Will the Doctor Perform Blepharoplasty at my Age?

Hi Parisjaberi,

There isn't a strict age limit when it comes to having blepharoplasty. That being said, in my experience a conservative approach is often best when it comes to addressing lower eyelid puffiness and bags.

In many cases of lower eyelid bags the real problem is actually the loss of adequate soft tissue fullness in the lower eyelid and/or cheek area. This issue can become evident quite early and is often seen even earlier in people who have certain bone structure to that area.

It's hard to say what would be the best approach in your case from just seeing your one photo, but in many cases treating the lower eyelid volume loss is all that needs to be done. This avoids a hollowed out look that can actually be quite aging.

Check out my web reference link below that shows an example of this type of treatment in one of my patients. soft tissue fillers (e.g. restylane) or fat grafting are treatment options. In some cases a small amount of lower eyelid fat also needs to be removed in more severe cases.

   A transconjunctival approach may be reasonable for your age.  Transposition of fat or fat grafting or filler may all be used and are reasonable to create a smoother contour.

For young patients with bags under the eyes, lower eyelid can be performed through the inside of the lower eyelid. There is no visible incision with this technique. You can get a nice improvement of the appearance of your eyes!

I see your concerns with your lower eyelids. Traditionally, most plastic or oculoplastic surgeons will recommend a transconjuntival procedure in the lower eyelid but there are newer concepts that might sway ones recommendation to a lesser or more conservative procedure. Newer concepts in facial aging look at the role of periorbital structures in the formation of lower eyelid bags as well as the role of aging and removal of too much tissue resulting in a "hollowed out",  appearance later on. I would evaluate you to recommend whether this or possibly fat grafting or a fat transposition is a better option. I don't often remove fat from the lower eyelid with these procedures but reposition it and often add injected fat in the eyelid/cheek junction. Placement of hyaluronic acid fillers are a non-surgical option. Regarding your age and suitability for surgery; age is not necessarily a contraindication. See a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon or Fellowship Trained Oculoplastic Surgeon that has a lot of experience with lower eyelid procedures. 

You do have prolapsed orbital fat, but I would recommend a fat repositioning procedure instead of just excising [removing] the fat. This will redistribute the fat and prevent future hollowing of your eyelids.

Without the benefits of photos, I would say that your puffy lower eyelids may be corrected with a transconjunctival lower bleph - you don't need skin removed, just some peri-orbital fat removed.

A transconjunctival blepharoplasty is what you should have done by an experienced surgeon. No scar on the outside!

Age is not a limiting factor in blepharoplasty surgery. If you have bags under your eyes, health and expectations are the main areas of concern. I have had several patients in their 20's with hereditary bags under their eyes from fat pockets. With younger, more elastic skin, the fat can often be removed from inside the eyelid, leaving no external scar, and very happy patients. Your suitability for blepharoplasty, and the risks and benefit of the procedure need to be discussed as part of a comprehensive consultation, but age alone is not a limiting factor.

It's not uncommon for people to develop bags under their eyes from hereditary causes.  When this occurs, it definitely can be an issue, even at age 20.  When you have your consultation, your doctor should be able to assess you and determine if you are a good candidate for lower blepharoplasty or not.  Your age alone would not be the determining factor.  

There is no age restriction on prforming blepharoplasty.  However, it is important for both the patient and surgeon to realize that skin and soft tissues change considerably as one ages.  A conservative approach to lower eyelid surgery in young individuals is therefore important.  Generally, no skin should be removed from younger individuals, while conservative fat reduction can be performed.