Blepharoplasty in Turkey: expert surgery, brighter eyes

Reasons for a blepharoplasty

Heavy eyelids, bags under the eyes, excess skin that weighs on the eyes: these signs give the face a tired look that rest will not fix. Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) treats them by removing the excess skin and fat, on the upper lid, the lower lid or both at once. The operation has spread widely: in 2024, eyelid surgery became the most performed surgical cosmetic procedure in the world, with more than 2.1 million operations and a rise of 13.4%, ahead of liposuction.

That tired look rarely comes down to sleep. Most often it comes from excess skin, from orbital fat pushing forwards and from a muscle that has lost some of its hold. Blepharoplasty removes or repositions this surplus tissue, and it also clears the field of vision when the overhanging skin starts to get in the way, a condition known as dermatochalasis. So the cosmetic side and the functional side often meet: when the excess skin presses on the lashes, the patient raises their eyebrows all day long to clear their sight, and the operation aims at that relief too.

It is worth putting this operation in its proper place, though, because it acts on the eyelids and on nothing else. Crow’s feet, the position of the brow or a sagging cheekbone call for other treatments, which the blepharoplasty guide sets out if what you are asking for goes beyond the eyelid area. Blepharoplasty plays its part in rejuvenating the upper third of the face, working alongside the look of the brow and the cheek without changing those structures. The surgeon also tells it apart from a neighbouring diagnosis picked up at the examination, true eyelid ptosis, where the muscle that lifts the eyelid weakens and another operation is needed.

Who is a good candidate?

The most common profile brings together excess skin on the upper lid, fatty bags on the lower lid, which medical terminology calls steatoblepharon, an asymmetry between the two eyes and a tired or aged expression that is already there on waking. These signs usually settle in around the age of forty, sometimes a good deal earlier when heavy eyelids run in the family. The indication rests on anatomy and on realistic expectations far more than on age.

Drooping upper eyelids that narrow the field of vision, known as dermatochalasis, eyelid asymmetry, an impression of tiredness or ageing in the expression of the eyes and the presence of fatty bags make up the main indications. Fine lines and wrinkles around the eye often come with this picture without being the target of the operation. The examination is there precisely to sort one from the other, because the result depends on the real cause of the tired look: excess skin or fat responds well to eyelid surgery, while a dropped brow or a sagging cheekbone calls for another treatment.

Contraindications

Several situations rule the operation out or mean putting it off, such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, a clotting disorder, uncontrolled high blood pressure or ongoing smoking. Smokers are asked to stop nicotine several weeks before the operation, and at the very least 15 days before the planned date, because it affects the healing of skin as thin as the eyelids. General health and the expectations you set out weigh as much as this medical history in the decision, and it is the consultation, backed by your photos and the clinical examination, that allows a date to be booked.

Preparing for the operation

Preparation covers blood tests, a thorough eye examination that measures tear production with a Schirmer test, an assessment of skin elasticity and a close reading of the bone contour and the soft tissue around the eye. The area around the orbit leaves little margin, and the operation is calibrated to what the eye, the skin and the bony support can reasonably take.

In the days beforehand you will be asked to stop certain medicines such as aspirin and anti-inflammatories, to arrive without any make-up and, if the type of anaesthetic calls for it, to fast for at least 6 hours before the operation. Your English-speaking coordinator goes through this list with you point by point and checks that nothing has been forgotten before you travel.

Techniques to suit your eyes

Upper blepharoplasty

This one is for eyelids that droop, sometimes far enough to hide the crease. Through an opening set in that crease, the surgeon removes the excess skin, then repositions or reduces the fat when the volume calls for it. The incision extends a little past the inner and outer corners, classically 4 to 5 mm above the medial and lateral canthus, which keeps it within the natural lines of the eyelid.

A meta-analysis of 12 randomised trials, covering 450 patients, found a clear drop in dry eye symptoms after this operation, with the risk more than four times lower than before surgery (odds ratio 0.22). Techniques that spare the orbicularis muscle, the one that closes the eyelid, reduce the risk of lagophthalmos, that difficulty in closing the eye fully, while satisfaction stays high. The whole difficulty lies in taking out just the right amount of tissue, enough to lighten the eyes, never so much that the eye is left half open.

Lower blepharoplasty

The lower lid is treated mainly for its bags. The surgeon reaches them from inside the eyelid, the transconjunctival route, which leaves no scar on the skin, or through a fine incision under the lashes, the transcutaneous route. That choice depends on the quality of the skin, on the amount of fat and on what the examination brings out. The work most often involves the fat around the eye, which is repositioned or reduced, and eyelid lifting techniques come in on top when skin laxity calls for it.

A review of 36 articles sets out a fairly low complication profile for this operation, with no major eye or vision complication reported in that summary. Most functional or cosmetic difficulties resolve with conservative treatment, sometimes with a touch-up. The technique is well codified today, and its usual after-effects stay manageable as long as follow-up is organised.

