Blepharoplasty, a fancy name for an eyelift, has gained popularity among celebrities in recent years. From Gisele Bündchen to Matt Damon, many of Hollywood’s biggest names are rumored to have hopped on the bleph bandwagon.
Most recently, former Nickelodeon star Amanda Bynes revealed she underwent this cosmetic procedure. On Dec. 11, Bynes, 37, posted a video to TikTok addressing the catalyst behind her “new look.”
“I was never open about this before, but I actually had blepharoplasty surgery on the skin folds and corners of my eye so I don’t have those skin folds anymore,” she said.
The “She’s the Man” actress continued: “It was one of the best things I could’ve ever done for my self-confidence and it made me feel a lot better in my skin.”
According to the Mayo Clinic, a blepharoplasty involves removing excess skin on the lower eyelids that may partially block peripheral vision. The procedure can help the appearance of baggy or droopy eyelids, as well as minimize bags under the eyes.
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons determined that the average cost of a blepharoplasty was about $4,120 across the country.
John Hopkins Medicine confirmed more than 100,000 men and women undergo cosmetic eyelid lifts every year.
In 2020, blepharoplasty was ranked as one of the top five cosmetic procedures in the US, per the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. The site also listed the surgery as one of the most popular nip/tucks among patients 45 and over in a 2022 report.
A separate April 2022 study via global health care business consulting firm Maximize Market Research found that the market popularity of blepharoplasty is expected to grow to a staggering $7.6 million by 2029.
Like all cosmetic procedures, eye aesthetic surgery has the power to boost self-esteem, but there are several drawbacks to blepharoplasty.
Although rare, blepharoplasty side effects include infection and bleeding, dry eyes, difficulty closing the eyes, noticeable scarring, injury to eye muscles, skin discoloration and temporarily blurred vision.
In extremely rare cases, blepharoplasty can lead to the loss of eyesight.
Yulia Tarasevich, 44, the runner-up in the Mrs. Russia International pageant in 2020, was left unable to close her eyes or smile from a botched blepharoplasty procedure.
“I came to them with a beautiful, healthy face. I just wanted to correct some nuances caused by aging,” the mother of two said about the procedures in Krasnodar, Russia.
“But sadly, I lost my health,” she added.
“I have scars that formed in my cheeks when they ripped out all my tissue,” she told Channel 1, East2West News reported. “My eyes don’t close and I can’t smile. I can’t lift my upper lip. One part of my face doesn’t work at all.”
