Blepharoplasty

Blepharoplasty — eyelid surgery — removes excess skin and repositions fat around the eyes to restore a rested, alert look. The eyes are the first place the face shows age, and blepharoplasty is often the highest-visual-impact operation for looking rested without looking "done". Done well, nobody notices you had an operation — they just notice you look like yourself on a good day.

It is a precise, technically contained operation, with a short recovery and excellent long-term results. For many anglosphere patients it is the first and only aesthetic surgery they choose to have.

Who blepharoplasty is suitable for

The patients our partner surgeons operate on typically present heavy upper eyelids, with excess skin that touches or covers the lash line; lower-lid bags caused by fat herniation; loose skin of the lower lid creating fine lines and a tired appearance even when rested; and functional reduction of the visual field due to heavy upper lids (in UK/IE this can also support a partial NHS coverage case, but the waiting list makes self-pay abroad faster for most).

Patients with severe dry eye, thyroid eye disease or untreated glaucoma must manage those conditions before surgery — we tell you so honestly at consultation, even if it means postponing.

The techniques

Upper blepharoplasty

Removes excess skin from the upper lid and repositions or removes fat where necessary. The incision is hidden in the natural lid crease and heals to a practically invisible line. It is the most requested operation across the category, especially for male patients over fifty — a fast-growing anglosphere demographic.

Lower blepharoplasty

Addresses bags and lax skin of the lower lid. Our preferred technique is the transconjunctival approach — the incision is made inside the lid, leaving no external scar — combined with skin tightening via laser or a small "pinch" excision when required. The traditional external-scar approach, still used by less updated clinics, is not necessary in most modern cases.

Combined upper and lower

The most frequent presentation, especially after fifty-five. Performed in a single session under the same anaesthesia, with a single recovery.

Asian blepharoplasty ("double eyelid")

A distinct operation that creates or defines the upper lid crease respecting Asian anatomy. Requires specific experience to preserve the natural look that most patients seeking this procedure want. Relevant for East Asian heritage patients across UK, US, Canada and Australia.

The male patient

Blepharoplasty on men is not "the same surgery, smaller cuts". The male upper lid carries less skin but presents differently — hooding, not folding — and the incision placement must respect a less pronounced lid crease to avoid a feminised post-operative result. Our partner surgeons operate on male patients every week. The approach differs and we say so at consultation.

The surgery, step by step

Performed under local anaesthesia with light sedation, or under general anaesthesia if combined with other procedures. Duration: one to two hours. Day-surgery procedure — you return to the hotel the same evening. In a JCI-accredited hospital, with a dedicated anaesthesiologist if required.

Recovery

Week 1

Significant bruising and swelling but confined to the eye area. Cold compresses for the first forty-eight hours. Sutures removed between day five and seven. This is the week you don't want to be seen.

Weeks 2–4

Most patients return to a normal appearance, with concealer over residual bruising, between days ten and fourteen. Return to desk work is realistic between day seven and day ten — which is why many anglosphere patients schedule the procedure before a holiday week and return to work on the Monday after, with nobody noticing.

Months 1–3

The scar line continues to lighten. Final shape refinement settles over the first three months.

Risks and realistic expectations

Honest risks: temporary dry eye (common in the first weeks), asymmetries that may require a small touch-up, and — more rarely — ectropion (the lower lid descending slightly). An experienced technique prevents the latter in the vast majority of cases, and it is the main reason we do not recommend saving on the surgeon for this operation.

Blepharoplasty does not remove crow's feet — those are expression lines and are treated with non-surgical anti-wrinkle treatments or laser resurfacing. These are refinements we can schedule in the same consultation.

Combining with brow lift

If you have brow descent in addition to upper-lid heaviness, upper blepharoplasty alone can give a partially unsatisfactory result — because the problem is not only the skin, it is the position of the brow itself. At consultation we assess this honestly: sometimes the right operation is brow lift alone, sometimes it is brow lift plus upper bleph in the same session. We say which at consultation.

Why Istanbul versus other destinations

Blepharoplasty is a high-precision, low-risk, high-satisfaction operation — ideal for international patients because recovery is short and predictable. The price gap versus the US, UK and Australia is significant and the clinical standard is equivalent. Our partner surgeons perform it weekly and have the millimetric precision this procedure requires.

Dr. Mustafa Ekrem Güleş approves every patient clinically before surgery.

Why not the €900 blepharoplasty

On the eyelids, the rock-bottom price is paid in ectropion and asymmetries visible for the rest of your life. A clinic quoting blepharoplasty at €900 often performs a skin excision that is too aggressive — and at six months the lower lid doesn't close properly, the eye tears constantly, and the damage requires a secondary correction that costs more than the operation done well the first time.

