Blepharoplasty: how to get rid of droopy eyelids

Blepharoplasty (or eye lift) is a surgical procedure that aims to rejuvenate the appearance of the upper and lower eyelids. It reduces bagginess from lower eyelids and removes excess skin from the upper lids, which often droops as we age. Here, one of our top plastic surgeons Mr Ahid Abood explains how effective the surgical procedure is and whether it improves wrinkles and dark circles under the eyes.
 

What is blepharoplasty?

With the upper eyelids, the main component of the surgery is to remove excess skin but often a small amount of muscle is removed and occasionally with some underlying fat, in order to optimise the outcome. With the lower eyelids, the appearance of ‘bags’ is more to do with bulging fat, rather than excess skin and therefore the aim is to remove or redistribute this fat and, in doing so, reduce the appearance of bags.
 

How effective is blepharoplasty and is there any risk?

Patients are usually very happy with the outcome of blepharoplasty. This tends to be particularly so for upper eyelid blepharoplasty. It is a procedure that can really transform the appearance of tired-looking eyes.

As with any procedure, there is an associated risk. These risks can range from dry, itchy eyes in the post-operative period to the extremely rare complication of blindness. Across the spectrum of all different types of surgery, blepharoplasty is definitely at the lower end of risk.
 

Will blepharoplasty get rid of wrinkles?

Blepharoplasty will remove excess skin, which contributes to a wrinkled appearance and therefore restores a more youthful appearance. If you have significant wrinkles in the ‘crow’s feet’ area of the eyes then a blepharoplasty will not have much impact upon these.
 

Can eyelid surgery without stitches be performed and is it more effective?

Eyelid surgery is nearly always carried out with stitches. These stitches will either be placed underneath the surface of the skin or on the outside of the skin depending upon your surgeon’s preference. You should discuss beforehand with your surgeon what your preference is. When I carry out blepharoplasty, I tend to use stitches placed superficially in the skin which is then removed in my clinic a few days after surgery.
 

Can blepharoplasty get rid of dark circles?

The appearance of dark circles can be contributed to by a number of factors. Frequently, this appearance is caused by a hollow appearance in the lower eyelid due to a loss of volume in an area. Redistributing fat during a lower eyelid blepharoplasty or injecting volume into this area, in selected cases, can improve the appearance of these dark circles.
 

How long does it take to recover from a blepharoplasty?

Most of the recovery following surgery relates to the inevitable swelling and bruising. Of course, everyone is different but on average most of this swelling and bruising has resolved by two weeks.

Surgery can be carried out under a local anaesthetic or general anaesthetic depending upon yours and your surgeon’s preference which will also have an effect upon recovery time too. Most of my patients have their surgery under a local anaesthetic, which in my opinion seems to result in a quicker recovery and less intrusion into everyday life.

Are you considering having a brow lift? Book an appointment with  Mr Abood now for a first consultation.