for addressing tissue laxity. The procedure can be performed for purely cosmetic reasons to enhance your facial aesthetics, or for functional medical reasons when sagging skin hangs low enough to cause impaired vision. The goal of cosmetic blepharoplasty is to restore a clean, smooth upper lid that moves naturally with your expressions.
Upper blepharoplasty surgery can be performed comfortably under local anesthesia, which helps shorten recovery time. For patients who prefer to be fully asleep or are combining their eyelid surgery with other procedures, general anesthesia or intravenous sedation can be utilized.
To begin the upper blepharoplasty, the surgeon makes a precise incision carefully within the natural crease of your upper lid. Dr. Kennedy's strategic incision placement ensures that the faint line is well concealed in this natural contour. Working through this fine incision, Dr. Kennedy removes excess skin and may reduce fat in the medial fat pad. She handles the underlying orbicularis and levator muscles with care to preserve natural eyelid function. The incision is closed with fine sutures, and a soothing antibiotic ointment is applied. Patients can return home shortly after surgery with a friend or family member to drive them.
Upper blepharoplasty results subtly but profoundly rejuvenate your entire facial expression. Because Dr. Kennedy takes a highly conservative, artistic approach to tissue removal, your results will never look pulled, startled, or artificial. Revealing a smooth, defined upper-lid crease restores the natural proportions of your eyes, making them appear larger and more open. Your friends and coworkers will notice that you look well-rested, healthy, and vibrant, without guessing that you had surgery.
For patients with excess skin that obstructs vision, the functional benefits of this surgery are truly life-changing. Removing the excess weight from your upper lids restores peripheral vision. You will no longer have to constantly strain your frontalis muscle, the forehead muscle, just to keep your heavy eyelids lifted throughout the day, often eliminating chronic forehead tension and fatigue.
Upper blepharoplasty is designed for both men and women who are unhappy with heavy, sagging upper lids or under-brow puffiness that creates a tired expression. For patients who also have concerns about puffiness, crepey skin, or deep tear troughs in the lower eyelids, upper blepharoplasty may be combined with lower blepharoplasty to provide comprehensive rejuvenation.
If you suffer from severe dry eyes, unmanaged glaucoma, or other eye conditions, a thorough ophthalmic evaluation is required before proceeding. Dr. Kennedy will carefully review your medical history and lifestyle to ensure this procedure is the safest path forward for your goals.
In some patients, sagging upper eyelids are actually caused by heaviness and descent of tissue in the brow area. In these cases, a brow lift may be recommended as either an alternative or complementary procedure to upper blepharoplasty. Dr. Kennedy will carefully evaluate your eyes and upper face to design a treatment plan tailored to your unique anatomy.
Following an upper eyelid lift, you will experience mild swelling and bruising around the eyes. A temporary feeling of tightness is normal as the tissues settle into position. A protective antibiotic ointment applied to the eyelids can cause temporary blurred vision, which is normal during early recovery. Most patients are pleasantly surprised by how manageable the recovery is, reporting minimal pain or discomfort.
During the first week, resting with your head elevated on a few pillows is essential to help reduce swelling and assist your body in draining excess fluid from the treatment area. You will apply cool compresses or ice packs gently around your eyes and use prescribed eye drops to keep the delicate tissues lubricated. You must avoid wearing contact lenses, reading on bright screens for long periods, or performing heavy lifting during the first few days to protect your healing incisions. Bruising typically lasts 10 to 14 days after surgery. Stitches are usually removed 9 to 12 days post-surgery, and most patients feel confident returning to work and social settings after about two weeks. Dr. Kennedy will guide you through every step and monitor your healing at post-op visits, ensuring a safe and smooth recovery.
The final results of your upper eyelid surgery will reveal themselves as swelling resolves over the month following your procedure. Patients see a beautifully defined upper lid crease, a smooth under-brow contour, and a bright, open gaze that looks entirely refreshed. You will enjoy a youthful appearance that honors your features and looks natural to you.
These improvements are built to stand the test of time, with most patients enjoying a bright, rested look for ten years or longer. To preserve your upper blepharoplasty results, you must avoid direct sun exposure and wear protective sunglasses during the early healing period. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, protecting your skin from UV damage, and utilizing medical-grade skincare will help keep your eye area looking healthy and radiant for years to come.
The delicate skin and complex fat pads around your eyes require the absolute highest level of technical precision and aesthetic restraint. Dr. Paige Kennedy limits her boutique practice exclusively to facial plastic surgery and neck rejuvenation, allowing her to maintain a keen focus on the intricate anatomy of these areas. As the only female facial plastic surgeon in Breaux Bridge, she blends elite postgraduate training with a deeply empathetic, detail-oriented approach. At our practice, your eyelid lift is tailored to your features to deliver a refreshed expression that feels authentic to you.
An upper blepharoplasty focuses strictly on the eyelid tissue itself, removing excess skin and fat from the upper lid to reveal a clean crease. A brow lift addresses the forehead tissues, elevating drooping eyebrows that have slipped below the eye socket ridge. Sometimes, heavy eyebrows can push downward and make the eyelids look extra crowded. Dr. Kennedy evaluates your upper face anatomy during your visit to determine if you need an eyelid lift, a brow lift, or a combination of both.
As the aging process alters the upper face, the orbital septum, the thin sheet of connective tissue that holds facial fat in place, begins to weaken and stretch. This structural shift allows the medial fat pad to bulge forward, creating an accumulating heaviness in the inner corner of the upper lid. Eyelid surgery physically corrects these structural changes by removing excess eyelid skin and sculpting underlying fat to rebuild a youthful appearance.
An upper blepharoplasty targets the upper lids only and will not correct bags, shadows, or loose skin beneath the eyes. If you are unhappy with under-eye puffiness or dark circles, a lower eyelid blepharoplasty or a customized facial fat transfer may be a better option for your goals. Dr. Kennedy can discuss combining upper and lower eyelid procedures during a single session to create a completely balanced, harmonious rejuvenation.
Dr. Kennedy meticulously places the incision lines right within the natural, shifting fold of your upper eyelid crease. Because the line rests inside this deep shadow, it is completely hidden from view whenever your eyes are open during daily conversations. As the healing process moves forward over a few months, the fine line fades into a faint, practically invisible trace that blends seamlessly into your skin.
Most patients need to avoid using contact lenses for about two weeks following their surgical procedure. Inserting and removing lenses requires you to pull on your eyelid skin, which can stretch or irritate the healing incision line. You will want to rely on your favorite eyeglasses during the initial recovery window until Dr. Kennedy verifies that your eyelids have healed securely.
Yes, an upper eyelid lift is one of the most common procedures that can be performed comfortably under local anesthesia right in our boutique clinical space. The area is completely numbed so you feel no pain, and you remain awake and relaxed throughout the hour-long process. This option avoids the recovery time and facility costs associated with general anesthesia, allowing you to return home immediately.
Temporary dry eyes, irritated eyes, or minor difficulty closing the lids tightly are common side effects during the first few days of recovery due to localized swelling. Dr. Kennedy utilizes highly precise, conservative techniques to protect your essential eyelid function, significantly minimizing the risk of long-term complications. We provide detailed aftercare steps and lubricating drops to keep your eyes perfectly protected while they heal.
The total cost of an upper eyelid lift can vary based on several factors, including whether the surgery is performed in the office under local numbing or in a surgical center, and if it is combined with other treatments. If your surgery is being performed because drooping skin directly blocks your superior vision, visual field testing may be used to document a medical need. We provide a clear, transparent financial summary after your personal evaluation so you can plan your investment comfortably.
As with any surgical procedure, potential risks include minor bleeding, temporary asymmetry, blurred vision for a few days, or unfavorable scarring. Infection risk exists if sutures are not properly cared for. Serious complications like double vision or long-term eyelid problems are incredibly rare when your care is entrusted to an expert. Choosing a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon ensures that your surgery is guided by elite anatomical knowledge and the highest standards of safety.
