Ethnicity, heredity, and overall skin quality help to determine when these changes start to occur and how noticeable they are. Excess skin can sag or fold in an unflattering manner, and fat that is normally deep in the face may start to bulge out and become more visible.
In the upper eyelid, these changes can make you look tired and may even affect or obscure your vision. In the lower eyelid, these changes make the lid look “puffy” and create the appearance of “bags under the eyes.”
For the upper eyelids, the incision is designed to hide in the natural crease of the upper lid.
For lower eyelids, the external incision (on the outside of the skin) is well-camouflaged below the lower lash line. Lower lid bags and puffiness can sometimes be corrected internally without making a skin incision at all, depending on what exactly needs to be done.
Patients go home once they have recovered from the anesthesia. It is normal to have some swelling and bruising around the eyes for a few days after surgery, but most patients do not have significant pain after the surgery. Patients are generally able to get back to work and social activities about a week after this procedure. A complete set of post-operative instructions, including what to expect after your surgery, may be found here: