The skin around your eyes is far more delicate than the rest of your skin, making it particularly susceptible to showing signs of premature aging. Movements such as blinking, smiling, frowning, and speaking gradually weaken this skin’s underlying structure. This increases laxity (sagging) beyond your skin, including the muscles responsible for holding your eyes open.
Depending on the shape of your eyes, this can manifest in various ways, such as developing “hooded” eyelids or creating the appearance of “sunken” under-eyes. Drooping eyelids can also block your peripheral vision, and, in severe cases, force you to tilt your head back to see properly.
As a trusted eyelid and brow lift specialist, Dr. Pearlman takes the time to locate and address the root cause of your concerns. At Pearlman Aesthetic Surgery, we’re dedicated to empowering you with the resources to make confident decisions about your care, so we’ve outlined all of your options for eye rejuvenation, including a blepharoplasty, also known as an eye lift, in NYC.
What is a blepharoplasty?
A blepharoplasty is a cosmetic procedure that removes excess skin, muscle, and fat from above (an upper blepharoplasty) or beneath (a lower blepharoplasty) your eyes. If you feel or are told that you look tired, you are likely a candidate for blepharoplasty.
This outpatient procedure offers a range of long-term benefits with minimal scarring, including:
- A more youthful, rested, and alert appearance
- Potential improvements in vision by reducing eyelid hooding
- Reduced appearance of eye “bags”
- Decreased drooping and sagging eyelids
Our Patients’ Blepharoplasty Results
Upper Blepharoplasty
An upper blepharoplasty focuses on rejuvenating the upper eyelid(s) by removing excess skin tissue and fat deposits and adjusting the underlying muscles through small incisions along your skin’s natural creases. This kind of eye lift in NYC addresses sagging in the area that can cause the skin to droop or “hood” over your eyelids, impairing your vision and creating a swollen appearance.
→ Discover if You’re an Ideal Candidate for an Upper Blepharoplasty in NYC
Unless you choose to combine this procedure with another surgery, Dr. Pearlman typically performs an upper blepharoplasty under local anesthesia.
Lower Blepharoplasty
A lower blepharoplasty focuses on improving the skin beneath your eyes, reducing the appearance of “bags” by removing excess fat. This approach frequently addresses hollow areas beneath the bags, called tear troughs, by repositioning fat deposits that bulge above. Dr. Pearlman approaches a lower eyelid lift in NYC conservatively, preserving the fat from those protruding areas to fill the area beneath—borrowing from the “hill above” to replenish the “valley beneath.” Smoothing those contours can also minimize dark circles caused by intense shadows.
To conceal your incisions, Dr. Pearlman typically uses a transconjunctival blepharoplasty technique, sometimes in combination with laser therapies. Sometimes a “skin pinch” is used for excess, wrinkled skin, which involves creating a small incision below the lower lash line. Since the primary incision is inside the eyelid, most patients prefer general anesthesia for an eye lift in NYC.
What is a brow lift?
A brow lift, also referred to as a forehead lift, is a surgical procedure designed to restore your eyebrows and the surrounding skin to their original, youthful position with a more attractive arch while reversing sagging. In addition to minimizing forehead wrinkles, a brow lift can also address drooping brows that push down on your eyelids and cause hooded, angry, or tired-looking eyes.
When to Combine a Brow and Eyelid Lift
Neither a brow lift nor an eyelid lift is universally superior, but rather more effective for treating different concerns. That’s why Dr. Pearlman always conducts a thorough private consultation with every patient, where we can determine the cause of your concerns.
Typically, lateral hooding of the eyelids that goes beyond the outer corner of your eye indicates that a brow lift is your best solution. In such a case, a blepharoplasty would require Dr. Pearlman to extend the incision past the eyelid—leaving visible scars behind.
During your consultation, we’ll ask you to raise and rest your eyebrows. If we notice that your eyelids are drooping when at rest, this is another indication that a brow lift may be more suitable. However, if there is significant excess skin in your eyelids themselves, we may recommend pairing your brow lift with an upper blepharoplasty.
The Role of Non-Surgical Eye Rejuvenation
While non-surgical treatments such as laser therapies and aesthetic injectables certainly have their benefits, their results don’t compare to an eye lift in NYC. However, they can enhance your results from surgery.
Removing excess tissue and repositioning the underlying structure is the only way to effectively reduce sagging and hooding in the upper eyelids. While under-eye fillers or PRF treatments can temporarily mask bags and hollows beneath your eyes, a lower blepharoplasty permanently addresses them. Similarly, Botox can temporarily lift your brows and smooth forehead wrinkles, but the results are not as significant as those of a brow lift and cannot address severe sagging.
Answering Your Questions About Eye Rejuvenation
At Pearlman Aesthetic Surgery, we firmly believe in the principle of empowering beauty.
