Who should consider blepharoplasty / eyelid surgery ?

Your eyes are one of the things that people first notice about you and they are a good indicator of your age and state of wellbeing. If your eyes are puffy, appear to be hooded or are generally tired looking then this is how you will appear to others. Tired eyes can mean a stressed, exhausted person.

These are all due to gravity, environmental factors (exposure to the sun) and the ageing process. Facial motions such as laughter and blinking all contribute to the formation of lines and wrinkles. Think of ‘laughter lines’ and ‘crows feet’.

There are a variety of reasons why you may consider blepharoplasty. If your eyelids are drooping to such an extent that they are affecting your vision then blepharoplasty is an option. This is clearly a physical problem and one that needs to be addressed.

Aesthetic reasons for surgery include being fed up of puffy bags under the eyes, wanting to tighten drooping eyelids and having a tired and old appearance.

This surgery can also deal with excessive wrinkling on the lower eyelids. It can also brighten and generally, liven up the eyes.

Bags under the eyes and drooping eyelids are a symptom of the ageing process and so this procedure is performed on people aged 35 upwards. It is not usually carried out on younger people.

However, there some younger people do have this surgery, usually because they have very noticeable bags under the eyes and ‘hooded’ eyes. ‘Hooded’ eyes are where the upper lids droop so much that they appear to obscure the eyes. This means that vision is also affected.

Your surgeon will advise you about your suitability for surgery. The people who achieve the most from this procedure are those who are healthy and have realistic expectations. It will improve the appearance of your eyelids but will not give you absolute perfection.

As with any procedure, there are some facial aspects which cannot be corrected. These include deep wrinkles, dark circles underneath the eyes, ‘crows feet’ and sagging eyebrows. It cannot change ethnic or racial characteristics.

Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) Guide Index:

• What is blepharoplasty?
• Who should consider blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery)?
• Who is not suitable for blepharoplasty ?
• Why I shouldn't I have eyelid surgery ?
• How much does eyelid surgery cost?
• Can I get help towards paying for my blepharoplasty?
• Can I have blepharoplasty on the NHS?
• Can I have blepharoplasty abroad ?
• I am interested in blepharoplasty what do I do next?
• How do I find a reputable eyelid surgeon?
• What questions should I ask my surgeon ?

• I have decided to go ahead so what happens next?
• How do I prepare for blepharoplasty?
• What will happen on the day of my eyelid surgery ?
• What is the blepharoplasty procedure?
• What will happen after my blepharoplasty?
• What does recovery from blepharoplasty involve?
• What are the benefits of blepharoplasty?
• What are the risks of eyelid surgery?
• Is there an aftercare service?
• How long does eyelid surgery last?