Since surgeons "tend to underestimate complications," as Codner notes, find out in advance what your doctor will charge if you need follow-up surgery. Matarasso suggests another form of self-protection: Ask other eyelid surgery veterans, "What did you not know going in that you wish you did?" To start a conversation, hit the bleph message boards on sites such as makemeheal.com or go to Robin Wolaner’s site, tbd.com.

— By Sheila Anne Feeney

Originally published in MORE magazine, February 2009.