As a respected traveling professor, Dr. Pearlman is dedicated to empowering patients and surgeons alike with the knowledge to make informed decisions to turn aesthetic goals into reality.
Below, we’ve addressed some of our patients’ most common questions about eyelid and brow lifts, but don’t hesitate to reach out with further questions about your specific situation. To unlock more exclusive content from Dr. Pearlman and our team, explore our educational blogs and sign up for our newsletter.
Am I too young for a brow or eyelid lift?
There is no universal “right” time to undergo a brow lift or eye lift in NYC, as everyone’s facial anatomy is unique and changes at different rates. Keep in mind that a blepharoplasty is frequently the first anti-aging procedure our patients seek out.
While many patients inquire about blepharoplasties to reverse sagging and other age-related concerns, patients of all ages may benefit from a blepharoplasty, which can address congenital (in-born) “bags” and “hooded” eyelids. While this procedure isn’t reserved for a specific age group, most of our blepharoplasty patients are in their mid to late 30s or beyond, but some are in their 20s.
As early as your mid-20s, your skin starts to produce less collagen—the protein responsible for maintaining your skin’s underlying structure—and breaks down existing collagen faster. As this internal framework weakens, you may notice your brows lower in your 30s, in which case you may be a candidate for a brow lift. Similar to eyelid lifts, brow lifts can also address “hooded” eyelids for patients of any age.
How much does a blepharoplasty cost?
The cost of an eye lift in NYC ranges depending on factors, such as:
- Anesthesia and surgical facility fees
- The type of blepharoplasty (upper, lower, or combination)
- Including other procedures, such as a brow lift, into your surgery
- Your surgeon’s expertise and reputation
- The surgical techniques used
- Pre- and post-operative care (including consultations and follow-up appointments)
During your consultation with Dr. Pearlman, we’ll establish your personalized eye rejuvenation plan and provide detailed price estimates depending on your situation.
→ Dive Deeper Into the Variables of Your Blepharoplasty Cost in NYC
Will my blepharoplasty results look natural?
Dr. Pearlman focuses on preserving your eyes’ natural structure, rather than altering it, to deliver the most natural-looking results. When performing an eyelid lift, he makes incisions along your eyelids’ natural creases to conceal the appearance of scars, occasionally making incisions inside of the lower eyelid in select lower blepharoplasty cases.
What is an endoscopic brow lift?
At Pearlman Aesthetic Surgery, Dr. Pearlman typically performs endoscopic brow lifts as opposed to “traditional” brow lifts, as this technique minimizes scarring and downtime. An endoscopic brow lift requires smaller and fewer incisions; usually two incisions, approximately one inch in length at the edge of your hairline. The incision is placed right in the frontal hairs so they grow through the incision, making it barely visible—if at all—after healing.
Then, Dr. Pearlman uses an endoscope—a thin tube with a camera attached—to see your brow’s underlying tissue frameworks. This camera allows him to visualize the structure in real time and precisely reposition them. Rather than overpowering your unique features, we use these advanced techniques to enhance your natural beauty in New York City.
How do you determine the appropriate brow position for a lift?
Dr. Pearlman prefers the terms “brow positioning” and “brow relaxing” over brow lifting, as we’re focused on gently restoring the brow to its original, youthful position. He may ask you to bring an old photo of yourself to your consultation, so we can compare its original placement to its current position, using it to inform our recommendations and help you set realistic expectations for surgery. Oftentimes, patients physically hold drooping brows upward with constant contracture of the forehead muscles, which will be examined during your consultation.
Beyond considering your natural brow shape, age, gender, and aesthetic goals, Dr. Pearlman always accounts for your unique facial anatomy to deliver harmonious results.
Work With One of NYC’s Top Facial Plastic Surgeons
If you’re ready to learn more about our personalized eye rejuvenation process, book your consultation with Dr. Steven Pearlman today.
Dr. Pearlman is uniquely dual board-certified in both facial plastic and reconstructive surgery and in otolaryngology—head and neck surgery (ENT)—and has performed thousands of successful procedures. He leads the leaders, traveling across the world as a visiting professor to educate future surgeons on his proven facial aging solutions while serving as a clinical professor at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.
Eyelid and brow lifts are some of the most complex procedures. Not only do they impact your appearance, but can also affect your vision, for better or worse, so it’s crucial that you work with a trusted surgeon for your eye lift in NYC.
→ Read More About Dr. Pearlman’s Awards From Castle Connolly
Consistently recognized over the past decade, Dr. Pearlman has been honored among the top 5% of doctors.
Not quite ready for an in-person visit? While nothing can replace an in-person consultation, especially for eye rejuvenation, you can use our virtual procedure match tool to explore our available techniques. Answer a few questions about your goals, and we’ll send you customized recommendations right to your inbox!
