Fat Transfer to Upper Eyelids?

Question

I don't have very hollow upper eyelids. I consider them to be normal. However, I always liked the look of fat upper eyelids. This may be very unusual. Is is possible to place enough fat in the upper eyelid to make it very fat? would this be blepharoplasty or just a fat transfer?

Cameron Chesnut, MD, FAAD, FACMS · Answer

Upper eyelid hollowness is a dramatically underappreciated, yet incredibly important component of aging in the eyelids. With normal aging, our upper eyelid fat pads tend to retract and expose this upper lid hollowness, those with “deep set eyes“ are especially prone, and unfortunately old-school upper eyelid surgery that is overly subtractive can artificially create this hollowness early, actually looking worse than it did before surgery - the before and after photo in the link below resulted from overly subtractive upper eyelid surgery with another surgeon, and you can see the results after revolumization of the upper lids. Correcting this hollowness can happen with fat or filler injections into very specific planes of the upper eyelid, or transposing and rearranging the upper eyelid fat pads to provide fullness, as you see in this surgeon’s view video, borrowing the excess fat to move into the areas lacking fullness!
To ensure you are receiving the highest level of care, seek out a modernly trained, new-school dermatologic surgeon, oculoplastic surgeon, facial plastic surgeon or plastic surgeon who is board certified and fellowship trained in one of these “core four” cosmetic specialties. Membership in organizations like the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery help to identify a highly trained surgeon.
Cameron Chesnut
#realself100 Physician

Thomas Fiala, MD, FACS, FRCSC · Answer

Honestly, I would not recommend this.  It's just not predictable enough for my taste.

	Perhaps you could consider a filler injection with an HA.  They can last a long time in that area, and have the advantage of being reversible with hyaluronidase.

	All the best,

Paul Vitenas, Jr., MD · Answer

Although this is normally done to correct the hollowness natural aging promotes in many women it can certainly be done in women who have normal upper eyelids. The question is how it will look once done and this question can not be answered without looking at a photo of your present state.

Thomas A. Lamperti, MD · Answer

A fat grafting procedure can be done to increase the fullness of the upper eyelids. This is a very technique-dependent procedure and typically leads to fairly prolongeed post-treatment swelling compared with fat grafting elsewhere on the face. I would be sure to consult with a surgeon who has experience with fat grafting to this specific area. After an examination they can give you a better idea if they can achieve the look you're going for.

Ron Shelton, MD · Answer

In recent years, there is a change in the way in which upper eyelid hollowness is approached.  Rather than removing too much fat in a blepharoplasty which can induce a hollowed-out appearance, there is discussion of fat repositioning and fat grafting. It might leave an uneveness and should be done by an experienced surgeon.

Fat Transfer to Upper Eyelids?

Answers (10)

Answer: Creating more full upper eyelids is possible

Answer: Creating more full upper eyelids is possible

Answer: Fat grafting or repositioning for the upper eyelids

Answer: Fat grafting or repositioning for the upper eyelids

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Facial Fat Transfer

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.

Fat Transfer to Upper Eyelids?

Answers (10)

Answer: Creating more full upper eyelids is possible

Answer: Creating more full upper eyelids is possible

Answer: Fat grafting or repositioning for the upper eyelids

Answer: Fat grafting or repositioning for the upper eyelids

Browse related questions

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Facial Fat Transfer

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.