Failed Blepharoplasty: 5 Reasons It Can Happen
Blepharoplasty is one of the most popular aesthetic procedures, removing excess skin and fat around the eyes to offer a more youthful appearance. However, when not performed correctly, the results can be disappointing or even problematic for the health of your eyes.
A failed blepharoplasty can leave your face with asymmetry, difficulty closing the eyes, or an unnatural appearance that may require a corrective procedure. Let’s look at the main reasons this can happen and how to avoid it.
1. Excessive Skin Removal
One of the most common reasons for failure is the excessive removal of skin from the eyelids. When more skin than necessary is removed, it can cause a serious complication called lagophthalmos, which is the inability to fully close the eyes.
This condition is not merely a cosmetic problem. Your eyes need to close completely in order to maintain moisture on their surface. When you cannot close them properly, chronic dry eye, irritation, discomfort, and in severe cases even damage to the cornea can occur.
Excessive removal of fat from the area can also create “hollow” eyes with visible depressions, giving a gaunt, tired look instead of the youthful appearance you are aiming for.
2. Incorrect Incision Placement
Precise placement of the incisions requires specialized knowledge of the eye’s anatomy. Even a deviation of 1–2 millimetres can significantly affect the outcome.
Incorrect placement of the incisions, especially on the lower eyelid, can lead to ectropion, a condition in which the eyelid turns outward, exposing its inner surface and leaving the eye unprotected. This causes tearing, irritation and an increased risk of infections.
In other cases, the incisions may create uneven folds on the upper eyelids or leave visible scars that spoil the aesthetics of the face. Proper surgical technique means that the incisions follow the natural skin lines and are not visible.
3. Inadequate Preoperative Measurements
Every face is unique, and the success of blepharoplasty depends to a large extent on accurate measurements before surgery. If the surgeon fails to perform detailed measurements of how much skin and fat needs to be removed, the result may be asymmetrical.
Asymmetry of the eyelids after surgery is a common problem when measurements are not carried out carefully. While minor asymmetry is normal in every face, marked differences between the two eyes are noticeable and require correction.
In addition, the surgeon must take into account pre-existing features such as asymmetry of the facial skeleton, different position of the eye sockets or tissue laxity that can affect the final result.
4. Failure to Assess the Patient’s Condition
A failed blepharoplasty may occur when the surgeon does not obtain a complete medical history and does not properly evaluate the patient’s condition before surgery.
Certain conditions such as dry eye syndrome, thyroid disease or diabetes significantly increase the risk of complications. If not identified in time, they may lead to problems such as chronic dryness of the eyes, delayed healing or infections.
Also, people taking anticoagulant or antiplatelet medications have a higher risk of bleeding during and after surgery. Proper preoperative assessment includes a detailed eye examination to ensure there are no infections or other ophthalmologic issues.
5. Lack of Surgical Experience and Specialization
Perhaps the most important reason blepharoplasty fails is the choice of a surgeon who lacks the necessary experience and specialization.
Blepharoplasty is a highly delicate procedure that demands in-depth knowledge of the complex anatomy of the eyelids, muscles and nerves around the eye. Surgeons without sufficient experience are more likely to make mistakes such as:
- Excessive or insufficient tissue removal
- Damage to the lacrimal ducts causing tearing
- Injury to the muscles that control eyelid movement
- Formation of visible scars
