Lower Blepharoplasty

1. Understanding Your Goals

• Your priorities: The consultation starts with what you would like to change, what matters most to you and what you hope surgery will achieve.

2. Clinical Assessment

• Clinical assessment: Dr Mercer assesses anatomy, tissue quality, asymmetry, scars and any factors that may affect the operation or healing.

3. Options, Limits & Planning

• Options and limits: Suitable surgical options, likely scars, trade-offs and realistic outcomes are discussed rather than assuming that surgery is the right answer.
• Planning: If you choose to proceed, clinical photography, measurements and a personalised operative plan are completed before a surgery date is confirmed.

Before surgery

• Eye assessment: Dry-eye symptoms, lower-lid tone, previous eye surgery and vision history are reviewed.
• Photography: Standard views help distinguish bags, hollowing, skin laxity and cheek descent.
• Preparation: Follow medication, nicotine and fasting instructions and arrange transport home.

Anaesthesia

• Anaesthesia: Lower blepharoplasty is usually performed under general anaesthesia or local anaesthesia with sedation depending on complexity.

Lower eyelid

• Approach: The incision may be inside the eyelid or just beneath the lashes.
• Fat management: Fat is repositioned or reduced conservatively according to the contour problem.
• Skin and support: Small amounts of skin can be removed and eyelid support added where needed.
• Closure: External incisions, when used, are closed with fine sutures.

Week 1

• Appearance: Swelling and bruising are significant and may extend onto the upper cheek.

Weeks 2–3

• Social recovery: Most bruising improves, though subtle swelling can remain.

Weeks 4–6

• Exercise: Exercise is resumed progressively.

3–6 months

• Contour: The lower-lid and cheek transition continues to soften as swelling resolves.

First week

• Cold compresses: Use cool compresses and keep the head elevated.
• Eye care: Use prescribed drops or ointment and avoid rubbing or straining.

Weeks 2–6

• Activity: Increase activity gradually while swelling resolves.
• Sun and scars: Protect any external lower-lid scar carefully from UV exposure.

Early review

• What happens: The team checks wounds, swelling, comfort and any dressings during the first postoperative period.

1–2 weeks

• What happens: Incisions and early healing are reviewed; sutures or dressings are removed when appropriate and activity guidance is updated.

6 weeks

• What happens: Dr Mercer reviews recovery, scars and return to exercise, and checks that healing is progressing as expected.

3–6 months

• What happens: Progress photographs may be taken as swelling settles and scars continue to mature.

Around 1 year

• What happens: A longer-term review can be used to assess the mature result once tissues and scars have fully settled.