My Recovery and Results From a Lower Blepharoplasty with CO2 Resurfacing

About 4 months ago I made the decision to undergo a lower blepharoplasty surgery with fat transfer and CO2 laser resurfacing with Dr. Flora Levin. Since then, I have had a number of question and I wanted a place to share my experience and answer some of the questions I have been receiving on my other social media platforms. I figured the easiest way to share this post would be in question format. That way if you’re just browsing you can easily find what you’re looking for. Here are some of my most-asked questions:

Do you have before and after photos?

Yes. The first photo below is prior to surgery. The second photo is 4 months post-op. Both photos are without any makeup on.

Why did you decide to get a lower blepharoplasty?

Since the time I was in high school I had bags under my eyes. I had tried every cream with almost no results and had spoken with dermatologists who said my bags were genetic. I spent years feeling insecure about them but as I got older I really dealt with my insecurities and made peace with them.

To be honest, I wasn’t thinking much about them when I initially met with Dr. Levin to do a Microneedling treatment (Which I highly recommend as well!). We briefly spoke about the possibility of undereye filler for my bags. Filler is a great option for a lot of people but as we spoke I kept thinking about my incredibly low pain threshold (huge baby right here!). That, along with my intense hatred for needles made me quickly realize that having needles poking around my under my eye would not be a good fit for me (especially knowing it’s a temporary fix).

While I know it’s safe, I also didn’t love the idea of putting something foreign in my body. After talking through my concerns with Dr. Levin she suggested a lower blepharoplasty with fat transfer as it would be permanent (aside from natural aging of course) and would use fat from my own body as filler (nothing artificial). I realize it may sound crazy but I personally preferred the idea of being put under anesthesia and having a permanent, more natural fix than the thought of having needs around my eyes while I was awake.

I took some time to think about it and also process where I was at emotionally. As I did, I realized I no longer felt like I NEEDED the surgery but knew I would really enjoy the results. Having taken the time in the past to deal with my insecurities really aloud me to feel the freedom to move forward with the surgery not to “fix how I felt about myself” but just to do something I would truly enjoy for me. Being 4 months on the other side of surgery, I can say I am so thankful I made the decision to move forward with it!

Why did you go with an oculofacial plastic surgeon? Is there a big difference between an oculofacial plastic surgeon and a regular plastic surgeon?

Yes, there is a big difference! Being a board-certified oculofacial plastic surgeon gives Dr. Levin a deeper understanding of the eyes and facial anatomy beyond what a general plastic surgeon would have. Eyelids are such a delicate area of the face and an oculoplastic specialist has extensive specialized training and experience making them leading experts in eyelid surgery and rejuvenation. Dr. Levin uses the most advanced surgical techniques that give completely natural results. In short, I wouldn’t recommend ever trusting your eyes to anyone but an oculofacial plastic surgeon.

What is a fat transfer?

This is an advanced technique Dr. Levin uses where she takes fat from your thigh (or abdomen) and then uses it as a kind of permanent filler under the eye in surgery. The technique helps ensure natural results without having hollow areas under the eyes.

What was the surgery like and did you remember anything while under anesthesia?

As I stated earlier, I am not a fan of needles and I don’t handle pain well so I am sure it’s no surprise when I tell you that I was I was beyond anxious when I arrived the morning of my surgery. Dr. Levin was so reassuring as she walked me through what to expect. Her anesthesiologist was also beyond wonderful and the two of them completely put me at ease as they were giving me the anesthesia.

The surgery was performed under a twilight anesthesia, meaning I was not completely put under. I was told I might remember some things from the surgery. Going in, I felt worried that having some awareness during parts of the surgery could potentially be a scary experience. Let me tell you, my actual experience of it was anything but scary. I was completely out for most of the procedure but I did have a few memories towards the end of surgery when the anesthesia was a bit lighter. I remember asking Dr. Levin how her kids were doing in school. She told me I had asked her that same question 4 times and I really needed to focus on resting. I asked if she was sure I had really asked that question 4 times and she said yes. I have to laugh about the conversation now!

I also remember that when they did the CO2 resurfacing laser I could feel the zap of the laser a little bit. While that may sounds like a scary memory it really didn’t feel scary at the time and was only a bit uncomfortable. Dr. Levin told me I likely remember this part because it was at the very end of surgery when the anesthesia was beginning to wear off which is common. None of the memories were difficult in the moment and after, even though I remembered them, it felt almost like remembering a dream. I felt a bit removed from the memories.

