Upper eyelid surgery
Most commonExcess skin, and sometimes a little muscle and fat, is removed through an incision in the natural crease of the upper lid.
Best for: Hooded upper lids, skin resting on the lashes
Presentable after: About 7–10 days
Blepharoplasty in Istanbul
Eyelid Aesthetics in Turkey
- Upper & lower eyelid surgery
- Scars hidden in the natural crease
- Video consultation with your surgeon first
Istanbul London Stuttgart
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Eyelid surgery before and after
Blepharoplasty results of MAYCLINIK patients, photographed once the swelling had settled.
Eyelid surgery01 / 05
Results vary from person to person. Photos are shared with patient consent.
Eyelid surgery in Turkey at a glance
1–3 hours
Operation time
upper lids only: about 1 hour
Same day
Hospital stay
1 night when combined
About 7 days
Total stay in Istanbul
stitches out before you fly
After 7–10 days
Back to desk work
as bruising fades
After about 4 weeks
Exercise & heavy lifting
3–6 months
Final result
scars fade over 12 months
- Anaesthesia: Local with sedation, or general
- Stitches removed: Days 5–7
What eyelid surgery can, and can’t, change
Eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty), also called eyelid aesthetics, removes the excess skin, and where needed fat, that makes the eyes look heavy or tired. Most people who come to us for eyelid surgery in Turkey have one of two concerns: hooded upper lids that sit on the lashes, or bags under the eyes that make them look tired, however well they slept.
On the upper lids, the incision lies in the natural crease, so the scar is hidden when your eyes are open. On the lower lids, the surgeon works either just below the lash line or from the inside of the lid, which leaves no visible scar at all. Fat that causes bags can be removed or moved into the hollow below.
Heavy lids are not always a skin problem. If your eyebrows have dropped, they push skin down onto the lids, and an eyebrow lift may be the better or additional answer. Your surgeon checks this before recommending anything.
It won’t
- Lift dropped eyebrows
- Remove crow’s feet and fine lines
- Change the shape of your eyes
- Remove dark circles caused by pigment
- Stop the ageing process
Eyelid surgery techniques we offer in Istanbul
The technique depends on which lids are affected and whether the problem is skin, fat or both.
Lower eyelid surgery
Through an incision just below the lashes, bags are reduced or fat is repositioned and loose skin is tightened.
Best for: Eye bags with loose or wrinkled lower-lid skin
Presentable after: About 10–14 days
Transconjunctival lower lid
No visible scarThe lower lid is approached from the inside, behind the lashes, so no scar shows on the skin. Fat is removed or moved into the hollow below.
Best for: Eye bags with firm, good-quality skin
Presentable after: About 7–10 days
Upper & lower together
All four lids in one operation, often combined with a brow lift or mid-face lift when the area around the eyes needs it.
Best for: Hooded upper lids and bags at the same time
Presentable after: About 2 weeks
Upper vs lower eyelid surgery
Two different operations for two different concerns. Many patients have both.
Treats
- Upper eyelid surgery
- Hooded skin on the upper lid
- Lower eyelid surgery
- Bags and puffiness under the eyes
Incision
- Upper eyelid surgery
- In the natural crease of the lid
- Lower eyelid surgery
- Below the lashes or inside the lid
Anaesthesia
- Upper eyelid surgery
- Usually local with sedation
- Lower eyelid surgery
- Sedation or general
Operation time
- Upper eyelid surgery
- About 1 hour
- Lower eyelid surgery
- About 1.5–2 hours
Presentable after
- Upper eyelid surgery
- About 7–10 days
- Lower eyelid surgery
- About 10–14 days
Typical values. Your surgeon recommends a plan after examining your eyes and photos.
Is eyelid surgery in Turkey right for you?
Most patients are between their late 30s and 70s, but some have inherited eye bags or hooded lids and come much younger.
Eyelid surgery usually suits you if
- Excess skin on your upper lids makes your eyes look heavy
- You have bags or puffiness under the eyes that don’t go away
- People often tell you that you look tired, even after a good night’s sleep
- You are healthy and can stop nicotine for 4 weeks before and after surgery
- You have realistic expectations about what the operation can change
Talk it through with your surgeon first if
- Your eyebrows sit low: a brow lift may be needed instead or as well
- You have dry eyes or wear contact lenses every day
- You have had laser eye surgery in the last 6 months
- You have thyroid eye disease or a drooping lid caused by a weak muscle (ptosis)
- You take blood thinners that cannot be paused
Your hospital and hotel in Istanbul
Your operation takes place in a JCI-accredited partner hospital; the rest of your stay is spent recovering in a 5-star hotel, both included in your package.
