A modern approach to eye rejuvenation that not only removes excess tissue, but also restores the volume that ageing gradually takes away.
The eye area is one of the first parts of the face where signs of ageing become noticeable. Over the years, it is common to develop drooping eyelids, under-eye bags, pronounced dark circles and a gradual loss of volume that can make the face appear tired, even when we feel perfectly well rested.
For many years, blepharoplasty has been the reference surgical procedure for correcting excess skin and under-eye bags. However, facial plastic surgery has evolved. Today, we understand that ageing around the eyes is not only caused by excess skin, but also by fat loss and the natural descent of facial tissues.
For this reason, an increasing number of specialist surgeons combine blepharoplasty with autologous fat transfer, a technique that can achieve a much more natural, balanced and long-lasting rejuvenation of the eye area.
In this article, we explain why this combination has become one of the most advanced techniques for rejuvenating the eye contour.
When we think about ageing of the eyelids, we often associate it exclusively with excess skin. In reality, however, the process is much more complex.
Several changes occur simultaneously over time:
The result is an eye area that may appear sad, tired or aged, even when the person sleeps well and maintains a healthy lifestyle.
For this reason, simply removing excess skin is not always enough to restore a fresh and natural appearance.
Blepharoplasty is a surgical procedure designed to correct excess skin and fat bags that develop around the eyelids.
Depending on each patient's individual needs, it may involve:
Upper blepharoplasty is indicated when there is excess skin on the upper eyelid, resulting in the appearance of drooping eyelids or, in some cases, partially affecting the field of vision.
During the procedure, excess skin is removed and, when necessary, small fat deposits can also be treated, helping to create a more open and refreshed appearance.
Lower blepharoplasty is designed to treat bags under the eyes and improve the appearance of the lower eyelid.
In some cases, excess skin may also be removed, although the exact treatment will depend on each patient's anatomy.
For decades, these procedures have provided excellent results. However, we now understand that another fundamental factor plays an important role in facial ageing: loss of volume.
One of the most important advances in modern plastic surgery has been understanding that facial ageing is not simply about “removing” tissue.
It is also about “restoring” what has been lost.
Over time, some of the fat that provides support and youthful fullness around the eyes gradually disappears.
As a result, patients may develop:
If we only remove skin or fat bags, the appearance of the eyes may improve, but the volume that characterises a youthful face may still be missing.
This is precisely where facial fat transfer can make an important difference.
Fat transfer, also known as facial fat grafting or autologous fat grafting, involves using a patient's own fat to restore volume that has been lost in different areas of the face.
The procedure is usually performed in three stages:
A small amount of fat is collected through highly localised liposuction.
The fat is carefully processed to select the most viable cells.
It is then injected into areas where volume has been lost, such as the tear trough, under-eye area or the transition between the lower eyelid and the cheek.
Because the patient's own tissue is used, the fat can integrate naturally into the surrounding tissues without the risk of rejection associated with foreign materials.
Today, many specialists consider the combination of these two techniques to represent an evolution in the treatment of ageing around the eyes.
While blepharoplasty removes excess skin and corrects under-eye bags, fat transfer can restore lost volume.
The aim is no longer simply to remove what is in excess, but also to restore what ageing has gradually taken away over the years.
Blepharoplasty combined with fat transfer may be suitable for patients presenting several signs of ageing at the same time, including:
Each case should be assessed individually through a complete examination of the face, as not every patient requires the same amount of fat transfer or the same surgical approach.
Personalised surgical planning is one of the most important factors in achieving natural-looking results.
There are several options for rejuvenating the eye contour, including non-surgical aesthetic treatments, hyaluronic acid fillers and different surgical techniques.
When appropriately indicated, combining blepharoplasty with fat transfer offers several potential advantages:
The most appropriate treatment should always be determined following a diagnosis and assessment by a specialist plastic surgeon.
Recovery is generally similar to that of conventional blepharoplasty.
During the first few days, some swelling and mild bruising around the eyelids is completely normal. There may also be some swelling or bruising in the area from which the fat was harvested.
These symptoms gradually improve over the following weeks.
Although an improvement can usually be seen relatively early in the recovery process, the final result becomes more apparent once the tissues have fully healed and the transferred fat has stabilised.
A proportion of the transferred fat is naturally reabsorbed during the first few months. This is completely normal. The fat that successfully integrates into the surrounding tissues can remain in place for the long term.
It depends on the cause. If dark circles are associated with loss of volume, combining blepharoplasty with fat transfer may significantly improve their appearance.
Upper blepharoplasty incisions are placed within the natural crease of the eyelid and usually become barely noticeable once the healing process is complete.
No. They are complementary techniques. Blepharoplasty removes excess skin and addresses fat bags, while fat transfer restores volume that has been lost over time.