eyelid surgery in NYC

The results of a blepharoplasty performed by expert surgeon Dr. Steven Pearlman can last for years. While lower eyelid lifts often offer permanent results, it’s important to understand that a blepharoplasty does not prevent future aging. Working with our skin specialists to optimize your skin care routine and lifestyle habits is key to maintaining your results from an upper blepharoplasty.

Yes, combining an upper and lower blepharoplasty can provide more holistic, seamless results for patients seeking a more comprehensive transformation. However, it’s not necessary in every case. Dr. Pearlman will determine if a combination blepharoplasty is your best solution during your consultation.

Typically, Dr. Pearlman recommends this dualistic approach to an eyelid lift for patients struggling with aging in the upper and lower eye—such as drooping eyelids and sunken under-eyes. However, a combined eyelift may also be suitable for younger patients experiencing congenital “bags” and hooded eyelids.

If you are struggling with both the upper and lower areas, only correcting one through a blepharoplasty may leave your features imbalanced, as one area may appear tighter than the other. Performing both procedures simultaneously not only offers more harmonious, natural-looking, and long-lasting results throughout the periorbital area, but also reduces the downtime of undergoing two separate surgeries.

Yes! Patients will often elect to receive a blepharoplasty alongside a facelift, brow lift,  lip lift and even rhinoplasty. A facelift only lifts the lower 2/3 of the face (addressing the cheeks, jawline and neck), so combining with a blepharoplasty and brow lift can provide you with total facial rejuvenation.

Lower eyelid surgery can remove under eye bags and we can reposition fat to fill in a hollow tear trough. Dark circles caused by this hollowing will disappear after surgery, however if your dark circles are caused by pigment issues in the skin, we’ll need to consider other treatment options.

As your muscles weaken and your skin loses elasticity and begins to sag, your eyelid skin can create a “hood” that folds over your eye. This can obstruct your vision, especially your upward peripheral sight.

If you need to tilt your head back in order to see properly, excess eyelid tissue is likely the culprit. In this case, undergoing an eyelid surgery in NYC is the only viable solution.

Dr. Pearlman can address both skin and muscle deterioration during a blepharoplasty to provide the most effective results—aesthetically and functionally. By restoring those underlying networks of tissue to their original, youthful position, an eyelid lift grants your orbital muscles more control to keep your eyes open, enhancing your vision and reducing eye strain as a result.

While neither an eyelid lift nor a brow lift is universally better than the other, one procedure may be better for your specific situation, and we can determine this during your consultation. Typically, we recommend lower eyelid surgery in NYC for patients experiencing hollowness or puffiness beneath the eyes, as a brow lift does not address that area.

If you’re struggling with your upper eyelids, we’ll determine the root cause. If your brow muscles and underlying tissues are pushing down on your eyelids—causing “hooding”—we may recommend a brow lift. Should your eyelids have excess skin, muscle, or fat, then an upper blepharoplasty might be a more effective solution.

The results of eyelid surgery last for many years. The tissues around the eyes will continue to age naturally over time. Lower eyelid surgery results are often permanent and rarely need to be repeated. Upper eyelid results can last for years with proper care and skincare maintenance.

Before your eyelid surgery in NYC, you’ll meet with Dr. Pearlman to discuss your situation and create your personalized treatment plan. Here, we’ll also take your “before” photos to reference after your procedure.

After scheduling your surgery, we will provide detailed preparation guidelines, which may include temporarily discontinuing the use of certain medications such as blood thinners. It’s also important to arrange for transportation for the day of your surgery.

Most individuals can wear contact lenses about 1 to 2 weeks after surgery.

While non-surgical treatments such as laser therapies and aesthetic injectables can address signs of aging around the eyes, they have limitations. For example, fillers and PRF treatments can conceal under-eye “bags” by restoring lost volume, while neurotoxins like Botox can provide a subtle lift to the upper eye area.

However, these alternatives do not provide lasting results and require regular maintenance. If you are struggling with hooded eyelids or laxity that extends your upper eyelid beyond your eye, a surgical eyelift is the only effective treatment.

Dr. Pearlman will help you weigh all of your options—surgical and non-surgical—during your consultation. Keep in mind that pairing injectables and laser treatments can enhance your results from a blepharoplasty, addressing related concerns such as sun damage and balancing your features beyond the eye area.

Laser procedures and peels can be recommended as alternatives or in combination with eyelid surgery to help address pigment,  fine lines and wrinkles. There is no minimally invasive procedure that can replicate the results of a surgical eyelift.

Lower eyelid bags can sometimes be camouflaged with cheek and lower eyelid filler placed in the hollow below the bags called tear troughs. Botox and facial fillers can be used to address lines and wrinkles, but puffy and baggy eyelids, excess sin, and “hooding” cannot be corrected without surgery

A blepharoplasty pairs beautifully with a range of other cosmetic surgeries, including facelifts and brow lifts. If you’re struggling with skin laxity, or sagging, both on and above your eyelids, a dualistic approach that combines brow and eyelid surgery in NYC may provide more balanced, inconspicuous results. Additionally, you can enjoy longer-lasting results, as Dr. Pearlman repositions the underlying tissues in the entire area to grant it more durable support.

