Blepharoplasty, commonly called eyelid surgery, is a surgical procedure that removes the excess skin and fat that forms around the eyes, usually as a result of age. There are two types of Blepharoplasty procedures: upper blepharoplasty, commonly known as eyelid lift, is performed on the upper eyelid; lower blepharoplasty, commonly known as eye bag removal, is performed on the lower eyelid.
Blepharoplasty is often performed for functional reasons, as the excess folds of skin around a patient’s eyes can impede their lateral vision. Furthermore, the surgery will restore a youthful appearance to the face by removing the saggy skin around the eye area.
How Much Does Eyelid Surgery Cost?
The exact cost of the eyelid surgery will depend on your individual circumstances which will be assessed during a consultation with your surgeon. Afterwards, the exact cost of the blepharoplasty procedure will be determined.
Upper Blepharoplasty Cost
The exact cost of the procedure will depend on the extent of the folds of loose skin around the upper eyelids and the surgical technique used. In general, our recommended blepharoplasty specialists charge £2,900 to perform the surgery under local anaesthesia and £4,200 to perform it under sedation. Alternatively, Dr Ali Ghanem prefers to perform a blepharoplasty using a CO2 laser, which costs an additional £1,000.
Lower Blepharoplasty Cost
Lower blepharoplasty is one of the most popular facial procedures in the world. It involves the removal and repositioning of excess skin and fat under the eyes. It is a slightly more complex procedure than upper blepharoplasty as it requires an incision to be made just below the lashes of the lower lids which extends just beyond the corner of the eyes.
Our recommended blepharoplasty surgeons charge around 5,900 – £6,900 for lower blepharoplasty procedures. This is because the procedure is performed under sedation or General Anesthetisa, unlike an upper blepharoplasty procedure, which is usually performed under local anaesthesia.
Our chosen specialists charge around6,900 – £8,900 to perform both an upper and lower blepharoplasty procedure.
Combination Blepharoplasty Procedures
Brow Lift
A blepharoplasty procedure is often combined with a brow lift surgery since raising both the eyelids and the brows offers a more prominent result . A brow lift aims to elevate the eyebrows in order to get rid of the sagging skin that develops around the brow area as we age. It is also performed in order to reposition the brows in patients who have relatively low or asymmetrical brows.
However, due to the proximity of the brows to the eyes, patients often misdiagnose themselves as needing a blepharoplasty procedure where a brow lift procedure would be more effective.
You will have the opportunity to discuss the most appropriate procedure for your needs during a consultation with your surgeon. Typically, the surgeons we work with charge around£5,400, and often provide package deals for patients who wish to combine it with a blepharoplasty procedure.
Face Lift
Another procedure that is often combined with blepharoplasty is a facelift (rhytidectomy) surgery. The process of ageing affects other areas of the face, for instance, through the development of jowls, droopy cheeks, and deep wrinkles around the mouth. Therefore, a face lift that is designed to eliminate these signs of ageing in the middle and lower facial area combined with an eyelid surgery will restore a more youthful aesthetic appearance.
There are different types and techniques of facelifts, and your surgeon will design a bespoke solution for you during a consultation, after which you will receive the exact cost of your procedure. However, our recommended specialists typically charge between £8,000 to £15,000 for a facelift.
Additional Blepharoplasty Costs
Anaesthesia
An upper blepharoplasty procedure is usually performed under a local anaesthetic, the cost of which is included in the overall price of the surgery mentioned above. However, as mentioned above, patients who wish to have the surgery under sedation can do so at an additional cost.
A lower blepharoplasty procedure is performed under sedation. The cost of the anaesthetic is included in the overall price of the surgery mentioned above.
Surgical Facility
All of our recommended surgeons are registered to practise in CQC (Care Quality Commission) registered surgical facilities and the cost of using them is included in the overall price of the surgery.
Prescription Medication
During your preoperative appointment, you may be prescribed antibiotics, saline water, eyedrops, and appropriate pain medication to use post surgery in order to help manage side effects during the recovery period. The cost of any prescribed medications is not included in the price of the surgery, and is likely to be insignificant.
Follow-up visits
You will be scheduled for a follow-up appointment with your surgeon, usually 5-7 days and 3-6 months after the surgery. The cost of all follow up visits will be included in the price of your surgery.
Will Insurance Cover Blepharoplasty?
It is unlikely that your insurance will cover the cost of blepharoplasty if it is undertaken for cosmetic reasons. However, some insurance companies will cover the cost of the surgery if it is needed for medical reasons in order to recover the patient’s peripheral vision and provided they receive sufficient evidence of this. The requirements for a functional eyelid surgery varies between different insurance companies, therefore you will need to confirm your eligibility with your insurance provider.
Is Blepharoplasty Worth it?
Many patients find blepharoplasty to be a worthwhile procedure. In particular, it significantly improves the patient’s quality of life when performed for functional reasons, as it restores the patient’s peripheral vision that had been impeded by the excess skin. Furthermore, the surgery is also commonly performed for cosmetic reasons as it permanently opens up the eye area by removing the excess skin and fat around the eyelids in order to restore a youthful appearance to the face.