Upper Eyelid Lift | Before + After

I’m finally sharing my Upper Blepharoplasty (fancy medical word for upper eyelid lift) before and after photos.

I had the procedure last September and I wanted to wait until I was completely healed before sharing my progress photos. Well it’s almost been a year, so safe to say I’m healed. Lol.

Overall, my healing was SO easy and the procedure was a dream.

I’m firmly in the camp that if there is a tweak or something you can do/afford to do that will make you feel a little bit better, go for it. I’ve always disliked my heavy eyelids, and thought they made me look tired and older. I’d been wanting an upper eyelid lift for awhile. I finally made it happen and couldn’t be happier with the results. ZERO regrets.

Disclaimer: I’m not recommending plastic surgery. This is not medical advice.

I asked for your questions on IG stories yesterday, and SO many of you are interested in getting this procedure!

Why did I want the surgery?

I’ve always had heavy upper eyelids, and as I got older they got heavier and heavier. You know, age and gravity and all that. Pretty soon, I was noticing it in every photo and it just started weighing on me. Literally. Also, it was getting harder to put my contacts in and mascara was a nightmare. It would always get on my lids, and my eyelashes would pretty much disappear anyway. I knew it was time.

Who did my surgery?

I went to see Dr. Jeremy Warner at Warner Plastic Surgery in Northfield, IL. I can’t recommend him enough – he took the time to listen to my concerns and fears, and was honest with me about what I can expect when it came to healing and results. When I was a little out of it right before the procedure, I asked him to make sure my eyes didn’t end up looking like Renee Zellweger’s (I love her and wish she had gone to Dr. Warner instead), so he asked the nurses to take the “Renee Zellweger” tools off the operating table. I mean, you’ve gotta love a plastic surgeon with a sense of humor.

If you’re thinking of getting the surgery, I would get a personal recommendation. My friend Rachel, who is my Botox girl (THE BEST), recommended Dr. Warner to me. If you know someone who has had the procedure and her eyes look bomb, ask her who did it! I would do much more than Google to find a Dr.

How much did it cost?

Mine was in the ballpark of $4500 and worth every single penny to me.

Did it hurt?

I think I have a very high pain threshold, but even so I can honestly say that no, it didn’t hurt. I was on pain meds during the procedure, so I couldn’t feel anything. It was a little weird being awake and having my eyes taped shut, but it was fine. Afterwards, I was very swollen and the incisions were bleeding and weepy. It looked way worse than it felt. I rested the first day and took Tylenol rather than prescribed pain meds. Every day they felt better and better.

Did I have stitches?

Yes, I had stitches in for a few days. That might have been the most annoying part because they started to itch (which I know is a sign of healing, but still). I was very happy to have them taken out, and that was painless.

Do I have scars?

No! I was just inspecting my lids the other day (as one does). You can’t see any scars at all. I really think this comes down to the skill level of the surgeon. Every time I’ve had facials since the surgery they’re shocked that I had an eyelid lift because they can’t see the scars.

Will I have to have it redone as you age?

I had this same question and talked to Dr. Warren about it. I had the procedure done when I was 42 and was worried that was too young. He assured me that I wouldn’t have to do the procedure again, and that it’s actually better to do it when you’re younger because healing is much easier and quicker. I can attest – he was shocked at how quickly I healed.

Do I do Botox, too?

I do, and I let it wear off before the surgery so he could see where my brows naturally fall. I’ve continued to get Botox since the surgery and it’s actually much better. Botox was never able to help raise my brows – it actually makes my forehead feel heavy. I think this is a much more natural look than trying to achieve the look with Botox. Now, I get Botox to help my furrow, crows feet, frown lines in my chin and in my neck.

Can we see before and after pics?

Of course. That’s why you’re here, right??

These images show blood, stitches and healing progress. If you are squeamish, please skip it.

Here is my 4 day progress! I’m choosing not share the day of post-surgery photos, since those look pretty gruesome. I will say, though, that it looks way worse than it felt.

The surgery itself took less than an hour, and I was in and out in no time.

I was awake but heavily sedated, so I definitely couldn’t drive myself and needed help for the first 2 days.

The hardest part of the healing process was sleeping on my back on a slight incline for the first week following the surgery. I’m a side sleeper, so that was tough, but I got used to it after the first few nights.

Everything really came together in the second week. I felt much more comfortable going out in public, and I could finally wear my contacts again. The stitches came out, and the healing went even quicker after that point.

BEFORE

AFTER (FILTER FREE + UNTOUCHED)

Almost one year post surgery!

It looks totally natural – I have no scarring – and just gives my face an overall brightness that I didn’t have before. Also, it’s way easier to put in my contacts and wear mascara.

Do I have any regrets?

NONE! I am SO glad I had it done and would do it all over again. It was the easiest healing I’ve ever had and the results make such a big difference in my overall appearance and how I feel.

Feel free to leave any more questions in the comments of this post and I’ll answer!