Why Upper and Lower Eyelid Surgery Looks at Both the Upper and Lower Eyes

Hello, I’m Ahn Byung-jun, CEO and head surgeon of Ahn Byung-jun Plastic Surgery Clinic.

These days, in consultations, not only women but also men in their 50s and 60s have been coming in noticeably more often.

They say things like, “I’ve been told I look older, so I’m worried,” or “I often hear that my drooping eyes make me look tired.”

In the past, eye plastic surgery was often seen as something only young women were interested in,

but now it is an era in which middle-aged and older men who are active in society also pay attention to their appearance.

And one of the procedures many of them worry about is upper and lower eyelid surgery.

What is upper and lower eyelid surgery?

Upper and lower eyelid surgery is, as the name suggests, a method that improves the upper eyelids and lower eyelids together.

Upper blepharoplasty involves organizing sagging skin and fat in the upper eyelids to make opening the eyes feel lighter and to give the face a clearer impression.

Lower blepharoplasty reduces a tired-looking impression by removing or repositioning the fat that protrudes under the eyes.

When both procedures are performed at the same time, they can create an effect that makes the overall eye area look much brighter.

Of course, the two do not always have to be done together.

Depending on the condition, only upper blepharoplasty may be performed, only lower blepharoplasty may be performed, or both may be combined.

Which approach is appropriate should be determined by a board-certified plastic surgeon after examining the eye condition in person.

What matters in upper blepharoplasty is natural removal

As people age, when the skin of the upper eyelids becomes loose, the eyes look heavy and opening them becomes burdensome.

Sometimes people unconsciously use the forehead muscles, which can deepen forehead wrinkles.

Upper eyelid surgery is a method for organizing this sagging skin and excess fat.

What matters here is not removing as much as possible, but judging how much should be left to maintain a natural look.

If too much is removed, the eyes may look overly pulled or leave an unnatural impression.

In particular, for middle-aged and older men, if the eye impression changes too much, it can look awkward instead.

That is why it is important to improve the appearance within a natural range.

You could say that the upper eyelid approach after middle age focuses on helping the eyes open comfortably by organizing the sagging skin.

The key to lower blepharoplasty is how the fat is handled

Bulging fat under the eyes can create an impression that looks like shadows beneath the eyes or dark circles, beyond simply appearing prominent.

The tired and older look often comes from the area under the eyes.

In lower blepharoplasty, rather than simply removing this fat, some cases also consider repositioning it to fill in hollow areas.

This is because simply taking away fat can leave the area under the eyes looking sunken instead.

Because the result changes depending on how the fat is handled, it is important to examine the condition under the eyes and decide on the approach accordingly.

This is what the recovery process is like after upper and lower eyelid surgery

After surgery, swelling and bruising are common.

If upper and lower blepharoplasty are performed together, the initial recovery period may feel a little longer.

In general, the appearance tends to stabilize to some extent after about 2 weeks, and it is best to allow more than 3 months to see a highly refined result.

Upper and lower eyelid surgery is a method that arranges the area above and below the eyes together, making the overall facial impression brighter and more comfortable.

The goal is to improve the natural changes that come with aging without forcing them.

When the eyes open comfortably and the area under the eyes is neatly organized, you may notice that the tired or heavy impression changes.

We recommend starting by visiting a board-certified plastic surgeon with extensive experience and carefully analyzing the current condition of your eyes.

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