Eyelid Lift

Conveniently located to serve Seattle and Bellevue

Brighten Your Eyes with a Personalized Eyelid Lift in Bellevue, WA

Heavy, sagging, or puffy eyelids can make you look tired or older than you feel. At RP Plastic Surgery, we offer customized eyelid lift procedures in Bellevue to help restore a refreshed, alert appearance. Whether you’re dealing with excess skin that impairs your vision or looking to smooth under-eye puffiness, eyelid surgery can make a noticeable difference.

What Is Blepharoplasty?

Blepharoplasty, commonly known as eyelid surgery, is a cosmetic procedure that addresses the upper or lower eyelids. It can involve removing or repositioning skin, muscle, and fat to create a smoother, more youthful eye area.

• Upper Eyelid Surgery: Often performed to correct drooping or hooded lids.
• Lower Eyelid Lift: Focuses on reducing puffiness and under-eye bags.
• Double Eyelid Surgery: For patients wanting to define or enhance the upper eyelid crease.

Patients often combine eyelid surgery with a brow lift or facelift procedure for more comprehensive rejuvenation.

Am I a Candidate for Blepharoplasty in Bellevue, WA?

You might be a candidate for blepharoplasty if:

• You have excess eyelid skin, causing visual obstruction
• You’re bothered by puffiness or bags under your eyes
• You want to improve asymmetry in your eye area
• You’re in good health and don’t smoke
• You have realistic goals and expectations

During your consultation, Dr. Rikesh Parikh will assess your concerns and recommend the approach that suits you best.

What to Expect During Your Procedure

Eyelid lift procedures are typically done under local anesthesia with sedation or general anesthesia. Surgery may take one to two hours, depending on whether you’re having upper, lower, or both eyelids treated.

• Upper eyelid incisions are made in the natural crease to hide scarring.
• Lower eyelid incisions can be made just below the lash line or inside the eyelid for a scar-free result.
• Excess skin and fat are removed or repositioned for a smoother appearance.

Dr. Parikh uses advanced techniques to protect delicate structures and minimize trauma. Patients return home the same day.

Recovery and Results

For the first week, you can expect mild swelling, bruising, and sensitivity around the eyes. Cold compresses and head elevation help ease discomfort. Most patients return to light activity within a few days and regular routines within 10 to 14 days.

Final results become more visible over several weeks as swelling subsides. Scars fade with time and are usually well-concealed. Results can last many years, especially with good skincare and sun protection. Some patients also choose laser skin resurfacing post-recovery to enhance skin tone and texture.

Benefits of Eyelid Lift Surgery

An eyelid lift offers both cosmetic and functional improvements, such as:

• Brighter, more open-looking eyes
• Smoother under-eye area
• Improved field of vision (for those with drooping lids)
• Less tired or angry appearance
• Natural, subtle rejuvenation

Patients often report feeling more confident in social and professional settings after the procedure.

Cost of Eyelid Lift in Bellevue

Eyelid surgery costs at RP Plastic Surgery vary depending on the procedure’s scope. Pricing typically includes surgical fees, anesthesia, and follow-up visits. We’ll provide a personalized quote and review available payment plans during your consultation. Financing options are also available to ensure treatments are accessible to you.

Why Choose RP Plastic Surgery for Blepharoplasty in Bellevue, WA?

Dr. Rikesh Parikh is a double-board-certified facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon known for his precision and thoughtful approach to eyelid surgery. He focuses on subtle refinement, helping patients look refreshed without changing their natural expression. 

His methods are designed to reduce scarring and support long-lasting results, all while keeping patient safety at the forefront. We take pride in offering every patient a smooth and professional experience in a well-equipped, welcoming space. 

Our team is committed to providing knowledgeable care in a setting that prioritizes comfort and safety.

FAQs About Eyelid Lift in Bellevue

Upper blepharoplasty (upper eyelid surgery)

What is upper blepharoplasty?

Upper blepharoplasty, also known as upper eyelid surgery, was reported as the most popular facial cosmetic surgery in 2024, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. This procedure is designed to restore a more refreshed and youthful appearance to the eyes.

One of the main reasons people have upper blepharoplasty is to improve sagging of the upper eyelids. This drooping skin can make it difficult to apply makeup, such as eyeliner or eyeshadow, and in some cases, may even interfere with peripheral vision. By removing excess skin or muscle, upper eyelid surgery improves both appearance and function, creating a brighter, more open eye shape.

In some cases, upper blepharoplasty may be contain additional procedures to enhance results. These may include:

• Fat repositioning or transfer to smooth hollows or restore volume
• Lacrimal gland surgery to address gland prominence
• Brow lift to improve the position of the brows and upper eyelid contour

Benefits of Upper Blepharoplasty

• Brighter, more youthful appearance around the eye
• Improved vision if it’s due to excess upper eyelid skin
• Improved eyelid contour and symmetry
• Easier make up application and removal from less excess skin and improved contour
• Long-lasting results (could be more than 10-20 years before another surgery is needed)
• Fast and easy recovery (compared to many other facial surgeries, upper blepharoplasty is one of the best tolerated procedures)

Who is a candidate?

