Eyelid Surgery
Eyelid surgery, also known as blepharoplasty or “eyebag removal,” is one of the most simple and effective ways to restore vitality to your face. It’s also ideal if you want a discrete way to refresh your appearance, but don’t necessarily want anyone to know you’ve had surgery.
Upper eyelid surgery removes the hood of excess skin from above the eye that develops with age, to give a brighter and more relaxed look to your eyes and face. This may be combined with a brow lift procedure to lift the area directly above your eye, open up the eye area and make your face look younger.
Lower eyelid surgery removes the bags under your eyes, and smoothens the “crow’s feet” wrinkles at the corners of the eyes to make you look more fresh and alert. This can easily be combined with a “mid face lift,” performed at the same time without making any extra scars, it’s a great way to lift your cheeks to restore a fresher, more youthful appearance to your face overall.
- Unwanted comments that you look tired
- Sagging skin of the upper eyelids, which may droop in front of your vision
- Unevenness or asymmetry of the upper eyelid skin
- Puffy lower eyelid bags
- Your eyes make you look older than you actually are
Benefits of eyelid surgery:
- Take away that ‘tired look’
- To improve your appearance, and restore a more youthful look
- Correct premature ageing
- Increased overall self-confidence and self-esteem
- Easier application of make up
- Improved vision in some cases
- Discrete surgery with relatively rapid recovery
Sometimes sagging of the skin of the upper eyelids is caused by drooping of the eyebrows, rather than just being due to laxity of the eyelid skin. I may therefore discuss with you about brow lift surgery if the eyebrow is the primary problem and the best way to achieve the look you’re looking for.
Upper eyelid surgery
- This is a straightforward procedure, performed in about one hour under local anesthetic as day surgery.
- Excess drooping skin is very carefully removed.
- Occasionally bulging fat in the eyelid is repositioned or excised.
- A single running stitch is used on each side that is held in place with paper strips (Steristrips). This is removed one week after surgery.
- The scar is quite indistinct and is designed to lie hidden in the natural eyelid fold.
Lower eyelid surgery
- I recommend a general anaesthetic for lower eyelid procedures, or for combined upper and lower lid surgery.
- Day surgery or one night stay in hospital.
- Fat in the lower eyelid is repositioned, to fill deep creases and remove the eyelid bags.
- Loose sagging skin is tightened to create a smooth eyelid free from lines and wrinkles.
- If you choose a mid face lift, stitches are placed beneath the skin to subtly lift the cheek back to a youthful position.
- The scar is hidden just below the lower eyelash line.
Any discomfort should settle within a few days and will be easily controlled with over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol.
It is normal to have blurred vision, which may last up to 2-3 days.
There is some swelling and bruising around the eyes that generally resolves over 1-2 weeks. A cool eye pack will help with this. You could wear dark glasses to hide the bruising and swelling during this recovery period.
You can expect to resume normal activities within 7-10 days after surgery.
The scars are very carefully concealed along the lash line and in the natural eyelid folds. These scars are very discrete, starting off pink and quickly fading to become indistinct faint white lines.
