Cat Eye Lift Before and After: What to Expect

Author

Dr. Stephen Cosentino

Envious of people with naturally almond shaped eyes, like Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid?

You can do something about it — without resorting to expensive, risky plastic surgery.

Cat eye lift surgery is a minimally invasive cosmetic surgery that gently lifts the brow, eyelid, and corners of the eye to achieve a natural if temporary almond shape that puts you in rare company.

It uses polydioxanone (PDO) thread or another type of biodynamic medical thread that stimulates the body’s natural collagen production, adding volume and definition. Best of all, it’s temporary, leaving you in control of whether and when to follow up.

Cat Eye Lift Before and After: What to Expect

Also known as a fox eye lift or fox eye effect, a cat eye lift is one of several types of medical thread lifts that can be done in an outpatient setting. Here’s what to expect before, during, and after your procedure.

Before Your Cat Eyelid Surgery: Initial Consultation and Prep

First, you’ll need to meet with your provider and determine that you’re a good fit for this procedure.

They’ll take your medical history and examine the area around your eyes to exclude potential contraindications. They’ll also examine the shape of the eye and the condition of the skin of your eyelids and brows to gather information for your personalized treatment plan.

Based on their findings during this initial visit, your provider may recommend one or more of the following treatment options:

A cat eye thread lift
Traditional canthoplasty, a minor cosmetic surgery that changes the shape of the eye corners
Blepharoplasty, an eyelid procedure that permanently lifts your eyelid and brow (depending on your needs, they may recommend upper and/or lower blepharoplasty)
Volume enhancement using a combination of Botox and dermal fillers, often in addition to a cat eye thread lift

Providers often recommend that first-time patients begin with a cat eye thread lift, Botox, and fillers, then move to more permanent solutions if they like the results.

During Your Eyebrow Lift: How the Procedure Works

If everything goes well during the pre-procedure process, you’re ready to move on to the fun part: scheduling your surgery and achieving the “cat eyes” look you’ve always wanted.

If you’re getting a thread lift, expect the procedure to take no more than 30 to 60 minutes. The provider will apply a local anesthetic, but you won’t need general anesthesia, and you’ll be able to return to normal activity almost immediately.

A traditional canthoplasty or blepharoplasty may be performed under sedation or general anesthesia, depending on the treatment plan and provider preference. Less often, it’s performed using local anesthetic. If sedation or general anesthesia is required, recovery time is longer, though not as long as more invasive surgeries.

After Your Procedure: Side Effects and Followup

Like any type of plastic surgery — even minimally invasive surgery — a cat eye lift does bring some risk of side effects and complications. Most are mild and temporary:

Swelling and bruising around the upper eyelid or where the eyelids meet
Pain or tenderness around the eyes
Minor bleeding or burst blood vessels around the eyes

Occasionally, more serious complications such as scarring and infection can occur. To reduce the risk of undesirable outcomes, work with a board-certified plastic surgeon trained in advanced thread lift surgery.

If you have any concerns, don’t hesitate to follow up with your provider. They’ll likely schedule followup appointments in the weeks and months following the procedure anyway.