Blepharoplasty FAQs

A blepharoplasty is the medical term for eyelid or eyebag surgery to improve the appearance of drooping eyelids or large eyebags that also may be affecting the sight of the patient.

The procedure involves reshaping the upper or lower eye area by removing or repositioning excess tissue, as well as reinforcing surrounding soft tissues.

There are 3 types of blepharoplasty procedures;

• Upper Blepharoplasty which targets the eyelid and upper portion of the eye but not including the brows.
• Lower Blepharoplasty which targets the lower portion of the eye and removes/reduces eyebags.
• Combined blepharoplasty which is when an upper and lower blepharoplasty are performed at the same time.

Eye bags or sagging around the eyes can be corrected with lower blepharoplasty surgery. The procedure removes excess skin underneath the eye resulting in a fresher look. Find out more.

During an upper blepharoplasty, an incision is made within the natural eyelid crease. Excess skin and fatty pockets are then removed before the incision is closed.

A lower blepharoplasty procedure involves an incision usually below the lash line or inside of the bottom eyelid. Excess fatty tissue is then removed from the eyebag area and the incision is closed.

The average price for blepharoplasty surgery for an upper eyelid procedure starts at £4,400 (under local anaesthetic) and the cost for a lower eyelid procedure starts at £5,300 (under general anaesthetic).

If you require a full blepharoplasty (both upper and lower eyelids), prices start from £6,920.

We don’t follow a one-price-fits-all policy and prices are quoted on a case by case basis. You will be given an accurate quote for your requirements following your consultation.

Consultations with our plastic surgeons are £100 at our clinics in London Harley Street, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester and Northampton.

We also offer consultations with our highly experienced Patient Coordinators which require a £25 refundable deposit to secure your place. These are available in Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester and Northampton..

Patient coordinators can offer you all the information you require before meeting a surgeon.

Please note all consultations available at our Harley Street clinic are with a surgeon.

Finance Options

We work with our partnered finance provider ‘Chrysalis Finance’ to offer 0% finance* to our patients. Get in touch to find out more.

Results are instant however everyone heals at a different rate. Most visual swelling should go down after a month and the majority see results within 2-3 months of their procedure.

An experienced surgeon will need to assess you prior to any procedure, but upper blepharoplasty is suitable for most people who are suffering with hooded, drooping or puffy eyelids. A lower blepharoplasty is ideal for patients who have lower eye drooping with signs of excess skin or prominent lower eye bags.

A combined upper and lower blepharoplasty may be recommended if the patient is experiencing both upper and lower eye drooping.

The procedure will not be suitable for those looking to rid of crow’s feet or some fine wrinkles. Your surgeon will be able to advise on other options like wrinkle injections or fillers.

A blepharoplasty is suitable for both male and female patients.

The best way to find out if upper, lower, or combined eyelid surgery is right for you is by scheduling a consultation with one of our expert surgeons today to learn more.

Most of our patients are day cases, with simple procedures taking as little as 30 minutes and longer cases taking up to 2 hours. The majority of patients return home after the procedure with no need for a hospital stay.

Incisions for an upper blepharoplasty or eyelid surgery are made in the natural crease of the upper eyelid.

Incisions for a lower blepharoplasty or eyebag surgery are made underneath the eyelashes or alternatively inside the eye.

Incisions for blepharoplasty procedures heal well and are rarely noticeable once healed following your procedure.

Eyelid/Eyebag surgery is performed under local or general anaesthetic so you will not feel anything during the procedure.

A few hours after the procedure your eyes may feel a little uncomfortable but you will be given painkillers to help with this and any discomfort usually settles after 48 hours.

Blepharoplasty surgery is not designed to treat wrinkles around the eyes as it’s primary focus. The results of your treatment may include a reduction in the appearance of wrinkles but if this is your main concern, it would be more beneficial to seek an alternative treatment.

Wrinkles around the eyes are best treated with wrinkle relaxing injections or laser rejuvenation treatments such as Regenlite.

Find out more about treating crows feet and eye wrinkles here.

A blepharoplasty only targets the upper and lower eyelid areas. To improve the appearance of your brow you would need to have a brow lift.

We also offer Ultherapy brow lifts if you are looking for a non-surgical option. Find out more.

Blepharoplasty procedures are commonly performed alongside facelifts, brow lifts and also facial fat transfer.

Dermal fillers can also be used post-procedure to help retain the results of the procedure by improving the tear trough area.

You will experience some swelling and bruising for up to two weeks but many return to social activities within one week post-procedure.

Any stitches that require removal will be removed 4-5 days post-procedure.

You may need pain relief in the first week to help with any discomfort while the eyelids heal, though your surgeon will discuss this fully with you.

It can take up to a few months for your eyelids to settle completely, but our medical team will offer you all the necessary advice and support for your healing process.

Depending on your case and procedure your surgeon may advise between 7-14 days off work, particularly for more complicated surgeries. You will need someone to take you home and we recommend that someone stays with you for the first 24 hours post-surgery.

You will not be able to drive immediately after a blepharoplasty. This is due to the after-effects of the anaesthetic that may still be in your system. Your vision may also be temporarily impaired immediately after surgery.

We would recommend that you avoid driving for a week or at least until you are off pain medication and feel comfortable doing so. We would advise against driving for long distances in the initial stages of healing too. If in doubt – do check with your surgeon.

Light to moderate exercise may be resumed at 1-2 weeks but it may take at least 3-4 weeks before you can get back to higher impact activities. Swimming / diving should be avoided for 6 weeks after surgery, or as per your surgeon’s recommendations.

You will be able to wear glasses as normal after eyelid or eyebag surgery. We advise waiting 2-3 weeks before wearing contact lenses again so we recommend that you have alternative glasses to wear if required.

We recommend waiting at least 10 days, but ideally 2 weeks before applying any type of eye make-up including eyeshadow, fake lashes, mascara and eyeliner.

This is to ensure that the eye area is kept as clean as possible during the initial recovery process.

Our experienced surgeons will only make incisions along the natural folds and creases of your upper eyelids. For a lower blepharoplasty procedure, incisions are made in the natural folds of the lower eye, beneath the eyelashes. These expert techniques make the risk of visible and undesirable scarring minimal.

An Asian blepharoplasty is a modified procedure that creates or redefines an upper eyelid crease. It is also known as double eyelid surgery.

There are several variations for an Asian blepharoplasty procedure and we recommend seeing a surgeon who specialises in this particular type of procedure and understands the Asian eyelid anatomy to ensure that you achieve the best results.

A blepharoplasty procedure is a relatively safe procedure but it does carry risks just like any surgical procedure would do.

Risks and complications that are associated with blepharoplasty in particular are; bleeding, dry eyes, infection, slight asymmetry in healing or scarring, swelling at the corners of the eyelids, temporary blurred vision, and whiteheads.

Your surgeon will discuss these all in full at your consultation.

We can offer patients a free blepharoplasty phone or video consultation with one of our experienced patient coordinators to discuss eyelid or eyebag surgery.

Our patient coordinators can provide you with information about the procedure and the best blepharoplasty surgeon to suit your needs.

To secure your timed phone or video appointment we will ask you to pay a £25 refundable deposit. This is refunded once the consultation takes place. You can change your appointment time up to 48 hours before.

Contact us to book a free phone or video consultation.