Fat management in upper blepharoplasty: Addition or subtraction blepharoplasties, how and when

As one of the most common aesthetic surgical procedures carried out today, blepharoplasty should be in the repertoire of every plastic surgeon. The term blepharoplasty encompasses a wide range of techniques and options that must be tailored to the specific defect and patient one has to treat. A sound knowledge of the upper and lower eyelids' anatomy is essential for proper surgical execution. Trends have shifted towards more conservative methods (especially of the fat compartment) and sometimes in combination with augmentation techniques, helping to reach a rejuvenated appearance.

To present an overview of the surgical techniques considered for upper lid blepharoplasty and fat pad management, in addition to information on how a surgeon may approach the best treatment for his patient based on current publications in literature.

We searched the literature published between 2013, to 2023 using Medline and Reference Citation Analysis. The database was searched using the keywords "upper blepharoplasty" AND "fat". Papers without full text/abstracts and reviews were excluded. The search strategy followed the PRISMA. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons guidelines for Therapeutic Studies checklist was used to assess all articles. Two authors individually reviewed each article and rated them for importance and relevance to the topic. A consensus was sought and the most relevant studies.

After the application of the selection criteria used in our review, 13 publications were found to address upper lid blepharoplasty specifically. Three of these studies were reviews and three were retrospective studies. Five publications were comparative studies and a further two were clinical trials.

The tendency of modern surgery is to be conservative, by removing adipose tissue only if strictly necessary and restoring the volume of the upper eyelid in a concept of beauty that espouses a "full" sight. There is no gold standard technique to achieve younger and enhanced eyelids. Long-term prospective comparative studies are fundamental in understanding which path is the best to follow.