Combined blepharoplasty

When the upper and lower lids are both involved, the two procedures follow on from each other during the same operation. Time in theatre is longer, but one trip is enough and recovery happens in one go. The surgical plan is settled once you have sent your photos, after the clinical examination and a frank discussion about what you are hoping for and what the operation can reasonably bring. An upper eyelid on its own takes noticeably less time, and the surgeon tells you that duration along with the plan chosen.

How the operation works

Anaesthetic

The operation is done under general anaesthetic or under local anaesthetic with sedation, and that choice is discussed at the consultation. A local anaesthetic stays active for two to three hours, the length of the operation itself, while a general anaesthetic needs a monitored recovery and can take up several hours. The decision depends on how extensive the operation is, on your medical file and on what the surgeon settles on with you.

Incisions, fat and sutures

On the upper lid, the incision slips into the crease, while on the lower lid the surgeon opts for the internal route or the skin route according to what the examination showed. The surgeon then removes or repositions the fat, then excises the excess skin, measuring exactly what comes out, because over-correction would leave the eye half open. Closure uses sutures suited to the fineness of eyelid skin, sparing the structures that hold the eyelid up and close it.

Average duration

Times vary with the type of blepharoplasty: 60 to 90 minutes for an upper blepharoplasty, 90 to 120 minutes for a lower blepharoplasty, and 2 to 3 hours for a combined blepharoplasty. These ranges help you picture how the day goes, without replacing the precise plan the surgeon gives you once the operation is defined.

As you come out of theatre, your English-speaking coordinator stays with you to relay the surgeon’s instructions, repeat them as often as you need and answer your questions about the rest of the stay. VIP transfers then take you back to the 5-star hotel, where the first aftercare starts straight away, with cold compresses, the prescribed ointment and sunglasses for going out.

Recovery and after-effects

After the operation, recovery usually takes 7 to 10 days. The first week is where the swelling, the bruising and a prickling feeling in the eyes are concentrated, temporary after-effects that settle on their own. You manage the discomfort with the painkillers prescribed, you apply cold compresses regularly to reduce the oedema, you clean the eyes gently each day, you put in the eye ointments and you wear sunglasses outdoors. Screens and sport, for their part, wait for the surgeon’s go-ahead.

Getting back to everyday activities happens gradually, as the most visible swelling settles, and going back to work becomes possible at the end of that first stretch. The eyes carry on refining for several weeks. Plenty of patients judge the result at around two to three months, once the swelling has come down.

Risks and complications

Like any surgery, a blepharoplasty carries risks worth knowing about before you commit. The first few days commonly bring swelling, bruising that mixes haematomas and ecchymoses, a feeling of dryness, a small temporary asymmetry, sometimes a passing difficulty in closing the eyes fully, called lagophthalmos, and more rarely an infection. The published data stay fairly reassuring on these two operations, since a meta-analysis of 450 patients found less dryness after an upper blepharoplasty, and a review of 36 articles described few heavy complications for the lower lid, most of them manageable without particular gravity.

More serious complications, such as loss of vision from an orbital haemorrhage, remain possible in very rare cases. Hygiene and sterilisation protocols, together with structured post-operative follow-up, are aimed precisely at limiting these complications. At Body Expert, that follow-up carries on for 12 months after you get home: at the slightest unusual sign, you flag the problem without waiting and send a clear photo, then the team decides with the surgeon whether to watch, massage or correct.

Hollowing and volume after the operation

The eyes sometimes look slightly hollow once the swelling has gone down, or a small asymmetry shows up. Hyaluronic acid can then be used to restore the missing volume. A systematic review pooling 5 studies, with numbers ranging from 5 to 109 patients, reports volume held beyond 12 months in most cases, with no severe complication observed. This add-on is discussed with the surgeon, case by case, and is not part of the package as standard: it is only considered once the surgical result has settled.

For an opinion on your eyelids, simply send your photos to our team. They will tell you whether a blepharoplasty answers what you are asking for, whether a low brow calls for a different treatment plan, or whether it is wiser to wait. The quote is free and reaches you within 24 hours.

Sources

1. Todorov, D., Mitchell, S., Al-Hashimi, M., Dajani, Z., Sunn Hoah Yap, K., Imtiaz, H., Daneshi, K., & Khajuria, A. (2025). Functional and Aesthetic Outcomes After Upper Blepharoplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Control Trials. Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 45(6), 554-562.
2. Gimenez, A. R., Rohrich, R., Borab, Z., Fisher, S., Fagien, S., & Rohrich, R. J. (2025). Safety and Complications in Lower Eyelid Blepharoplasty: A Systematic Review. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open, 13(9), e7102.
3. Safia, A., Abd Elhadi, U., Merchavy, S., Batheesh, R., & Bathish, N. (2025). Role of Hyaluronic Acid in Post-Blepharoplasty Volume Restoration and Complication Management: A Systematic Review. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 14(13), 4572.
4. ISAPS. (2025). ISAPS International Survey on Aesthetic/Cosmetic Procedures Performed in 2024. International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.