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Our COVID-19 measures remain in place. Feel safe at Sussex Premier Health hospitals. Read our Covid-19 Policy here
As you get older your eyelids can become droopy or ‘bags’ might develop under your eyes. Excess skin or fat on the upper eyelid can also impair your vision. Eyelid surgery or eyebag removal (blepharoplasty) smooths out the skin around your eyes for a more youthful appearance.
For most people the skin around the eyes is the first to show signs of ageing. As you get older your eyelids can become droopy or ‘bags’ might develop under your eyes. Excess skin or fat on the upper eyelid can also impair your vision. Some people’s genes can mean they develop bags under the eyes from a very early age too.
Day case
General or local
No
60 minutes to 2 hours
Yes
When you look in the mirror you might feel that your appearance thanks to droopy eyes or bags does not fit with the vigour or general good health of your mind and body. That can affect your confidence and you may feel that people don’t see the real you.
Eyelid surgery aims to smooth these out to give you a more alert and youthful appearance. People who have had this procedure done with us have said they feel more confident and relaxed about their appearance afterwards. Some people with the genetic tendency towards early development of bags under the eyes might decide to have surgery in their 20s.
During eyelid surgery one of our expert consultants will remove skin fat and muscle from around your eyes. This could mean treating either the upper or lower eyelid or both. This surgery can’t however remove crow’s feet or change the colour of dark shadows under the eyes.
If you are worried about the appearance of crow’s feet and other wrinkles around the eye socket speak with one of our skilled cosmetic surgeons. They might recommend another procedure – such as anti-wrinkle treatment by injection or brow lifts – which can be done at the same time as eyelid surgery.
At Sussex Premier Health, our specialist consultants are here to help.
Cosmetic surgery can be a life enhancing decision and we’re here to help you make the right one. Our experienced cosmetic surgeons will guide you through every step of the way.
At Sussex Premier Health, you’ll meet your consultant in one of our private consultation rooms. This is to discuss the treatment and what it can and can’t achieve. As an example, this blepharoplasty can’t remove crows feet, however they may talk to us about anti-wrinkle injections or brow lifts to tackle crow’s feet and improve the appearance of other areas around your eyes.
Your consultant can talk you through the potential benefits and risks of eyelid surgery. It’s helpful to bring some pictures and a friend or relative to your initial meeting to make sure you raise all the things you want to talk about and as a sounding board later. You should also ask to see some of the surgeon’s recent before and after pictures of similar operations they’ve performed. This is an important decision and we’re here to listen and to help you achieve your goals. If you decide to go ahead with eyelid surgery we’ll allow at least two weeks between your consultation and the date for surgery. This is because we want you to be really happy and confident with your decision.
During eyelid surgery our cosmetic surgeons will correct either an upper eyelid lower eyelid (including eye bag removal) – or both.
Your surgeon is likely to recommend that you have a general anaesthetic for the procedure – which generally takes one to two hours. It can be shorter than that if you’re just having one eyelid done.
You can talk to your surgeon about possibly having a local anaesthetic. This means you’ll be awake during the procedure but only the area around your eyes will be numb.
Blepharoplasty removes excess skin fat and muscle from around your eyes. For surgery on the upper eyelids your surgeon will make cuts into the natural lines and creases in the lid and into the laughter lines at the corner of your eye.
On the lower eyelids the cut will usually be just below your eyelashes. This means the scars will run along the eye’s natural folds hiding them as much as possible. If only fat is being removed and no excess skin the cut may be made inside the lower eyelid leaving no visible scar.
The exact position of the cuts will depend on if you are having treatment on your upper or lower eyelid or both. They will then remove or reposition excess fat and then the loose muscle and skin. The surgeon will then finish by applying fine sutures and tiny sterile bandages.
If your operation has been planned as a day-case you will be able to go home once you have made a full recovery from the anaesthesia. You will need to arrange for someone to drive you home.
You should try to arrange for someone to stay with you for the first 24 hours. How your loved ones can help Once you’re ready to be discharged you’ll need to arrange a taxi friend or family member to take you home as you won’t be able to drive. We strongly recommend you discuss this with friends and relatives in advance. You should also ask them if they can run some light errands such as shopping as you won’t be feeling up for it.
The nurse will give you a contact telephone number for the hospital and a date for a follow-up appointment with your surgeon. The stitches are usually removed about five to ten days later at the out-patient clinic.
Please see our FAQ’s below on pain relief and recovery times.
Your consultant who you met at your initial consultation.
All of our consultants are on the specialist register of the General Medical Council (GMC) and many are also members of the UK’s leading cosmetic and plastic surgery associations.
Your consultant will discuss any preparations you may need to make.
You will also have an appointment with one of our pre-assessment nurses who will discuss any medication you are taking and any concerns you may have.
You will probably experience some pain around your eyes immediately after the procedure.
We will provide you with a supply of all the medicines your consultant feels you need to take home with you after you’ve left hospital up to 14 days. This may be at an additional cost to some patients.
Your consultant will advise you on how to make your recovery as quick as possible.
When you get home you’ll need to take things easy at first. Arrange at least a week off work. Most people go back to work after a week to ten days.
You must not try to drive until you can see normally again.
You’ll also find:
End results You should be able to see the final results of your surgery once swelling and bruising have disappeared after about three weeks.
On rare occasions complications can occur following eyelid surgery.
Please get in touch if you experience any of these symptoms below:
Your consultant will talk to you about the possible risks and complications of having this procedure and how they apply to you before your surgery.
f you have any questions or concerns about your recovery and the appearance of your eyelids you can return for a follow-up appointment with your consultant.
If you have any questions or concerns, please talk to us, we’re here to help.
Speak to a member of our team
01424 757400 
info@sussexpremierhealth.com 
01424 757400