Blepharoplasty removes or repositions excess eyelid skin, muscle and fat to treat hooded upper lids and under-eye bags. It suits healthy adults with no significant eye disease. It is usually a 1–2 hour day-case operation; plan about 6–7 days in Istanbul.
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Blepharoplasty is surgery on the eyelids. It tidies the upper lids when loose skin folds onto the lashes, and smooths the lower lids when fat pushes forward to form bags. The surgeon may remove measured skin, a thin strip of muscle and some fat, or reposition fat rather than removing it.
| Procedure time | Typically 1–2 hours (upper and lower lids together can take longer) |
|---|---|
| Anaesthesia | Local anaesthesia with sedation, or general anaesthesia |
| Hospital stay | Usually day-case; an overnight stay may be advised for combined surgery |
| Recommended stay in Istanbul | 6–7 days |
| Stitches | Removed around day 5–7 (transconjunctival incisions usually need none) |
| Back to desk work | Usually 7–10 days |
| Exercise | Walking from day 1; strenuous exercise after 2–3 weeks |
| Contact lenses | Usually after about 2 weeks, once your surgeon agrees |
| Final result | Around 2–3 months as swelling and scars settle |
| Results last | Upper lids often many years; lower-lid fat removal rarely needs repeating |
Results from Vivid Clinic patients, shared with consent. Individual results vary. 6 cases shown; each caption states what the photos show and what is not recorded.
Before: Hooded upper lids and lower-lid bags. After: Opened eyes.
Vivid Clinic patient, shared with consent. Individual results vary; this is one case, not a promise of your outcome.
Before: Heavy upper lids and lower-lid bags. After: Smoother lids.
Vivid Clinic patient, shared with consent. Individual results vary; this is one case, not a promise of your outcome.
Before: Hooded upper lids. After: Visible upper-lid crease.
Vivid Clinic patient, shared with consent. Individual results vary; this is one case, not a promise of your outcome.
Before: Hooded upper lids. After: More open eyes.
Vivid Clinic patient, shared with consent. Individual results vary; this is one case, not a promise of your outcome.
Before: Lower-lid bags. After: Smoother lower lids.
Vivid Clinic patient, shared with consent. Individual results vary; this is one case, not a promise of your outcome.
Before: Upper and lower lid heaviness (male). After: Refreshed eye area.
Vivid Clinic patient, shared with consent. Individual results vary; this is one case, not a promise of your outcome.
Photos are unedited clinic composites; before and after photos may differ in lighting, clothing and pose. Consent is on file at the clinic.
Under-eye darkness caused by pigment, or fine crepey skin, is not corrected by surgery alone.
Every eyelid plan is built around your anatomy. These are the mainstream techniques your surgeon may recommend.
Excess skin, and where needed a thin strip of muscle and a little fat, is removed through the natural crease. Conservative skin removal protects full eye closure.
An incision just below the lashes lets the surgeon tighten loose skin and muscle and treat fat bags. A small outer-corner stitch (canthopexy) may add support.
The incision is inside the lower lid. It suits younger patients whose main problem is bulging fat rather than loose skin.
When bags sit above a hollow tear trough, fat can be repositioned over the bony rim instead of removed. Upper and lower lids can often be treated in one operation. The American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeWiki summarises both lower-lid approaches.
Blepharoplasty at Vivid Clinic is planned around your lids, brow position and lower-lid support. Most patients return to the hotel the same evening.
Sitting upright, crease and skin to remove are marked.
Local with sedation, or general for combined or lower-lid surgery.
Upper crease, under the lashes, or inside the lower lid.
Skin, muscle and fat trimmed or repositioned; support added if needed.
Fine stitches; transconjunctival surgery often needs none.
Cold compresses, then back to your hotel or an overnight stay.
Day 1
A VIP transfer takes you from the airport to your hotel, and your patient coordinator welcomes you. An interpreter is available if you need one.
Day 2
Consultation, photographs, blood tests and eye history, then surgery at the partner hospital. Most patients return to the hotel the same evening.
Days 3–5
A wound check at Vivid Clinic on day 3, with eye drops and ointment explained. Then head elevation, cold compresses and short walks.
Days 5–7
Stitches are removed, and lid position and closure are checked before you fly with lubricating drops. The 24/7 support line stays available.
