Are upper blepharoplasty procedures usually permanent or will you need to do a revision later on?

Question

Had an upper blepharoplasty done several years ago and beginning to think the eyelids are drooping again. Is this a procedure that is usually permanent or is a second procedure a potential later on?

Mehryar (Ray) Taban, MD, FACS · Answer

Upper blepharoplasty should last a long time although not permanent. But droopy eyelids could be something unrelated to "extra skin". It could be eyelid ptosis and/or brow ptosis. Need photos or consultation to determine.

Ross A. Clevens, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question. Eyelid surgery is permanent. I suggest that you move forward and consult with a board certified facial plastic surgeon to determine your candidacy and to discuss your goals.
Best wishes,

Sam Speron, MD, FACS · Answer

This is a common question.  Eyelid wrinkles and sagginess can be corrected with blepharoplasty or cosmetic eyelid surgery. It is one of the first cosmetic surgeries people usually get. While the average age might be 30 to 50's, some patients get this done in their 20s. It really depends on your unique anatomy as well as what exactly is bothering you. Like any cosmetic facial surgery, most surgeons will tell patient's things typically last 7 to 15 years, but some patients can get a touch up every year or two. Some people never come back for an additional surgery. However, it is not realistic to think that your results will last forever as you will continue aging, queen out the sun etc.Botox injections as well as laser treatments can also be a tremendous benefit if you are not interested in surgery. Of course, there are also many combinations.A mini facelift or midface lift is another great option for many people to correct malar bags and other signs of aging around the eyelids. The recovery & downtime is very minimal. There are usually no drains, most people can go out the same day, you can shower the next day, there're no scars behind the ears and you can wear your hair up anytime and most patients take no pain medicine. There are never any guarantees of course with any procedure whether it is surgical or nonsurgical in nature. I would recommend that you see a board-certified plastic surgeon in your area that is a member of both ASPS & ASAPS and performs a lot of eyelid lifts but also offers all the nonsurgical options such as injectables and laser treatments. Go over your concerns with them and make sure above all, you walk out of there with several options and an idea of the pros and cons to each of them as well as realistic expectations.

Sanjay "Jay" Keni, MD · Answer

Hello my dear,
It’d be awesome if we could just learn how to stop the aging process!!  Unfortunately, our procedures, even surgical ones, tend not to be permanent&mdash; and only ‘turn the clock back’ to a more youthful state, and your face continues to age from there.  As other posters have commented, you’ll always look better than had you not done anything, but a secondary procedure after a period of time is often required to maintain the results.
I usually tell patients that, during an upper blepharoplasty, I’ll remove as much skin (and sometimes fat and muscle) as I safely can but still allow for complete eye closure.  This is carefully measured preoperatively.
We tell patients that, on average, the results will last about 5 to 7 years, depending on health, age, and other factors like sun exposure, smoking, and weight fluctuations.
Hope that helps,
Dr. Jay

Brian K. Machida, MD, FACS · Answer

Unfortunately people keep aging so nothing is permanent.  But the results should be long lasting and will still look better than if nothing was ever done.  Compare yourself to your photos before surgery if you still have them.  You probably still look better than your pre op photos....sometimes its easy to forget how you looked before surgery.  If you are looking to keep the improvement which was attained right after surgery, its best to see your surgeon to see if another procedure is worthwhile.

Michael I. Echavez, MD · Answer

I would not say that upper blepharoplasty results are permanent.  After the procedure, the patient will still continue to age, so changes will occur over time.  In some people, another upper blepharoplasty may be needed later in life to maintain the results.

Tim Sayed, MD, MBA, FACS · Answer

Upper blepharoplasty surgery, like all procedures, does not stop time. As you age, you may develop excess upper lid skin or descent of your brow tissues. Revision of the upper lid surgery and/or browlifting may be appropriate, depending on your specific anatomy on physical exam in the office.

Karen Leong, MD · Answer

Hello, thank you for your question.
I like to tell my patients that time and gravity are 2 factors that we surgeons have no control over! We do the best surgery possible at that moment in time, but you will continue to age and things will continue to sag!
An upper eyelid lift can give excellent results for many years but depending on the quality of your skin, the integrity of the supporting tissues, and how the bony skeleton resorbs (yes even our facial bones shrink with age!), you will eventually notice sagging of the eyelid skin again. Likely it will be less severe than the first time but you may need a revision.
I hope this helps. - Dr. Leong

Shoib Myint, DO, FAOCO · Answer

Hello LVok,Great question. As a baseline there is no facial plastic surgery out there that is permanent (except implants - and this can change also). It physiologically impossibly beacuse our body, skin and tissues will morph as we age. When changes happen in our tissues,  the architecture of the surgical plane has the ability to change and more intervention  is possible. Cosmetic eyelid surgery may last 5-8 years and before changes can happen. If you take care of your body and skin this can last longer. Hope this helps.Cheers

Robert S. Schmidt, MD · Answer

Thanks for your question. With all cosmetic surgeries for the aging face, you will always look better than if you had never had it done. For instance, if you had a twin and you had your eyes done and your twin didn't, you would always look better than your twin. But, as you're aware, the aging process continues. So, while you'll always look better than you would have, you still may need a revision procedure years later. It all depends on the individual and how they age. Good luck!

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