Natural Eyelid Lift

Surgical › Face › Natural Eyelid Lift

As Dr. Langdon has discussed in many of his seminars on cosmetic surgery, volume loss is one of the major signs of aging in the face. Volume loss results mostly from diminished fat and is often most evident in the eyelids and eyebrow area.  

The only natural and permanent method of restoring volume to the periorbital area (around the eyes) is to place fat in the areas where it has been lost. Dr. Langdon’s natural eyelid lift procedure accomplishes this volume restoration using your body’s own fat.

What is a Natural Eyelid Lift?

A natural eyelid lift is a form of facial fat transfer that specifically targets the eye area. When people talk to you, they focus on your eyes and the area around your eyes. Wrinkly skin, bulging fat pockets, and general volume loss can all contribute to an aged appearance. A natural eyelid lift creates a smoother, softer eye area using a fat transfer to restore lost volume.

Watch library.

Natural Eyelid Lift vs. Traditional Eyelid Lift

In contrast to blepharoplasty surgery, in which excess skin and orbital fat around the eyes are removed, Dr. Langdon’s natural eyelid lift technique exclusively replaces lost volume through fat grafting. This makes it a less invasive procedure than traditional blepharoplasty.

Volume loss contributes to the need for both upper and lower lid blepharoplasty. In the upper lids, volume loss deflates the tissue and increases the appearance of sagging, excess skin. If there is too much excess skin, an upper lid blepharoplasty may be required. But in milder cases, a natural eyelid lift may be all that is needed to improve the appearance.

In the lower lids, the bulging pockets of orbital fat (a special type of fat that is largely or entirely resistant to the volume loss that occurs with aging) are made more noticeable by the volume loss in the adjacent areas. A natural eyelid lift can even out the contours enough that a lower lid blepharoplasty is unnecessary.

Frequently Asked Questions

Dr. Langdon’s natural eyelid lift is a type of fat transfer surgery in which fat is removed from one area of the body and then carefully injected into the area around the eye. Using a small syringe, he performs a mini liposuction procedure to obtain fat cells from preferred areas of the body. The fat tissue is purified and then gently placed throughout the upper and lower eyelid areas as well as the outer eyebrow region.

This natural eyelid lift is less invasive than traditional blepharoplasty, so you’ll have a shorter procedure and recovery. The surgery requires only local anesthesia and typically takes an hour or two. It can be combined with fat augmentation of other areas of the face.

A natural eyelid lift has minimal downtime. Most patients resume work in a few days or a week. You can expect some swelling, mild bruising, and soreness at the injection and donor sites. Dr. Langdon may instruct you to keep your head elevated and avoid putting pressure on your eyes during recovery because this could damage the transferred fat.

A fat transfer immediately improves volume, but swelling and bruising can initially obscure the results. Additionally, not all of the transferred fat will survive. You’ll see effects from the fat transfer within a few days, but these won’t be your final outcome. Final results are visible several weeks after the procedure.

The long-lasting results make a natural eyelid lift with fat grafting superior to dermal fillers. Dermal fillers like Juvederm® can also restore lost volume around the eyes, but the filler dissolves within a year or two, so regular treatments are needed to maintain the effect.

The results of a fat transfer are often permanent. Weight fluctuations can affect the transferred fat, so a healthy lifestyle and weight management are essential for long-lasting benefits.

If volume loss has caused an aged appearance in your eye area, you may benefit from a natural eyelid lift. Patients with loose, sagging skin and droopy eyelids may need a traditional blepharoplasty. You can also have blepharoplasty and fat grafting combined for comprehensive improvements. During a detailed consultation, Dr. Langdon will help you determine which procedure is best for you.

*Individual results may vary.

Natural Eyelid Lift results.

Take the next step.

To learn more about getting a natural eyelid lift or to schedule your consultation with Board-Certified Cosmetic Surgeon Dr. Langdon, please fill out the form on this page or call The Langdon Center at (203) 453-8625. We look forward to working with you! The Langdon Center serves patients in the Guilford & New Haven, CT areas.