As with any plastic surgery, there is no universal “right” time to undergo eyelid surgery in NYC. Dr. Steven Pearlman does not rule out candidates who are below the age of 40. Many individuals in their late 30s to mid-40s decide to undergo blepharoplasty for anti-aging purposes, as it’s the general period when your skin’s anatomy significantly changes.

However, Dr. Pearlman performs both upper and lower eyelid lifts to address more than skin aging. Younger patients can also benefit from a blepharoplasty.

Some individuals are born with more tissue in or around their eyelids than others, which can cause eyelid “hooding” and congenital under-eye “bags” at an early age. Beyond the skin itself, your genetics play a role in determining the amount and placement of fad pads. While overly large fat deposits can cause bulging, diminished fat deposits can cause “hollows” that appear dark due to shadowing. Hence why Dr. Pearlman performs blepharoplasties for patients of all ages, although the procedure is more widely known for its anti-aging benefits.

While there is no “best” age to undergo an eyelid lift, most of our eyelid surgery patients are in their 40s or beyond. Some people may decide to undergo the procedure in their 30s and occasionally even in their 20s if they have naturally hooded eyes or premature lower eyelid bags.

The cost of eyelid surgery in NYC will vary from patient to patient because eyelid surgery can be performed on the upper lids, the lower lids, or both at the same time. If you receive additional treatments such as dermal fillers or laser therapy, then the costs will also naturally be affected. Dr. Pearlman will provide you with a full, detailed quote during your private NYC consultation for blepharoplasty. We will also assist you with securing financing from a variety of reputable healthcare lenders.

The anatomy of the eye is intricate, and its underlying structures are extremely delicate. A blepharoplasty can improve your appearance and your vision, but it requires a highly skilled hand. Preserving the integrity of these structures is a challenge in itself, and improving them requires even further precision.

A blepharoplasty involves the skin, muscle, and fat—as well as an in-depth understanding of the anatomy of the eye itself. Understanding how these tissues create a network beneath the surface is only the first step to a successful blepharoplasty, and every patient’s anatomy varies.

Beyond anatomical expertise and personalized techniques, your eyelid surgeon must also account for scarring. Your eyes are one of the first things people notice when they look at you, so minimizing scars on and around your eyelids is crucial. Furthermore, your surgeon must also understand the natural healing process and how to expedite it, so you can recover safely and more comfortably.

While recovery timelines vary from person to person—depending on your genetics, lifestyle, and the kind and extent of blepharoplasty performed—most of our patients can return to their routine within 7 to 10 days. Dr. Pearlman will provide detailed recovery instructions and answer any questions you may have, but here is a general guideline for what you can expect.

Before your eyelid surgery in NYC, it’s important to arrange for transportation home from surgery. In the first few days following your procedure, you can expect swelling and bruising to occur around your eyes. Your surgeon will direct you on the kind and amount of pain medications to take during this time to minimize discomfort. It’s important to prioritize rest and to sleep with your head elevated, allowing gravity to play its role in the natural healing process.

Within the next 1 to 2 weeks, the majority of your swelling and bruising will subside. Most patients feel comfortable—physically and emotionally—to return to work and social activities after this period of time, but you may prefer to take additional time to recover. However, if your job requires extensive eye strain, such as using a computer for the majority of the day, your doctor may recommend waiting a bit longer. At this point, you are welcome to use concealer to cover any remaining discoloration, if you please.

After about 4 to 6 weeks from the day of your procedure, you can return to strenuous physical activities. If any swelling remains, it will likely be minimal and resolve itself shortly.

Dr. Steven Pearlman, a surgeon uniquely dual board-certified in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery and in otolaryngology—head and neck surgery (ENT)—will perform your eyelid surgery in NYC. Dr. Pearlman doesn’t settle for anything less than the best, including for his patients. With over 34 years of experience, he has the proven skill set needed to deliver the best results from a surgical procedure as complex as an upper or lower blepharoplasty.

After completing his residency, Dr. Pearlman pursued his passion for facial plastic and reconstructive surgery through a fellowship at the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), one of only 46 in the country. This year-long program granted him the unique opportunity to learn alongside one of the academy’s top surgeons early in his career.

Consistently recognized by the medical industry and his patients, he has been chosen as a Top 10 Doctor by Castle Connolly 10 times and rated among the top 5% of doctors. Dr. Pearlman leads the leaders, traveling the world as a clinical professor, and lecturing at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons.

To make blepharoplasty scars as inconspicuous as possible, Dr. Pearlman makes incisions in the natural creases of the eyelids and sometimes inside the lower eyelid to hide them.