How Much Does Blepharoplasty Cost?

Content Reviewed by AEDIT Medical Advisory Board

What is the average cost of a blepharoplasty (a.k.a. eyelid surgery)?

The average cost of blepharoplasty (a.k.a. eyelid surgery) according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) was estimated between $3,200 to $4,100 in 2020, but there are other possible expenses (more on them below!) that should be considered when booking a procedure.

• Average Cost of Blepharoplasty: $3,200 - $4,100
• Price Range for Blepharoplasty: $1,500 - $10,000

For candidates considering a blepharoplasty procedure, it is beneficial to learn more about the various factors that affect the price of a plastic surgery procedure. The table below provides a general overview of potential cost factors.

Factors to Consider in the Total Cost of a Blepharoplasty Procedure

What is the difference between upper and lower eyelid blepharoplasty?

Before we continue our deep dive into procedure costs, let’s review some of the basics of blepharoplasty surgery. Blepharoplasty is an eyelid surgery that can be performed for aesthetic and/or functional purposes on the upper eyelid and/or the lower eyelid.

Aging and tired eyes and sagging and hooded eyelids can be corrected through a blepharoplasty procedure. Also, many eyelid malpositions like entropion, ectropion, and ptosis can be functionally restored through blepharoplasty.

There is generally not a significant cost difference between an upper eyelid and lower eyelid blepharoplasty. The cost of the plastic surgery will ultimately be dependent on a myriad of factors that will vary by patient, provider, and location.

What affects the cost of blepharoplasty?

If blepharoplasty may be right for you, it’s time to start considering the financial aspects of cosmetic procedures. The variables listed above have large impacts on cost. Keep in mind, the information on this page is a general guide and consultations with providers you are considering always offers the most accurate estimates of procedure costs.

The points below can help you get a sense of the questions to ask and variables to consider when preparing for a consultation. Being empowered and informed throughout your cosmetic experience will help create the best results.

• Upper Eyelid vs. Lower Eyelid vs. Malposition: As mentioned above, there is generally not a significant difference in the cost, but certain functional procedures may be covered by insurance if they are performed for a documented medical condition.
• Provider: A more experienced board certified or specialized provider will typically have higher consultation fees and procedure rates, however, larger practices may have better financial or incentive options.
• Anesthesiologist: As with the plastic surgeon, experience and training will affect cost. General anesthesia is significantly more expensive than local anesthetics that do not require a specialized anesthesiologist to administer.
• Location: The coasts are typically more expensive than the middle of the country. The 2018 ASPS Report has procedure breakdowns by region and shows the coasts account for 74 percent of all blepharoplasties performed in the United States. A greater number of procedures typically means more experienced providers and, therefore, higher procedure costs.
• Recovery: The recovery following a blepharoplasty will vary considerably by the type of procedure performed, but may include prescriptions, recovery garments, follow ups, and time off from work.

There are numerous types of blepharoplasty and the most appropriate procedure for a patient will depend on the candidates’ unique needs. The table below provides a few more details specific to each procedure type.

Types of Blepharoplasty & the Impact on Cost

What does the cost of blepharoplasty include?

Now that we know the variables and the differences in procedure types, you may still be wondering what the price of blepharoplasty actually includes. The cost of the surgeon performing only the actual surgical procedure is most often what gets quoted as the ‘average price’ of the procedure. This is not an exact comparison, but it can help to think of this cost as the hourly rate of your surgeon or your surgeon’s fee. Keep in mind, your provider has business related expenses, like office rent, office staff, liability insurance, and medical supplies in addition, to their personal salary.

The total eyelid surgery cost begins to increase as the additional factors start to get added. The other medical staff in the room during your surgery or procedure (like the anesthesiologist, nurses, and surgical assistants), the medical tools and supplies used during your procedure (such as needles, gauze, gowns, gloves, etc.), the medications used before, during, and after the surgery while at the facility (like sedatives, painkillers, and antibiotics), and the cost of using the hospital or facility’s operating or procedure room.

In addition to these expenses, you will most likely encounter other personal expenses on your aesthetic journey. These might include consultation fees while you are interviewing and choosing a provider, travel expenses, pre-operative care, missed time from work, and recovery supplies to make your experience more comfortable.

How much does blepharoplasty cost?

At this point, you’re probably wondering what kind of numbers are we actually talking about here. The table below provides estimates by each specific procedure type, inclusive of all of the variables we’ve discussed except your personal expenses. The cost ranges are wide, but they can help to illuminate which procedure types are generally more costly.

Average Blepharoplasty Cost by Procedure Type

How much does blepharoplasty cost across the United States?

Location, location, location! Geographic location plays a significant role in the overall cost of blepharoplasty. The ASPS 2020 Statistics Report shows a large percentage of all blepharoplasty surgeries occur along the coasts. Given the nigh number of procedures in these areas, plastic surgery costs in general tend to be higher in coastal geographic locations.

The table below breaks down costs by state. The numbers in this table are from zip codes selected from the capital of each listed state.

Average Blepharoplasty Cost by State

*these states are presented as national averages as specific information is not available

How much does blepharoplasty cost around the world?

For those considering pursuing facial plastic surgery procedures, like blepharoplasty, abroad, the table below looks at average cost ranges in a few countries around the globe. Keep in mind travel expenses, the reputation of the provider and facility, and costs related to recovery times when considering the financial differences. The table below reflects costs converted to U.S. dollars.

Average Blepharoplasty Cost by Country in USD

Does insurance cover the cost of blepharoplasty?

Will my insurance cover my procedure? This is a common question, and, of course, the answer is not so simple… it’s a maybe. To better answer this question we’ve got two definitions from the American Medical Association (AMA):

• Cosmetic Surgery: Procedures for reshaping normal structures for improved appearance and self-esteem.
• Reconstructive Surgery: Procedures performed on abnormal body structures resulting from congenital defects, developmental abnormalities, trauma, disease, infection, or tumors.

The distinction between these definitions is important. Cosmetic blepharoplasty is not covered by insurance. Reconstructive eyelid surgeries may be. In the case of blepharoplasty surgeries, some candidates may pursue the procedure for both aesthetic (read: cosmetic appearance) and functional (i.e. correcting a drooping eyelid that is interfering with vision) purposes.

In this hybrid situation or in the case of a truly functional procedure to improve vision impacted by a sagging eyelid, the patient’s provider can document medical necessity and evidence that alternative therapies have been tried and failed to gain health insurance coverage. The ASPS has more specific criteria you can review with a provider during your consultation.

In general, unless you have a consistently proven and documented medical condition affecting your eyesight or causing severe dry eye due to your eyelid structure, your blepharoplasty procedure probably will not be covered. Hybrid procedures that are aesthetic and functional may not be covered, despite the functional benefit.

Upper blepharoplasty procedures are more likely to be considered functional and, therefore, covered by insurance than lower lid procedures. Asian blepharoplasty procedures are inherently cosmetic eyelid surgeries, thus highly unlikely to be covered.