Eyelid Lift: What it is and How it Works with Dr. Edward Park

In an interview with CareCredit, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Edward H. Park discusses eyelid lift surgery and its benefits. Here are some of the questions he answers.*

What is Eyelid Lift Surgery?

Eyelid surgery is a simple cosmetic procedure that can help improve the appearance of the upper or lower eyelid. During the procedure, your surgeon removes skin from the upper lid (upper lid blepharoplasty), which is hanging down – sometimes even touching the eyelashes).

Why Do Patients Want Eyelid Surgery?

Have you received comments about how tired you look all the time? It can actually be due to drooping eyelids. An eyelid lift surgery may help with the appearance of a person consistently looking over-tired.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Eyelid Lift Surgery?

You may be a good candidate for eyelid lift surgery if you:

• Are in your early forties
• Are generally healthy
• Have lateral eyelid hooding or upper lid skin drooping

Preparing for Eyelid Lift Surgery

As you prepare for eyelid surgery, you'll want to do background research on your surgeon. You'll also want to make sure you have a consultation to meet your doctor and discuss goals and expectations for the procedure.

You may want to ask a few questions during your consultation, such as:

• How many eyelid lift surgeries have you done?
• What surgeries do you like to perform as a plastic surgeon?
• What does recovery look like?

Eyelid Lift Surgery Risks

Generally, eyelid surgery is very safe. The focus is skin removal, not on the eye itself, so there's a very low risk of eye issues. However, some side effects of the procedure are swelling and slight bleeding.

What to Expect After Eyelid Lift Surgery

After your procedure, most people heal well and quickly with lots of ice (especially for the first three days), rest, and a low-stress environment. You probably won't need more than about a week off from work. That's about how long it takes for swelling to go down, though there may be some slight swelling left at the week mark.

Within two to three weeks, you will notice that your eyes are brighter and more open. The goal is always to create very natural results.

How is Eyelid Lift Surgery Performed?

Eyelid lift surgery can be performed under general anesthesia or twilight sedation. During twilight sedation, an IV is used to give you relaxation medication to make you feel comfortable and relaxed – sometimes we like to refer to this as five glasses of wine through an IV.

Your surgeon will mark your eyelids, numb them, and then remove the skin from the marking positions (usually in an elliptical fashion). Sometimes they will also remove a little fat in the corner of the eye and then close up the skin.

How Much Does Eyelid Lift Surgery Cost?

The average cost of eyelid lift surgery is between $3,000 and $6,000.

Financing Options for Eyelid Surgery

The CareCredit credit card provides promotional financing that helps make it easy to pay for eyelid surgery over time.** Dr. Park has found that 30-40% of his patients use CareCredit, and says it's "a really nice option for them."

CareCredit is like having a separate line of credit for your healthcare needs. It's easy to manage and track what you've spent — and there's no need to go through the application process again for additional procedures.**

Once approved for a CareCredit card, you can use it repeatedly (as long as credit is available) for surgical, non-surgical, and minimally invasive cosmetic procedures at providers that accept CareCredit.

Remember, CareCredit is a leading national health and wellness credit card that can enable you to get many of the surgeries, procedures, and treatments you want now and pay over time with everyday promotional financing on purchases of $200 or more.**

CareCredit can also be used to pay for copays, coinsurance, deductibles, and your health and wellness needs at providers in the CareCredit network. CareCredit is accepted at hundreds of thousands of locations nationwide to pay for care whenever you need and want it. If you are interested in applying for a CareCredit credit card or would like to find a provider in your area who accepts CareCredit, visit us at www.carecredit.com.

Meet the Experts

Dr. Edward H. ParkPark

A board-certified plastic surgeon with the American Society of Plastic Surgery specializing in cosmetic plastic surgery. He has degrees from John Hopkins, Pennsylvania State Univerisity, and Stanford University, where he completed his training in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery from internship to Chief Resident. He loves his family, golf, kimchi, and helping patients transform their appearance.

Author Bio

Kristin Driver is a digital writer with CareCredit. She specializes in writing about health care, finances, and pet care. Her work has been published by Cedars-Sinai, UCLA Health, Stanford Health Care, Risk & Insurance, Modern Health Care, Risk Insider, CIO Review, and more.