Plastic surgeon reveals the subtle $20,000 procedure celebrities are getting to transform their entire face

Over the years, eyelid surgery has been perfected, no longer leading to a surprised look - and, instead, it's now a precise way to lift the face without undergoing a facelift.

Many celebrities have been undergoing the subtle procedure, because it only necessitates a few weeks of recovery time, letting them get back to the red carpet and premieres. 

Blepharoplasty is also more of a tweakment, so it won't lead an A-lister's fans to wonder what exactly they did to change their face overnight. 

To find out why blepharoplasty has become the go-to procedure for so many celebrities, FEMAIL spoke to New York City-based board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Darrick Antell. 

Dr. Antell is an expert on eyelid surgery - especially since he had blepharoplasty himself twenty years ago. 

'The procedure made me look refreshed and took years off my appearance,' Dr. Antell told DailyMail.com.

Since then, he has performed blepharoplasty countless times, describing it as a 'mini facelift.'

'Eyelid surgery removes excess skin from the eyelids,' Dr. Antell advised. 

'With age, eyelids stretch, and the muscles supporting them weaken. 

'As a result, excess skin and fat can gather above and below the eyelids.' 

Dr. Antell explained that a lid lift, or upper blepharoplasty, 'removes excess skin and raises hooded or droopy eyelids,' while making fine incisions while a lower blepharoplasty 'removes eye bags and tightens loose skin' without stitches or visible incisions. 

Both are usually done at the same time, with three fees. 

It costs $15,000 to pay the surgeon for both the upper and lower lids, or $8,000 for just one, $3,500 for the operating room, and about $1,000 anesthesiologist, making it about $19,500 in total. 

The recovery period is only 72 hours, with some swelling or bruising around the eyes. 

After comparing before and after pictures, Dr. Antell believes Matt Damon, Jennifer Coolidge, and supermodel Giselle Bundchen have all had blepharoplasty.

Dr. Antell also thinks it's possible that Jane Fonda, Renee Zellweger, and Tom Cruise have received eye lifts, which many other doctors believe, as well. 

The Bridget Jones star, 55, has adamantly denied plastic surgery rumors and called them 'silly,' despite many doctors who have not treated her saying it looks like she may have had an eye lift. 

Jane, 86, has been open about undergoing plastic surgery and spoke to Vogue about regretting getting a facelift.

While an eye lift can help temporarily stave off a facelift, there are other tweakments many stars get to help with anti-aging at the same time.

'Frequently, eyelid surgery is performed with other facial rejuvenation procedures, such as a facelift, brow lift, or fat transfer,' Dr. Antell divulged. 

'An eye lift doesn't treat crow's feet, but laser treatment or Botox can reduce these fine lines,' the New York City surgeon continued. 

The plastic surgeon said blepharoplasty can also be combined with canthoplasty, which is commonly called cat-eye lift surgery, and is also a hit with celebrities.

Canthoplasty tightens muscles, ligaments, and tissues at the corner of the eye.