Why I Almost Regretted My Lower Blepharoplasty
Source: thecut.com
TL;DR
- Content creator Lauren Cody Hoffman shares her lower blepharoplasty and fat transfer experience, from complications to eventual satisfaction.
- Procedure cost $6,000-$15,000; she faced excessive scarring, dry eye, blurry vision, and COVID post-op, delaying recovery.
- Key lesson: ask surgeons specific recovery questions on appearance, pain, and mental impact to set realistic expectations.
The story at a glance
Lauren Cody Hoffman, a 35-year-old Los Angeles content creator, got a lower blepharoplasty with fat transfer in September 2025 to fix under-eye hollowness worsened by pregnancies. She posted a viral TikTok "deinfluencing" the surgery due to complications like scarring and dry eye but now says she doesn't regret it after treatments improved results. This is reported now as her three-month update, amid rising interest in the procedure as an alternative to fillers.
Key points
- Lower blepharoplasty removes under-eye bags, puffiness, or tired look; gaining popularity per surgeons Dr. Kimberly Lee and Dr. Omar Hussain, who quote costs of $6,000-$15,000 or $6,500-$9,000.
- Risks include dry eye, swelling, bruising, infection, asymmetry, contour issues, and ectropion (lower eyelid pulled down).
- Hoffman chose transconjunctival bleph (hidden scars) plus fat from her stomach; surgeon said it ensures natural results vs. repeated fillers.
- Post-op: initial pain harder with young kids, no heavy lifting for 10 days; got COVID days later, possibly causing excessive scarring.
- Complications peaked at week three: blurry vision, eyes not closing, severe dry eye from scarring pulling eyelids down; treated with specialist visits and 5-fluorouracil injections.
- Recovery longer than expected; doctor said "couple days" back to work, but face looked "crazy" for weeks, causing self-doubt and mom guilt.
- Now healing well; wishes she'd asked "How long will my face look weird?" and about mental-health impacts.
Details and context
Hoffman avoided fillers due to migration risks near eyes and high repeat costs; saw this as permanent "one-and-done" fix despite upfront expense and first-time surgery nerves.
Surgery under general anesthesia was painless, but swelling changed face shape immediately; early COVID mimicked complications, leading to ER visit.
Scarring attached eyelids to orbital bone, confirmed by ophthalmologists; injections every two weeks helped detach and heal, with vision stabilizing after mornings of blurriness.
She notes miscommunication with surgeon on recovery: physical vs. appearance timelines, and importance of trusting high-end doctors over cheaper options.
Key quotes
- “If I’m filling a hole with sand, I have no idea how much sand to put in if I’ve never seen the bottom of the hole.” — Lauren Cody Hoffman, on why bleph aided fat transfer.
- “You need to be very specific with your questions to your doctor.” — Lauren Cody Hoffman, on learning from recovery surprises.
Why it matters
Lower blepharoplasty appeals as a lasting fix for under-eye issues but highlights surgery's real risks and uneven recoveries amid social media hype. Readers considering it should probe surgeons on exact timelines for looks, function, and emotions to avoid shocks like Hoffman's. Watch for her final results and more "deinfluencing" stories as procedures trend.