Blepharoplasty

Your eyes are the most expressive feature on your face, a focal point when chatting, along with emotional expressions. However, the skin around the eyes is thin and delicate, often the first area to show signs of premature ageing, stress, and environmental damage.

Blepharoplasty, known as eyelid surgery or an eyelid lift, is a refined surgical procedure that corrects drooping eyelids, heavy hooding, and under-eye bags It is a precise way to modify or contour the skin and tissues that surrounds the eye, refreshing your facial appearance. Many patients suffer with severe drooping eyelids that physically intrudes on their vision, turning frustration into a medical issue.

Dr Guirgis Awad is a leading blepharoplasty surgeon, offering upper and lower eyelid surgery in Sheffield, UK. Known for his meticulous techniques, superior understanding of facial anatomy, along with a patient-centric approach, he provides a subtle, sophisticated, and natural-looking rejuvenation, respecting your facial features.

What Is Blepharoplasty?

Blepharoplasty is a specialised plastic and reconstructive surgical procedure that improves the structure of your upper eyelids, lower eyelids, or both. The aim is to restore a youthful and healthy contour around the eye. As we age, your skin loses it’s elasticity, while your muscles lose their tone. Blepharoplasty addresses these issues, provided by a skilled surgeon.

Blepharoplasty is suitable for:

• Excess skin removal
• Fat repositioning and excision
• Muscle tightening

Who Should Consider Blepharoplasty

The progressive sagging of your eyelids can result in cosmetic and functional vulnerabilities. Blepharoplasty is highly effective, directly targeting the root structural cause, rather than masking the issues. If you have the following concerns, call Dr Awad today to book a consultation:

Drooping or Hooded Upper Eyelids – This happens when your eyelid skin loses elasticity, bunching it together, causing it to hang down over your natural upper eyelid. This can result in your eyes looking smaller.

Excessive Upper Eyelid Creasing – As your skin stretches, it creates creases across the eyelids. This can give you a prematurely aged look.

Under-Eye Bags and Puffiness – This is when your lower eyelids have a permanent swollen or eye-bag appearance. It doesn’t matter how much sleep you get or how much moisturiser you use, the only solution is a blepharoplasty.

Tired, Aged, or Sad Expression – Deep hollows at the junction where your under-eye bag meets your upper cheek can create contours that cast shadows, creating dark circles that make you look exhausted or unwell.

Loss of Defined Eye Contours – The clean lines that characterised your youthful eyes are now blurred, heavy, and weighed down by drooping skin.

Impaired Vision – When the skin rests on the upper eyelashes, it pushes them down, acting as a curtain, restricting your field of vision.

Types of Eyelid Surgery

Ageing affects people in different ways. Dr Awad provides a customised approach to each blepharoplasty he performance, choosing from three primary techniques, ensuring the chosen treatment targets the exact area that needs correcting.

Upper Blepharoplasty

The upper blepharoplasty is used to repair the hop half of the eye area. This procedure is mostly requested by those with heavy hooding or vision blockages.

This is a specialised surgery carried out by Dr Awad, who designs an incision that traces your natural crease line on your upper eyelid. He works through a small opening, measuring and removing a pre-determined amount of excess skin. If needed, some portions of the underlying muscle may be tightened, along with any fat pads near the inner eye corner being trimmed or flattened.

The incision line is integrated within the eyelids natural folds perfectly, ensuring the scar is hidden when you open your eyes, leaving you looking refreshed and energised.

Lower Blepharoplasty

Lower blepharoplasty is a procedure that rejuvenates just below your lower lash line. It is often selected by patents with under-eye bags, major puffiness, or loose, and wrinkled under-eye skin. Depending on your skin quality and the extent of fat, Dr Awad will use one of two incision techniques:

• An incision placed a millimetre below the lower lash line, enabling Dr Awad to remove excess sagging skin, while tightening any loose muscles, and addressing bulging fat pads
• An incision is placed on the inside of the lower lid, only offered to patients with excellent skin elasticity that is suffering from under-eye bags caused by fat.

Combined Blepharoplasty

Combined blepharoplasty combines upper and lower eyelid surgery, providing a comprehensive solution. Many patients that experience upper eyelid drooping, also experience pronounced eye-bags.

Dr Awad pairs both procedures in one surgical plan, addressing your concerns at once with a dual approach that ensure your eyes age at the same rate. This requires only one single surgical session, reducing overall downtime, enabling you to get back to your normal routine quickly.

Am I a Suitable Candidate for Blepharoplasty?

Blepharoplasty is a safe and rewarding procedure, achieving long-lasting outcomes with exceptional results, it does require a comprehensive evaluation of your physical health, lifestyle factors, and any underlying conditions. If you meet the following requirements, you are considered a suitable candidate for eyelid surgery:

• Your concerns are drooping upper eyelids, heavy hooding that affects your vision, or persistent eye-bags below the eyes
• You are in good general health without any chronic medical conditions
• Your have good eye health and do not suffer from retinal detachment or tears, glaucoma or infections
• You are a non-smoker or you are happy to pause smoking
• You have realistic expectations
• You are losing confidence due to tired looking eyes

How Blepharoplasty Can Benefit You

Blepharoplasty can provide enhancements that positively affect your appearance and quality of life. Dr Awad’s patients consistently report life-changing benefits, including:

• A brighter and more alert gaze
• Eradication of under-eye bags
• Elimination of sharp ageing lines between eyes and cheeks
• Restored eyelid definition
• A major self-confidence boost
• Clean and unobstructed vision.

How Dr Awad Carries Out Blepharoplasty

Dr Awad always prioritises patient education, ensuring you are clearly informed and secure, knowing every step of the process. Every blepharoplasty follows the same step-by-step process:

1. Pre-surgery marking and design
2. Anaesthesia administration to ensure your comfort
3. Precise incisions are carried out, creating a hidden entry point
4. Your eyelid skin is contoured and reshaped
5. The tiny incision is closed and a follow-up appointment scheduled.

Blepharoplasty Recovery Timeline

It’s important that you take a patient approach to the healing process, following Dr Awad;s post-surgery instructions. This is what you can expect at every stage of the recovery process:

• Days 1 to 3 – Expect swelling and bruising to peak at this stage. You may feel your eyelids are tighter or your vision slightly blurred. Apply a cold compress for ten to fifteen minutes at a time, helping to reduce inflammation
• Days 4 to 7 – Any swelling, bruising, or mild discomfort should subside. You have your follow-up appointment with Dr Awad, who assesses the results
• Days 8 to 14 – Any bruising is barely noticeable and you can return to regular activities

What are the Risks Involved with Blepharoplasty?

Before you choose to go ahead with blepharoplasty, Dr Award provides you with clear information, helping you understand any risks and considerations, helping you make an informed decision on whether to proceed. Blepharoplasty is an advanced procedure with an 85% to 90% success rate with most patients experiencing significant improvements in aesthetics and functioning. Blepharoplasty risks include:

• Common risks – minor bruising, swelling, and temporary eye dryness
• Uncommon but manageable – mild asymmetry, slow healing, and chemosis (blister-like swelling)
• Rare – vision loss or retrobulbar haemorrhage
• Long term concerns – incomplete eyelid closure, ectropion (outward turning eyelids)

Blepharoplasty Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)