Lower Eyelid Surgery

Conveniently located to serve Washington DC, Arlington, Bethesda

What is a lower blepharoplasty?

Lower blepharoplasty, also known as lower eyelid surgery, is a procedure to improve the appearance of the lower eyelids. In younger patients, this is generally removing the bulging fat pockets. In older patients it is often removing and repositioning fat and removing some extra skin. Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Ramineni can provide you with excellent results from your lower eyelid surgery in Washington DC.

Who is a good candidate?

Younger patients who have bulging under their eyes or undereye puffiness may benefit from removal of the fat in this area. Older patients who have excess fat and loose skin may also benefit. Dr. Ramineni can let you know if you are a good candidate for the procedure or if another procedure can provide you with your desired results during your lower eyelid surgery consultation in Washington DC. 

How is the procedure performed?

There are 2 main techniques depending on whether there is loose skin. In younger patients and patients with just fat excess, an incision can be made inside the eyelid (transconjunctival) to avoid any external scar. The fat pockets are individually opened and extra fat is removed. Some fat may be used to smooth the transition to the cheek. 

If there is a small amount of extra skin or crepe like skin, resurfacing or a chemical peel can be used to tighten this skin. The other technique (subciliary) uses an incision just below the lash line to remove excess skin and access the fat pockets for removal and/or repositioning.

Recovery

Incisions heal very quickly and bruising/swelling should be mostly to fully resolved within 2 weeks.  There are no sutures to be removed with a transconjunctival approach, but with a subciliary approach, sutures will be removed a few days after surgery. Dr. Ramineni will provide post-surgical instructions to make sure your lower eyelid surgery recovery goes as smoothly as possible.

Cost

The price of your lower eyelid surgery will depend on the techniques used and a number of other factors. Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Ramineni can let you know what the cost of your lower eyelids surgery in Washington DC will be during your consultation. 

Risks

1. Bruising/swelling – common
2. Recurrence of fat – although fat is removed, there is still some fat around the eye that may project more over time.  Removing too much fat can lead to an aged, hollow look.
3. Injury to the eye – extremely rare, but could lead to vision problems
4. Teary eyes – the duct where tears drain can be affected by surgery
5. Ectropion – uncommon, but increased risk with subciliary approaches – pulling of the cheek can sometimes pull the lower lid down exposing the pink area.  This usually will resolve with massage, but in some cases may need more surgery to tighten the lower lid tendon (canthopexy or canthoplasty).
6. Double vision – there is an eye muscle in the area of the fat that could become damaged rarely, if that happens there could be some double vision or blurred vision.
7. Need for revision – scarring or poor aesthetic outcome could lead to the need for revision.

Schedule a Consultation

If you would like to learn more about the procedures we offer at District Plastic Surgery, or if you would like to schedule a consultation for your lower eyelid surgery in Washington DC, please contact our office today.