What Is a Good Age for Getting Droopy Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)

Droopy eyelids can reduce your vision and give you a tired look. Blepharoplasty can help improve your field of vision and transform your appearance. An oculoplastic surgeon can perform the procedure. Here’s an overview of the surgery and when to consider getting it: 

What Is Blepharoplasty?

Blepharoplasty is a procedure meant to reduce bagginess from the lower eyelids by removing excess skin from the upper eyelids. It’s minimally invasive, so scarring is almost non-existent. This surgery can reverse the appearance of aging on your skin and restore your fresh, well-rested, youthful appearance. 

What Is the Right Age for Droopy Eyelid Surgery?

Most people who decide to undergo eyelid surgery are 35 years or older. This isn’t to say that there’s an age restriction on droopy eye surgery—any adult with droopy eyes can undergo the procedure to reduce the bagginess around their eyes and enhance their appearance. 

Children can also undergo surgery if drooping eyelids result in hampered vision or interfere with their well-being. Parents will be required to consent to the procedure in cases involving children. This is because children may not understand what the procedure involves and what to expect. 

Why Is Droopy Eyelid Surgery Common Among Adults?

This surgery is common among adults because they’re the most affected by droopy eyelids. As you age, the skin around your eyes may lose its elasticity because of low collagen levels in the body. Low elasticity combined with the downward pull of gravity can make your skin collect around the eyelids, causing droopy eyes. 

Aging can also cause the migration of fat pockets around the eyes. As the membrane holding the fat pockets in place thins out with age, the fat can protrude into the eyelids, resulting in droopy eyes. 

You may appear older than you are since the excessive skin build-up can cause bulges, hollows, or wrinkles. Your field of vision may also be affected if there’s too much skin on the upper eyelids, as the skin may hang over your eyelashes. 

How Can You Prepare for the Procedure?

You can prepare for the procedure by finding someone to take care of you after the procedure. Droopy eye surgery involves anesthesia, so you may not be in the best condition to drive yourself home after the procedure. 

You can also take some time off from work as it can take a few days or weeks to recover from the surgery. If you smoke, quit a few weeks before your procedure. Smoking can restrict blood flow to your eyes, increasing your recovery time. 

What Does Droopy Eyelid Surgery Entail?

Your eye surgeon will start the procedure by injecting local anesthesia around your eyelids or administering intravenous sedation to numb the area. They may then make fine incisions around the natural lines of your eyelids to remove any fat pockets and excess skin. 

Your surgeon may remove protruding fat in your lower eyelid using a small cut on the side if you don’t have excess skin. This procedure minimizes the risk of scarring. After the surgery, your surgeon will stitch the incisions together and remove them after a few days.

How Long Will Recovery Take?

Every person is different, so there’s no standard recovery time. It may take a few days or weeks to recover, depending on various factors, including: 

Your Age 

The younger you are, the faster you’re likely to heal from the procedure because youthful skin is more elastic and resilient than older skin.

Your Health 

People with illnesses like diabetes take longer to recover than healthy people. 

The Extent of Your Surgery 

Your recovery may take longer if you undergo an extensive procedure like lower and upper eyelid surgery. You’ll likely have wider incisions than someone who only undergoes lower eyelid blepharoplasty. 

How Well You Take Care of Yourself

Taking good care of yourself can fasten the recovery period. You can take care of yourself by limiting your eyes’ exposure to the sun, eating a balanced diet, taking antibiotics, and getting enough sleep. 

Contact an Oculoplastic Surgeon

People of all ages can undergo oculoplastic surgeon to enhance their field of vision or improve their appearance. This procedure is more common among people over 35 years of age. Droopy eyes are more common among older people. Droopy eye surgery is relatively straightforward, so you shouldn’t worry about complications if you choose the right eye surgeon.