Upper blepharoplasty vs double eyelid surgery

Upper blepharoplasty and double eyelid surgery both treat the upper lid, but their goals differ. Double eyelid surgery creates a crease; upper blepharoplasty removes skin that has stretched with age.

The differences at a glance

• Goal — double eyelid: create a crease / blepharoplasty: remove drooping skin
• Main candidates — double eyelid: no crease or a faint one / blepharoplasty: stretched skin covering the crease and lashes
• Skin removal — double eyelid: some, when needed / blepharoplasty: mainly trimming skin in proportion to the excess
• Crease — double eyelid: a new crease is designed / blepharoplasty: the existing crease can be kept or a natural one created at the same time

When they are combined

Later in life, removing loose skin and defining the crease are often both needed, so a natural double eyelid crease is sometimes designed during blepharoplasty. If the lid opens weakly, ptosis correction is also considered.

How to choose

The consultation checks how much the skin has stretched, whether there is an existing crease, whether the lid opens strongly enough and where the brows sit. Even for the same concern, the right surgery depends on the cause.

Frequently asked questions

Is upper blepharoplasty done at a younger age? If loose skin is the cause, it can be considered at any age. Younger people more often want a crease, though, so double eyelid surgery is usually considered first.