You may benefit from upper blepharoplasty if you:

• Have droopy or heavy upper eyelids (if it is due to eye lid ptosis, then a ptosis repair will need to be done to correct it)
• Notice excess skin that makes your eyes look tired or aged
• Experience difficulty seeing due to skin folding over your lashes
• Are in good general health and have realistic expectations
  • If you have serious eye conditions such as severe dry eyes, glaucoma, retinal disease, please discuss with your doctor before surgery.

Procedure

Upper eyelid surgery is generally very well tolerated. Most patients have the procedure under local anesthesia while awake, which allows for a safe and smooth experience. For added comfort, some patients may also choose sedation or general anesthesia.

The incision is carefully placed in the natural crease of the eyelid, making it well hidden once healed. The complexity of the procedure depends on what is needed to restore a youthful eyelid contour. Through the same incision, the surgeon may:

• Remove excess skin
• Adjust or reposition fatty tissue
• Perform lacrimal gland surgery (if needed)
• Address muscle concerns, such as levator advancement for ptosis repair

The length of surgery varies depending on the details of the case. A straightforward procedure may take as little as 30 minutes, while more complex surgeries may last over two hours.

Recovery

• Downtime: Most patients return to normal daily activities within 7 – 10 days. Return to strenuous exercise after 3 – 4 weeks.
• Swelling & Bruising: Common in the first week but gradually improves; can take up to 4 weeks.
• Sutures: Usually removed within 6–7 days.
• Final Results: Visible after swelling subsides, typically within a few weeks, with scars fading over several months to a year.
• Other considerations:
  •  Vision could be blurry for a couple days after surgery
  •  Eyes may feel dry and gritty and watery a couple days after surgery
  •  Avoid contact lenses and eye makeup until cleared by your surgeon (often 2–3 weeks)

Risks of upper blepharoplasty

Upper blepharoplasty is generally safe and well tolerated, but as with any surgery, there are potential risks:

• Dry eyes
  • Common in the early healing period.
  • Usually temporary, but if you already have dry eye syndrome, discuss this with your surgeon beforehand.
• Infection or bleeding (rare)
• Asymmetry or scarring (rare)
  • If it occurs, conservative treatments or revision surgery may help improve the result.
• Vision problems (very rare)
  • Injury to the eye muscles or globe is extremely uncommon but can cause temporary or permanent issues.
  • In some cases, surgery may exacerbate pre-existing conditions such as glaucoma or retinal disease.

Your surgeon will discuss these risks and how they are minimized.

Upper Blepharoplasty and Browlift 

“I went to a plastic surgeon and they told me I needed a browlift with an upper blepharoplasty.”

This is one of the most common questions / comments brought up by my patient in eyelid consultations. So, do you really need a brow lift along with upper blepharoplasty?

The answer depends on the individual. Generally, the older the patient, the more likely both procedures together will provide the best result in periorbital rejuvenation.

Figure 1 shows the aging changes around the eyes. At first glance the person in (a) is older than (b), but why? And what can we do about it?

When can a browlift be helpful in addition to an upper eyelid surgery?

A browlift may be considered along with blepharoplasty if the eyebrow position no longer reflects a youthful contour.

Signs can include: (figure 2)

• Brow position below the orbital rim (the bony ridge above the eye).
• Lateral hooding – outer eyelid excess skin caused by sagging of the lateral brow (the first area to droop with age).
• Forehead or glabellar (“11’s”) wrinkles, often a sign of overactive muscles compensating for brow descent.
• Eyes that appear tired, sad, or angry, even when well-rested.

Figure 2 illustrates the natural changes in the upper eyelid and brow that occur with aging. Eye brow aging contributes to brow ptosis, lateral hooding, and excess skin on the outer portion of the eye. Upper eyelid aging contributes to excess upper eyelid skin (ie. dermatochalasis), and fat pad protrusion.

In general

• Upper blepharoplasty addresses the excess skin that develops directly above the eye.
• Browlift focuses on the outer portion of the eye, where sagging of the lateral brow creates lateral hooding or excess skin around the crow’s feet area.

The Role of Forehead Wrinkles

Another important clue that a brow lift may be needed is the presence of forehead wrinkles. Sometimes the brows appear to be in a “normal” position, but in reality they are being held up by chronic overuse of the frontalis muscle (the muscle of the forehead).

• Over time, this constant lifting effort produces deep horizontal forehead lines.
• When Botox is injected to relax these lines, the frontalis can no longer elevate the brow. As a result, the underlying brow droop (brow ptosis) becomes unmasked, and patients suddenly feel their eyelids are heavier or “droopy.”

Other considerations

Lateral brow hooding: In some cases, patients may prefer to keep their brow in the same position or may not want to undergo a brow lift. For these patients, lateral hooding can sometimes be improved through:

• A subbrow (infrabrow) incision, or
• An extended upper blepharoplasty incision.

The main drawback of these approaches is that the incision line is not hidden within the natural eyelid crease. However, in most cases the scars heal well and become much less noticeable over time.

Facelift with eye surgery: If you are planning a facelift, a brow lift is often recommended at the same time. This ensures facial harmony, rejuvenating not only the midface and lower face but also the eyes and forehead, avoiding any mismatch between surgical areas.

Schedule Your Eyelid Surgery Consultation Today

Looking more awake and refreshed can be simpler than you think. An eyelid lift in Bellevue with RP Plastic Surgery could be the small change that makes a big difference. Whether you’re concerned about drooping lids or under-eye puffiness, we’re here to help you feel more confident in your appearance.