Male Blepharoplasty
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Male Blepharoplasty
Because men and women have different facial features, upper eyelid blepharoplasty has to be approached differently in men than in women. If the same surgery is performed in both men and women, the result can be dissatisfactory, often “feminizing” the male face. This is what we see when we think a man has had “overdone” eyelid surgery. Dr. Dewan uses a customized approach to male blepharoplasty to get great, natural results.
How is male blepharoplasty different than blepharoplasty in women?
As with most of our patients, men want to look younger as they age. A heavy, droopy eyelid can give the face an aged, older appearance. Often our male patients get asked about why they look tired or angry all the time.
The differences in approach to male blepharoplasty are largely based around the features of a male face and male eyelid.
- The eyelid crease, the natural fold of skin in the upper eyelid, is often lower in men than in women.
- The eyelids are frequently fuller and the brows are typically slightly lower in men. When male blepharoplasty is performed, we typically remove less skin, and often also have to perform brow lifting procedures simultaneously to get the best results.
- During your consultation, Dr. Dewan will create a custom plan specifically for you and your eye shape.
What is the surgery like?
About 75% of our patients have their blepharoplasty in our office, with the remainder choosing to have surgery in a surgery center. Regardless of location, on your surgery day, Dr. Dewan will review the surgical plan and describe the surgical process before beginning surgery.
- In our office, patients do not receive sedation, while in the surgery center, you will have an IV through which you will receive mild sedatives.
- In both locations, Dr. Dewan will use a Novocain-like medicine to numb your eyelid skin. Throughout surgery, you will still be awake and Dr. Dewan will ask to you open and close your eyes at various times to get the best results.
- Stitches will dissolve in about a week and do not need to be removed.
- Upper eyelid male blepharoplasty takes roughly an hour.
Is it possible to also have my lower eyelid bags removed at the same time?
Yes, and in fact, there are a number of surgical procedures often combined with male upper eyelid blepharoplasty:
- Lower eyelid blepharoplasty: this is performed to remove the “lower eyelid bags” that can make us look tired.
- Brow lifting: this is a common addition to male blepharoplasty. Men often have heavy or slightly droopy brows than can give an angry appearance. Elevating the brow can help open the eyes and face and give a more inviting look.
- Ptosis repair: for patients that need their eyes to be more open, this surgery is performed at the same time as blepharoplasty.
- Eyelid lesion removal: small eyelid skin lumps and bumps and common and easily addressed during other eyelid surgeries.
What is the recovery like?
Most patients describe recovery from male blepharoplasty as quite easy.
- The most noticeable parts of the recovery are the swelling and bruising that will be present in the upper, and sometimes lower, eyelid area. This can take between 1-2 weeks to resolve, and it is important to ice and heat the lids during this time.
- The post-operative discomfort is on the level of a mild headache, and we treat this with over-the-counter pain medicines such as Tylenol or ibuprofen.
- The stitches that Dr. Dewan uses are quite small and they begin dissolving between 7-10 days after surgery.
- Despite any swelling, most people are able to resume normal activity within 1-2 weeks, with most activities able to be done even the next day after surgery.
- We schedule a post-operative visit 1 week after surgery, which will allow Dr. Dewan to check that everything is healing well.
Will my incisions have visible scars after surgery?
Not usually. The eyelid crease incision is a natural fold of skin in the upper eyelid that hides the incision quite well. The skin is also thin so it does not scar vigorously or visibly.
Before and After
Our before and after photos are from right before the surgery to about 5-10 days after. All our photos are unretouched. You can expect additional improvements for several weeks after surgery, and most patients are so happy with their surgeries that they don’t come in after the immediate post-operative visit (though we always are happy to see them).
Will insurance pay for this?
Insurance companies typically only cover male upper eyelid blepharoplasty if your vision is being affected by your eyelids. In order to make this case with your insurance, Dr. Dewan will make appropriate measurements and also conduct a visual field test. This information will be conveyed to your insurance company and if you meet their criteria, they will cover the surgery for you. Some additional procedures such as brow elevation and ptosis repair may also be covered. Lower eyelid blepharoplasty is cosmetic and is not covered by insurance. Dr. Dewan will advise you on the best approaches to your surgery and will also provide cost estimates as necessary for additional surgery.
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