Blepharoplasty

Before you undergo any plastic surgery procedure at Karidis Clinic, you will have a consultation and a pre-operative assessment with your plastic surgeon. They will listen carefully to your concerns and what you expect to achieve and discuss which procedure, or combination of procedures, is appropriate.

At this stage, they will also ensure you are fully aware of the potential risks and complications inherent in that specific procedure and explain to you what you can expect immediately after surgery, throughout the recovery process, and when you will likely see the final results.

During the pre-operative assessment, the surgeon may take measurements of the area to be operated on and assess your skin tissue quality and the degree of skin laxity. The position of the incisions will also be decided upon.

A full medical history will be taken to ensure you are fit and well and can undergo surgery at this time.

After the initial consultation, there will be a two-week ‘cooling-off’ period before you can decide to proceed with surgery. You are welcome to return for further consultations with your Karidis Clinic surgeon, free of charge, if you have more questions.

If you make the decision to proceed with surgery, you’ll be given advice on how best to prepare for your operation, and you will have a dedicated Patient Coordinator who can answer any queries you may have.

Any pre-surgery tests can occur at the Hospital of St John & St Elizabeth, a leading London private hospital where Karidis Clinic is based. The hospital has recently built a new wing including a diagnostic department with the latest X-ray, MRI, CT and ultrasound technology.

We advise patients to stop smoking as soon as possible as nicotine acts as a vasoconstrictor, which impedes the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the surgical site. This can slow down healing, increase the chance of infection and even cause tissue to die. Smoking also increases the risks of a general anaesthetic, and smokers are more likely to suffer ill effects from an anaesthetic.

You will also be advised when to discontinue taking aspirin or other blood-thinning medication in advance of your operation. You will be asked to fast six hours before surgery.

All Karidis Clinic procedures are performed at the Hospital of St John & St Elizabeth. When you arrive, you’ll be greeted and taken to your stylish and luxurious private room with its spacious ensuite bathroom.

The nursing team will take your blood pressure and relevant vitals, and you will see your Karidis Clinic surgeon, who will make the final mark-ups. Our anaesthetist will also visit you.

Clinical photography will be taken to assist in your care and to enable clinical assessments to be made. These become part of your confidential medical record. These include photographs of the operation site and any distinguishing features and will be taken pre-op and post-op. 

Your procedure will be performed under a general anaesthetic, and once the surgeon has sutured the incision site, you will be taken to a specialist recovery room.

Once the hospital nursing team has ensured your recovery is complete, you will be taken to your hospital room for your overnight stay. The hospital nursing team will be on hand throughout the night, and you will be fitted with compression stockings and a compression device if required.

The following day, you will be visited by your Karidis Clinic surgeon or nurse and then discharged into the care of a friend or family member by the hospital nursing staff.

The pain and discomfort experienced after surgery are unique to the individual patient and the extent of their procedure. However, it should start to subside in the first week and should be easily managed with over-the-counter painkillers.

If necessary, you’ll be advised to wear a specially designed surgical support garment for approximately six weeks after surgery to support you during the healing process.

Depending on the nature of your job, you can usually expect to be able to return to work and normal activities between one to two weeks.

You’ll be given a comprehensive plan for the recovery process, including dates for your cast or suture removal and your check-ups with your Karidis Clinic surgeon. However, we are always on hand throughout this period, and you have access to our dedicated surgical nurse 24/7 if you have any concerns.

Blepharoplasty surgery usually addresses any overt hooding or puffiness of the tissues around your eye. It can effectively reduce or remove any bagginess or looseness in your eyelid region.

It can also help dark circles in situations where these are caused by shadowing due to excess fat in your eyelids. What’s more, it’ll also help to increase the amount of eyelid showing in the upper eyelid region where this has been reduced due to excess skin folds.

It won’t, however, remove or reduce crow’s feet or laughter lines at the side of your eyes or change the position of your eyebrows. And it won’t improve any puffiness or bagginess on the cheek or cheekbone area (called malar bags).

Yes! Because we have a team of leading plastic surgery specialists here at the Karidis Clinic offering a range of different surgical and non surgical treatments,, you can combine other procedures with a blepharoplasty. As the ageing process usually affects the entire face, many patients opt to have their face, neck or brow lifted at the same time as well. This way you’ll be able to make more efficient use of your recovery period by recovering from all procedures at the same time.

All surgery carries some uncertainty and risk. When a blepharoplasty is performed by a qualified plastic surgeon, complications are infrequent and usually minor. Still, individuals vary greatly in their anatomy, their physical reactions, and their healing abilities, and the outcome is never completely predictable.

Complications are not common, however can include: haematoma (a collection of blood under the skin), minor infections and scar lumpiness. Some patients will experience some minor ocular inflammation (chemosis) for a short period of time following surgery. This often resolves quickly without the need for intervention.

It’s always useful to allow yourself plenty of time to recover and organise sufficient time off work. Two weeks should give you enough time to allow any obvious bruising and swelling to subside. A little makeup may be required at that point to cover any remaining bruising. Ensuring that any blood or other tests that are required are undertaken well in advance will help to avoid any potential delays.

Blepharoplasty is one of the most popular aesthetic surgery procedures. You’ll likely be happy with your surgery, especially if you realise that the results may not be immediately apparent.

The combination of a fresher look to your eyes whilst reducing their tired appearance will undoubtedly boost your self-esteem and lift your confidence and the results should last for years. Always be mindful that no procedure can  halt the ageing process: the clock can be turned back but you can’t stop it from ticking altogether.