Should I Combine Upper Blepharoplasty With a Brow Lift? (Updated 2024)

Eyelid surgery, also called blepharoplasty, is one of the most popular cosmetic surgeries performed year in and year out. When any patient is considering considering upper eyelid surgery at my Chicago practice, the same question, almost invariably, comes up: “Should I combine upper blepharoplasty with a brow lift?” Here’s what I tell them.

To Combine or Not To Combine?

In some cases, I will recommend combining the 2 procedures. In fact, I’ve developed a technique for brow lift procedures, usually combined with upper eyelid surgery, that results in a quicker recovery, an extremely low complication rate, and results that appear very natural. Learn more about my approach to brow lifts in this related blog post.

So, how to know whether a standalone or combination approach is right for you? There are a number of specific factors to consider. For example, many patients believe brow lifts dramatically raise the brow. That’s not the case. Other patients may think they need eyelid surgery, when it’s the brow that’s causing the skin to sag.

Consider Your Goals

When deciding whether to have eyelid surgery, a brow lift, or to combine the procedures, you’ll need to consider your goals for surgery.

• If your main concern is the way the area around your eyes makes you look, then you may well get the desired result with blepharoplasty alone. But patients with lateral hooding of the upper eyelids typically need a brow lift, combined with upper blepharoplasty.
• If your main concern is impaired vision, upper blepharoplasty is best — and you may even be able to get it covered by your insurance. When upper eyelid surgery will improve peripheral vision, it is often at least partially covered by insurance policies.
• If your concerns aren’t limited to the eyes (even including crow’s feet), there may be other procedures to address those areas. Crow’s feet, for example, can be resolved via BOTOX® Cosmetic injections.
• If you are looking to treat the lower eyelids too, I prefer combining lower eyelid surgery with fat grafting to improve the appearance of the area just below the eyes. Eye “bags” or hollows can be minimized, or even erased, with strategic injections of fat. I use fat routinely, instead of synthetic dermal fillers, to address these common concerns.

Rejuvenate Your Appearance

Discover the best way to refresh your appearance by requesting a consultation or calling TLKM Plastic Surgery at (312) 788-2560 to schedule your appointment.