Front and side photos, eyes open and closed. A plastic surgeon tells you whether blepharoplasty, ptosis repair or a brow lift fits your eyes. Free, no obligation.
Expect a lighter, more open upper lid and a smoother lower lid, so you look rested rather than operated on. Bruising usually peaks around day 2–3.
Upper-lid results typically last many years, although skin keeps ageing and brows may descend over time. Lower-lid fat removal or repositioning is rarely repeated.
In the first week, keep your head elevated, use cold compresses and follow the eye drop and ointment routine. Walking is fine from day 1.
In short: blepharoplasty treats excess skin and fat. If the lid margin itself sits too low (ptosis), removing skin will not raise it — that needs a ptosis repair.
| Blepharoplasty | Ptosis repair | |
|---|---|---|
| The problem | Excess skin and fat | Eyelid margin sits too low |
| Usual cause | Ageing skin and forward-pushing fat | Stretched lifting muscle (levator) or its tendon |
| What the surgeon does | Removes or repositions skin, muscle and fat | Tightens or advances the levator |
| Raises the lid margin | No | Yes |
| Can be combined | Yes, when both problems are present | Yes, when both problems are present |
At consultation your surgeon measures the lid margin to pupil distance to tell the difference. If your brow has dropped, see our endoscopic brow lift; to change the outer-corner angle, see the fox eye lift. Heavy lids with mid-face descent may pair with a facelift, and fine lines may need only non-surgical injectables. All options are on our face aesthetics page.
Eyelid surgery is quoted only after a surgeon reviews your photographs. Blepharoplasty in Turkey is often more affordable than in the UK, US or much of Europe, but your plan should be chosen for safety and suitability first. The consultation is free.
Typically covers:
Your price depends on
This page was medically reviewed by a plastic surgeon on the Vivid Clinic team.
Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgeon
Eyelid surgery is common, but no operation is free of risk. Very rarely, bleeding behind the eye occurs; it is an emergency and can affect vision.
UK travellers may find the NHS advice on cosmetic surgery abroad helpful. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons notes eyelid surgery can also help when heavy lids restrict vision.
Most patients plan 6–7 days. Surgery usually takes place on day 2 after your consultation and tests, and you normally return to the hotel the same evening. Stitches are removed around day 5–7, and your surgeon checks eyelid closure and position before clearing you to fly. If you are having upper and lower lids together or a combined procedure, your coordinator may suggest one or two extra days.
Not on its own. Upper blepharoplasty removes excess skin and fat, but ptosis means the eyelid margin itself sits low because the lifting muscle has weakened or stretched. That needs a ptosis repair to tighten or reattach the levator muscle. Many patients have both problems, and the two can often be corrected in one operation. Your surgeon measures your lid position at consultation to decide which you need.
Yes, in suitable patients. Treating both lids together means a single anaesthetic, one recovery period and one trip, and the swelling settles at the same pace. Combined surgery usually takes longer and is more often done under general anaesthesia, and your surgeon may recommend an overnight stay. People with dry eye or lax lower lids may be advised to stage the surgery instead.
It often is when bags are caused by bulging fat and your skin is still fairly firm, which is common in younger patients. The incision is inside the lower lid, so there is no visible external scar and usually no stitches. If you also have loose skin, a small skin pinch or a traditional lower-lid approach may work better. Hollow tear troughs may be treated by repositioning fat rather than removing it.
Glasses can usually be worn straight away if they do not press on the wounds. Eye make-up is generally allowed once stitches are out and the incisions have healed, often around 10–14 days. Contact lenses are usually reintroduced after about two weeks, when swelling has eased and your eyes feel comfortable. Your surgeon gives you personal timings at your final check before you leave Istanbul.
Most people return to desk work after about 7–10 days, around the second week. Bruising usually peaks around day 2–3 and has mostly faded by weeks 3–4, so many people plan social events after that. Walking is fine from day 1, and strenuous exercise usually waits 2–3 weeks. Residual swelling settles over 2–3 months, which is when the final result is judged.
Upper-lid results typically last many years, although your skin continues to age and your brows may descend over time. Lower-lid fat removal or repositioning is rarely repeated. Results look best when expectations are realistic: fresher, rested eyes rather than a different eye shape. See real outcomes in our blepharoplasty before and after gallery, bearing in mind every face heals differently.
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