Once I woke up from surgery I was surprised by how little pain I felt. I was definitely groggy from the anesthesia but I was not very uncomfortable. Dr. Levin reviewed my aftercare with me and let me know how surgery had gone. She told me I had two incisions, one on my thigh and one on my stomach. She informed me they had tried to go in through my belly button to remove fat from my abdomen for the fat transfer (this way does not leave any scars) but she was not able to get enough fat. She had to go in through my thigh to get the fat needed for the fat transfer. My stomach felt a bit sore but the incision on my thigh was hardly even noticeable. My eyes themselves had almost no pain at all.

What was your experience with the CO2 Laser?

I loved the results from the CO2 laser! It did an incredible job at getting rid of smaller wrinkles around my eyes. It healed quickly and the results were beautiful. I think just the laser alone made my eyes look at least a good 5-10 years younger.

CO2 resurfacing 1 week post-op recovery — CO2 resurfacing one week Post-Op. You can see the small brown dots where scabs formed as my skin healed from the laser.

What was the recovery like?

My recovery was far less painful than I was anticipating. That being said I still needed a good 3-4 days taking it easy in bed while having full-time childcare for my girls. During the first 48 hours I needed to ice for 20 minutes every hour. I suggest hitting up Audible so you have a good book on tape to listen to while your icing to pass the time!

My eyes and the incision on my thigh were not very painful but the incision on my stomach felt fairly sore and made it more difficult to move around easily. It wasn’t overly painful, I more felt like I had the ab workout of my life. I found it difficult to sit up and move around quickly for a few days. My eyes felt more pressure than pain after surgery and I had to be careful bending over or picking things up. I took pain killers for the first 2 1/2 days and then switched to Advil (but I have heard that most people with higher pain thresholds don’t even need them for that long if at all).

I will share photos of the recovery process below:

How long did you need childcare?

After three full days of rest I was able to ease back into taking care of my girls. My husband still helped out a bit more than usual for another 2 days but I probably could have gotten by without the extra help if I needed to.

For those of you with young children that are considering this surgery I should let you know my girls are 3 and 6 so you can have a reference. I think I may have needed a little more help if they were younger and I had to be picking them up a lot or if I were nursing a baby. If your children are under two I would maybe recommend erring on the side of caution and scheduling an extra day or two of help if possible in case you find you need it.

What kind of results did you end up with?

I am very happy with the results. My left eye looks perfect and the bag is completely gone. My right eye (which was the worse eye to begin with) does have a small bit of puff still remaining but it’s 90% better than prior to the surgery. When I wear makeup it’s barely noticeable. With surgery, you can never fully know how your eyes will heal and Dr. Levin was very up-front prior to surgery that on occasion a second surgery may be required for “perfect” results.

When I met with her for our 4-month check up to see how everything had settled after surgery, she mentioned a little filler would help hide the remaining bag. She told me I could also consider a second, more minor, surgery that would have a faster recovery time. She was very helpful with going over my options.

As of right now I honestly am happy with my results and don’t feel the need to do filler (we know I feel about the needles! Lol) or a second surgery. I may change my mind over time as I think about it more but it truly feels so minor that I would just prefer to leave it for the time being. Even with the very minor bag remaining I am beyond happy with my results.

Did you feel better about yourself after having the surgery?

In short, I love my results but they don’t change how I feel about myself when I look in the mirror.

While surgery ended up being a great option for me and I am so thankful I had this procedure done, I don’t believe it’s for everyone. I believe it’s important to have healthy expectations around what surgery will do for you.

I think possibly the most important question to ask yourself before surgery is if your looking for surgery to fix how you feel about yourself. I truly don’t believe surgery can replace the hard work we often need to do to wrestle with insecurities and deeper emotional and spiritual questions. If your looking for surgery to fix how you feel about yourself I strongly believe investing the money in a good therapist will leave you feeling much better in the long run. As someone who has both done the hard work in therapy as well a IS a therapist myself (I am an LPC) I can say that with a lot of confidence.

That being said, if you have done the hard work and your not looking to surgery to fix how you feel on the inside, I think it can be a great option. While not having bags doesn’t make me feel better about who I am I can definitely say I REALLY enjoy waking up and looking like I actually slept the night before!

Would you do the surgery again?

I absolutely would. I am very happy with my results. My eyes look incredibly natural and I would highly recommend Dr. Levin to anyone who’s considering having the procedure done.

I hope this can help to answer some of your questions but if you find it doesn’t feel free to reach out to me directly! My DM’s over on IG are always open to you! I also have a highlight in my stories section where you can see live footage of my recovery (starting at hours after the surgery). You can mind my Instagram HERE.

Thanks so much for coming on this journey with me!

xo,

Kelly