Waking up in the morning on the day of your upper blepharoplasty surgery can be an exciting occasion, especially knowing how simple and easy the process can be for a procedure with such a high patient satisfaction rate. A skillfully performed eyelid lift can give highly impactful results, both to the cosmetic appearance of the eyes and face, and also to the patient's self-confidence and well-being.
But, what do you need to know before getting upper blepharoplasty surgery?
As experts in facial cosmetic procedures, the one most important thing we would say is to do your thorough research for the smoothest surgery experience and the best results. This means choosing the most trustworthy sources of knowledge (i.e. consulting with a facial plastic surgeon who has boundless experience with eyelid surgery compared to a surgeon who does it all, but with less specialty), and simply checking in with yourself at multiple points to understand how confident you feel in your decision to consider the procedure.
In this article, you will get a refresher of what upper blepharoplasty is, get access to the must-read Quick Start Guide to Upper Blepharoplasty from leading facial plastic surgeon Dr. Thomas Buonassisi, and learn about non-surgical alternatives to upper blepharoplasty along with other frequently asked questions, so you can walk away with a little more of a sense of confidence about considering upper blepharoplasty.
Let's first make sure we're on the same page with what exactly an upper blepharoplasty is.
What is Upper Blepharoplasty?
Upper blepharoplasty, also known as an upper eyelid lift, is a minimally invasive eyelid surgery that is the gold standard procedure for rejuvenating and tightening tired- or heavy-looking eyes caused by excess upper eyelid skin.
A precise incision is made in the upper eyelid, where extra skin and often underlying fat can then be removed, and muscle tightened. The resulting scar is hidden in the natural crease of the eyelid once healed.At 8 West Clinic, Dr. Thomas Buonassisi regularly performs eyelid lift surgeries on a weekly basis as a leading blepharoplasty surgeon in the Vancouver, BC area.
Visit our Eyes & Brows Before & After Gallery for photos of upper blepharoplasty before and after results.
Meet Dr. Thomas Buonassisi
As one of Canada's top cosmetic facial surgeons, Dr. Thomas Buonassisi leads the team at 8 West Clinic and carries extensive experience, having performed facial cosmetic surgery for over 20 years.Dr. Buonassisi has travelled the world to train with renowned experts in the field, working closely with top surgeons in the United States and Australia.
Being an expert in his field, Dr. Thomas Buonassisi has performed thousands of blepharoplasty procedures and has honed his surgical skills into an art form.
At 8 West Clinic, we focus greatly on honest patient education. With our comprehensive approach and careful consultation process, we can offer the full spectrum of surgical and non-surgical options for our patients with neutral yet insightful expert knowledge, and with the goal to empower you with the confidence in moving forward with (or even walking away from) the options that you have.
Dr. Buonassisi's Quick Start Guide to Upper Blepharoplasty
In making it easier for patients considering blepharoplasty surgery, Vancouver's leading blepharoplasty specialist Dr. Buonassisi has consolidated his 20+ years experience into the informative Quick Start Guide to Upper Blepharoplasty, where you can kick start your research and get the information you need at a glance.
Download the free infographic for all the quick, digestible points you need to know about:
- What is upper blepharoplasty & what does it treat?
- Who's a candidate for upper blepharoplasty?
- How do you get a natural result from upper blepharoplasty?
- How is upper blepharoplasty performed?
- What should I expect from the recovery period?
- The surgery process with Dr. Buonassisi
If you want to dive deeper into the upper blepharoplasty surgery journey with one of Dr. Buonassisi's real patients, check out this video featuring Nicky's Blepharoplasty Experience at 8 West Clinic from our YouTube channel.
Is There a Non-Surgical Alternative to Upper Blepharoplasty?
With all this talk about comprehensive approaches and having options amongst the full spectrum of eye rejuvenation treatments, it poses the question: is there a non-surgical alternative to upper blepharoplasty if it isn't the right procedure for me?
A consultation with an expert would be the best bet for an individualized assessment, but the rule of thumb that Dr. Buonassisi would note is that if what you're hoping to treat involves excess skin laxity over the upper eye, surgery is going to be the only solution to treat that.
However, for those who are noticing just the early signs of eye aging, some non-surgical treatments exist that may help:
Collagen induction and skin tightening with RF microneedling or some laser resurfacing treatments, for instance, can be the small boost that will help improve and maintain youthful eyes.
Potenza RF microneedling and ProFractional laser are two of our favourites. On the other hand, a neuromodulator brow lift using Botox or Dysport injections can also help give a subtle, more open lift to the upper eye.
In another area, several complementing non-surgical procedures are also often sought out by upper blepharoplasty patients to further enhance results.8 West Clinic's unique comprehensive approach means making the full spectrum of treatments available to patients as possible additional options, including crow's feet wrinkle relaxer injections, dermal fillers for camouflaging the under eye area, laser resurfacing or collagen induction therapy for improving skin health, and more.
Our team of friendly patient care managers are always looking forward to discussing your concerns with you and exploring what a plan of action tailored to you might look like.
