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Lower Eyelid Blepharoplasty St. Louis
Lower eyelid blepharoplasty can remove under-eye bags and smooth the puffiness that makes you look tired when you aren’t — performed by Dr. Brandon T. Beal, fellowship-trained in facial plastic & reconstructive surgery.
Double board-certified
Dermatology and Mohs micrographic surgery
Fellowship-trained
Facial plastic & reconstructive surgery — Zitelli & Brodland
Physician-owned
Independent practice — never corporate
Established 2020
Serving Troy, Lincoln County, and beyond
What is Lower Eyelid Blepharoplasty?
Lower eyelid blepharoplasty — under-eye bag removal — is a surgical procedure that treats the puffiness and bulging beneath the eyes. Those bags are usually not a skin problem at all: the fat that naturally cushions the eye pushes forward with age, creating a bulge that no cream, sleep schedule, or filler fully corrects. Surgery addresses it at the source, by removing or repositioning that fat and, when needed, tightening excess skin.
What Lower Blepharoplasty Can Address
- Under-eye bags and puffiness, even when you’re well rested
- The shadowed hollow between the bag and the cheek
- Loose, crepey lower eyelid skin
- A persistently tired appearance that doesn’t match how you feel
Dark circles caused by pigment rather than shadow respond better to other treatments, and lower blepharoplasty doesn’t address heavy upper lids — that’s upper eyelid blepharoplasty, often performed at the same time. Your consultation sorts out exactly what’s creating the look you want to change.
Who is a Good Candidate?
Good candidates are healthy adults bothered by under-eye bags or lower lid laxity — typically people told they look tired or upset when they’re neither. Incision placement depends on your anatomy and whether excess skin needs to be addressed along with the fat; Dr. Beal will explain the approach he recommends for you at your consultation.
The Lower Blepharoplasty Process
1
Consultation & Planning
You meet privately with Dr. Beal to discuss what bothers you about your under-eye area. He examines the fat, skin, and support of your lower lids, distinguishes bags from pigment or hollowing, and recommends a plan — including incision placement, anesthesia, and cost.
2
The Procedure
Through a discreet incision, the bulging fat is removed or repositioned to smooth the transition from lid to cheek, and excess skin is addressed when your plan calls for it. The work happens millimeters from the eye — exactly the territory where Dr. Beal’s eyelid reconstruction experience matters most.
3
Recovery
Swelling and bruising around the eyes are expected early on and settle over the first week or two; cool compresses and keeping your head elevated help. Most patients feel comfortable in social settings within a couple of weeks. Your timeline varies with the extent of your procedure — you’ll have clear written instructions and direct follow-up.
4
Results
A smoother, rested under-eye area emerges as swelling resolves — noticeably within weeks, refining over a few months. Because the bulging fat is removed or repositioned, results are typically long-lasting. Results vary by individual.
Individualized careEvery surgical plan is individualized, and results vary. A consultation is required to determine whether lower eyelid blepharoplasty is right for you.
Often Combined With
The eyes rarely age in just one place. Upper eyelid blepharoplasty addresses heavy, hooded upper lids and is frequently performed in the same session. Fat grafting can soften the hollow beneath the bag for a smoother lid-cheek transition, and a facelift addresses the midface below. For skin texture and fine lines around the eyes, laser resurfacing can complement surgery — or serve as the non-surgical option when bags aren’t the real issue. Dr. Beal will tell you honestly what combination, if any, serves your goals.
Why a Facial Reconstructive Surgeon for Your Eyelids
The lower eyelid is one of the most unforgiving areas in facial surgery — its support is delicate, and overcorrection shows. Dr. Beal’s fellowship at Zitelli & Brodland trained him in facial plastic & reconstructive surgery, including reconstruction of the eyelids themselves after skin cancer removal. That experience — preserving lid function and shape while restoring appearance — is precisely the skill set cosmetic lower blepharoplasty demands, applied with a conservative, natural-result philosophy.
Schedule a Blepharoplasty Consultation
A private consultation is the right first step — an honest assessment of what’s creating the tired look and what would actually change it. We welcome patients from across the St. Louis region, including Wentzville and Lake St. Louis, at our Troy office — and our second location in Chesterfield. Call (314) 834-1400 or request a consultation online.
Common questions
Lower blepharoplasty FAQs.
Will surgery change the shape of my eyes?
The goal is the opposite — to make you look like a rested version of yourself, with your eye shape preserved. Lower lid support is treated with particular care, which is exactly where a surgeon experienced in eyelid reconstruction earns his keep. Results vary by individual.
Are my dark circles bags or pigment?
Often both, and they’re treated differently. Bags cast a shadow that worsens in overhead light — surgery addresses those directly. True pigment in the skin doesn’t improve with surgery and responds better to other treatments. Your consultation will sort out which you have, so you’re not paying for the wrong fix.
Can fillers fix under-eye bags instead?
Filler can camouflage mild bags by softening the hollow beneath them, and for the right patient it’s a reasonable non-surgical option. But filler adds volume next to the bulge rather than correcting it — for established bags, surgery treats the cause, and results are long-lasting rather than temporary. An honest assessment will tell you which camp you’re in.
Should I do upper and lower eyelids together?
If both bother you, combining upper and lower blepharoplasty in one session means one recovery instead of two, and the eyes rejuvenate as a unit. If only one area bothers you, treating only that area is the right call — Dr. Beal won’t recommend more surgery than your goals require.
Is lower blepharoplasty covered by insurance? What does it cost?
Lower eyelid blepharoplasty is a cosmetic procedure and isn’t covered by insurance. Cost depends on the extent of your procedure and whether it’s combined with others, so it’s quoted individually at your consultation — you’ll have clear numbers before making any decision.
Tired of looking tired?
Start with an honest, private consultation with a fellowship-trained facial plastic surgeon. Troy, MO — and Chesterfield now open.