What you pay for with us is verifiable: transconjunctival approach for the lower lid (no external scar), plastic surgeon specialised in the periorbital region, dedicated anaesthesiologist, JCI-accredited hospital, follow-up at 1 and 3 months via WhatsApp in English.

English-speaking team — from first message to three-month follow-up

Our team replies in English on WhatsApp, phone and email. From the first quote to the three-month check-up, you always speak to someone who understands your language. Questions about dry eye, when to go back to wearing makeup, when to return to screen time — they come up often. We want you to have immediate English answers when you need them.

Request your free quote — our team replies in UK/IE business hours and in a second window covering US Eastern through Australian morning. Photo-based pre-assessment.

Explain what bothers you before choosing upper or lower surgery

“Looking tired” can describe several different concerns: skin resting on the upper eyelid, puffiness below the eye, a low brow, dark circles or a change in eye shape. Show the surgeon the feature that bothers you in an ordinary photograph, then explain whether it is mainly an appearance concern or whether you also notice difficulty seeing.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons' eyelid-surgery overview explains that eyelid surgery can treat upper lids, lower lids or both. Your consultation should identify the proposed area rather than treat “eyelid surgery” as one interchangeable purchase.

If you have eye symptoms, previous eye surgery or treatment from an ophthalmologist, include those details in your medical form. A photograph cannot replace an examination of the eyes and surrounding structures.

Protect the features you want to keep

Bring a list of what you do not want changed. Perhaps you like the shape of your eyes, want to retain your existing crease, or are concerned about looking different when smiling. These are useful consultation topics. The surgeon should explain the intended change without suggesting that every heavy lid needs the same amount of tissue removed.

Ask how the proposed operation relates to the brow and the lower eyelid. If an additional brow procedure, lid-support procedure or skin treatment is suggested, request its purpose, alternatives and separate price.

Do not rely on a promise of invisible scars or a statement that one incision is always superior. Ask which approach is proposed for you and why. The planned access points, the amount of correction and the way the lid is supported need to be explained in the context of your own anatomy.

Give the surgeon a complete eye history

List prescribed eye drops, contact lenses, glasses, previous laser vision correction and any difficulty with dryness or irritation. Include medication and supplements in the general health history. Do not stop a prescribed medicine because of a generic website instruction; ask the prescribing clinician and surgical team for an individual plan.

Mention previous filler, threads or other procedures around the eyes, even if they took place several years ago. Where possible, provide the product name, date and the treating clinician's report. Accurate information helps the surgeon understand what they are examining.

Ask specifically how existing symptoms would affect the recommendation. A useful consultation can conclude that you need another assessment first, a different operation or no cosmetic surgery. It should not require you to select a package before those questions are answered.

Arrange your stay around checks, not a photograph deadline

The current starting price is from €1,850 all-inclusive, flights excluded, as of October 2026. The published package describes upper and lower eyelid surgery under local anaesthesia with five hotel nights. Your actual plan still needs confirmation after assessment; do not assume every anaesthesia option or additional treatment is included at that floor.

Ask when the first review will take place, whether any sutures need removal and which appointment must happen before travel. The end of the hotel package is not a medical deadline and should not determine whether a review is skipped.

Plan practical help for arrival, appointments and the journey home. Ask about reading, screen work, contact lenses and makeup according to what you use every day. A job involving detailed visual work may raise different questions from a job without screens. Avoid booking an important appearance-based event using a general recovery estimate alone.

Keep the quote specific to the eyelids being treated

Your written quote should name upper lids, lower lids or both, the proposed anaesthesia and any separate procedure. Ask for confirmation of the clinical fees, accommodation, transfers, medicines and appointments that are included.

Flights are excluded. Additional Deniz nights are €70 per night and the Antwell upgrade adds €40 per night. Ask whether a companion's room or meals create an extra charge. Revision treatment, extra clinical care and treatment after returning home should not be assumed to be included without written terms.

Optional massage and drainage are paid extras, priced at €100 for one session or €250 for three where offered. Their availability does not make them appropriate for eyelid surgery.

FAQ for a more useful assessment

Will eyelid surgery remove every reason I look tired?

Ask the surgeon to separate the concerns you have identified. Dark circles, brow position, skin texture and eyelid contour may need different discussions.

Should I bring my eye prescription or previous records?

Bring relevant records if you have them, including previous eye procedures and the names of medicines or drops. Explain current symptoms rather than assuming they are unrelated to cosmetic surgery.

Can I choose the operation from a before-and-after image?

Use the image to explain your preference, then ask whether the starting anatomy and other treatments are comparable. A photograph is a discussion aid, not a surgical plan.

Is the lowest advertised price my final price?

The floor applies to the published pricing entry. The assessed procedure, anaesthesia and any additional work must appear in your written quote before you commit.

Send unfiltered photographs and your medical history through the consultation form to begin an individual assessment with Estetica Istanbul and its partner clinicians.