Under-Eye Fat Grafting, Upper Blepharoplasty

Treatment details: Under-Eye Fat Grafting, Upper Blepharoplasty

Both eyelids were treated in the same operation because the tired appearance came from opposite problems above and below. Excess skin was removed from the upper lid through an incision hidden in the natural crease, while the lower lid was short of volume and received the patient’s own purified fat rather than filler. Using autologous fat here gives a result that is stable long term once the graft has taken. This image is one month after surgery. Upper lid swelling has largely resolved, but a portion of the grafted fat is still being absorbed, and the final under eye volume is judged at around six months.

Both the donor site and the lower lids swell and bruise for one to two weeks, and the eyelid area can look lumpy while it settles. Part of the transferred fat is reabsorbed over three months, so the final volume differs from the immediate result and a second session is sometimes needed. Persistent nodules, oil cysts, calcification, or unevenness may develop in this thin skin. Vascular complication is very rare. Infection is uncommon.

The upper lids stay swollen and bruised for roughly two weeks, with tightness, dryness, and watering while healing. Sides rarely match exactly at first, and the crease height may end higher or lower than planned, which occasionally requires revision after several months. The incision line is pink for a period before fading, though it does not disappear. Incomplete lid closure can occur early on. Bleeding and infection are uncommon.