The pre-consultation process is a complimentary service where you'll be connected to a patient care manager of your own, and where you can opt to have a confidential virtual review of your photos done by Dr. Buonassisi to help determine if upper blepharoplasty is right for you—plus a discussion of costs and possible surgery dates on top of any other questions you may have before you decide if you are ready to meet Dr. Buonassisi in person.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Still have questions? Below are some of the most commonly asked questions about upper blepharoplasty.
How much does Upper Blepharoplasty cost in Vancouver, Canada?
The average cost of upper eyelid surgery in Vancouver, Canada often starts at $5,000 CAD and can range up to $7,500 CAD, depending on the details of the patient's surgical plan.
Is upper blepharoplasty painful?
Upper blepharoplasty is a quick surgery that can be performed comfortably under local anesthetic. Numbing in the eye area eliminates any pain or discomfort during the surgery.
How long is recovery? After blepharoplasty, will I look normal?
Patients typically take about 1-2 weeks off work to recover and look normal again after upper blepharoplasty surgery. Most patients will actually be comfortable enough to begin working again in 3 days if they work from home, and the rest of the 1-2 weeks are simply time to allow for normal swelling and bruising to fade away.
In Dr. Buonassisi's Quick Start Guide to Upper Blepharoplasty, you will find more information about recovery timelines, along with examples of Do's and Don'ts to expect during the healing process.
How long does upper blepharoplasty last?
Upper blepharoplasty is a permanent surgery that will lift the upper eyelids for a long-term, youthful result that will last for years to come. However, it's important to understand that the natural aging process is still inevitable and can slightly affect the eyelids over the course of anywhere from about 5-10 years depending on the patient.
Does upper blepharoplasty make you look younger?
Yes, upper blepharoplasty makes you look younger! The surgery is meant to rejuvenate tired, heavy-looking eyes resulting from excess upper eyelid skin and/or fat, which is a commonly seen sign of aging that affects the eye area and can be restored with surgery for the right patient. After an upper blepharoplasty procedure, the upper eye area will have more eyelid crease show and will appear tighter, brighter, more awake, and ultimately more youthful.
What's a good age for blepharoplasty?
There isn't necessarily a "good age" for upper blepharoplasty, but many candidates who see Dr. Buonassisi are often in their late 30s to early 40s and beyond, looking to rejuvenate the signs of aging in the upper eye area. Sometimes, the upper eyelids can appear heavy in patients that are younger due to hereditary reasons, and upper blepharoplasty surgery may be helpful for treating those concerns, as well.
Will upper blepharoplasty get rid of wrinkles?
Upper blepharoplasty can get rid of wrinkles around the eyes if the wrinkles you're seeing are caused by folds due to having excess upper eyelid skin.
If the wrinkles might be what are known as crow's feet or sometimes laugh lines (the creases that appear around the outer eyes when making expressions like smiling), a wrinkle relaxer treatment with Botox or Dysport injections are likely to be the best treatment.
On the other hand, if the wrinkles are deeper static lines (meaning they're visible even with the face at rest), a laser resurfacing treatment such as the surgical-grade Contour TRL can help fade away these lines.
All of these procedures are offered by the award-winning team at 8 West Clinic, and many of Dr. Buonassisi's upper blepharoplasty patients take advantage of this comprehensive approach by opting for the additional complementing treatments to take their surgery results a step further.
Does upper blepharoplasty change the shape of the eyes?
Upper blepharoplasty is a surgery designed to treat the upper eyelid skin and its underlying structures. It's not meant to directly change the shape of the eyes (for instance, transforming round-shaped eyes into a fox-eye shape), but the result will have the eyes looking more open, and overall bigger and brighter.
Is an eye lift worth it?
In 2022, eyelid surgery is given a 94% Worth It rating by online cosmetic procedure resource RealSelf, based on 2,779 recent ratings from patients who had the surgery. This is reflected at 8 West Clinic, where Dr. Buonassisi regularly performs eyelid lift surgeries on a weekly basis, with many happy patients who are over-the-moon with their natural, rejuvenated results!
Get Started With a Complimentary Pre-Consultation
So, ready to take the next step in your upper blepharoplasty journey? These are the key takeaways we hope you've learned in this article:
- Upper blepharoplasty is a simple procedure and an easy process when you do the right research.
- There could be non-surgical alternatives to upper blepharoplasty, but having an expert assessment will give you the best insight into what might be right for you individually.
- It's a good idea to connect with a practice that specializes in facial procedures and offers a comprehensive approach for the most honest and least biased knowledge.
Request a complimentary pre-consultation with Dr. Buonassisi's knowledgeable patient care managers at 8 West Clinic, where you can undergo an exploration of your goals with surgery to uncover if upper blepharoplasty is right for your concerns and lifestyle. You'll also gain important in-depth information on other factors to consider before making a decision to move forward with an eyelid lift. This can include things like cost of surgery, pre-op and post-op requirements, follow-up care, and timelines for booking your surgical consultation with Dr. Buonassisi.
No matter your questions, you'll be in the best hands. To request a pre-consultation, fill out our online form, or call (604) 733-1669 today.
