8 months post op - is it normal to still have creasing around eyelids when I smile? (photos)

It appears your incision stopped rather short and it needed to be extended more laterally to pull out the extra corner skin. You will need a revision to correct this.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D,

Most people will form deepening, cross, feet wrinkles when smiling.
As the cheek moves up, the skin around the eyes is compressed, causing skin folds to appear, especially as we get older and in those who have damage on their skin. Different surgeons have different approaches to doing upper eyelid blepharoplasty surgery.
Some providers exercise skin further out, which could potentially decrease the hooding when you smile, but would be at the cost of having a longer scar.
We usually don’t assess patients before or after surgery in a dynamic state(showing facial expression)
It’s not a good idea to try to anticipate what patients look like when they contract muscle of facial expression during surgery.
Surgical assessments before, and after surgery are typically based on static expression without facial animation.
Botox will only weaken the orbicularis muscle which closes your eyelids, but will not weaken your zygomaticus muscle, which is involved with smiling.
The Botox treatment may not reduce the wrinkle when you smile, but may reduce the wrinkle when you squint your eyes.
Best,
Matt Hagstrom MD