JCI-accredited partner hospital
Modern operating theatres, private rooms and intensive-care backup, with specialist nursing care after your operation.
5-star hotel & VIP transfers
Comfortable recovery close to the hospital. Private transfers take you to every appointment and your coordinator checks in with you every day.
Your eyelid surgeons in Istanbul
You know who will operate on you before you book, and you meet them on video first.
The MAYCLINIK Standard
Four commitments that cover your care from the first video call to long after you fly home.
MAYContour
Before surgery
Surgeons are not interchangeable. Each of ours performs certain operations far more often than others, so you are matched to the one whose routine work is your operation. You meet on video before you travel, and the plan is agreed there, not on arrival.
MAYContourMAYCare+
In Istanbul
From the moment you land to the moment you fly home, one team is responsible for you: airport transfers, your hotel stay, hospital admission, a doctor and nurse who visit you at the hotel, and a check on how you are every day, in your own language.
MAYCare+MAYCheck
Back home
The hardest part of recovery happens after you get home. For twelve months your aftercare nurse stays with you, reviewing how you are healing, telling you what is normal and what is not, and answering questions through our London and Stuttgart offices.
MAYCheckMAYCover
If anything changes
Healing is not always a straight line, and a final result can take up to a year to settle. MAYCover is how we handle it, with your surgeon, if something does need revisiting. Ask your coordinator what it covers, before you book, rather than after.
MAYCover
Eyelid surgery cost in Turkey: what’s included
Your price depends on whether one or both lids are treated and whether a brow or mid-face lift is added. You receive a fixed, written quote after your consultation, before you book anything.
Your MAYCLINIK package includes
- Surgeon’s and anaesthetist’s fees
- Pre-operative tests and consultation
- Hospital stay if needed
- Eye drops, ointment and medication
- Hotel accommodation for your whole stay in Istanbul
- VIP airport, hotel and hospital transfers
- Stitch removal and check before you fly
- Aftercare via our London and Stuttgart teams
Your 7 days in Istanbul
A typical plan for upper and lower eyelid surgery. Your coordinator adjusts it to your flights and your surgeon’s plan.
Day 1
Arrival & consultation
VIP transfer to your hotel, then a consultation with your surgeon, an eye check and blood tests.
Day 2
Surgery
Usually a day case. You rest with cool compresses, then go back to your hotel in the evening.
Day 3
First check
Your surgeon checks your eyes and wounds. Swelling and bruising build up; keep up the cool compresses.
Days 4–5
Rest
Head raised, cool compresses, eye drops. Short walks are fine, reading and screens in short bursts.
Days 6–7
Stitches out & fly home
The stitches come out, your surgeon checks the result and a VIP transfer takes you to the airport.
Eyelid surgery recovery, day by day
Eyelid surgery is one of the gentler facial operations. Swelling and bruising are what you see most, and they fade quickly.
Days 1–3
Swelling builds
The lids feel tight and the eyes may water or feel gritty. Cool compresses help. Pain is usually mild.
Days 5–7
Stitches out
Stitches are removed. Bruising is turning yellow and fading.
Weeks 1–2
Back among people
Most people return to desk work after 7–10 days. Light make-up is fine once the wounds have closed.
Weeks 3–4
Getting active
Contact lenses and exercise can usually be resumed. The scar in the upper lid is still pink.
Months 3–6
Final result
The last swelling has gone and the scars have faded into the crease.
What helps
- Cool compresses for the first 48 hours
- Sleep with your head raised for the first week
- Wear sunglasses outside and protect the scars from the sun
- No contact lenses until your surgeon says so, usually 2–3 weeks
Eyelid surgery risks, and how we reduce them
Blepharoplasty has a low complication rate, and most side effects are temporary. These are the risks your surgeon will go through with you.
Dry or irritated eyes
Common in the first weeks and usually treated with eye drops. Patients with dry eyes before surgery need extra planning.
Difficulty closing the eyes
Some patients can’t fully close the lids while they are swollen. This normally resolves within days to weeks.
Asymmetry
Small differences between the two sides are common during healing and usually settle as the swelling goes.
Lower lid position
After lower lid surgery the lid can pull down slightly. Careful technique and lid support make this uncommon.
Bleeding
Bleeding behind the eye is very rare but serious, which is why blood pressure is controlled and you are checked before leaving the clinic.
Eyelid surgery in Turkey: frequently asked questions
Plan about 7 days. Stitches are removed after 5–7 days and your surgeon checks your eyes before you fly home.
Most patients feel tightness and mild soreness rather than pain. It is usually controlled with ordinary painkillers and cool compresses.
Upper lid scars lie in the natural crease and are hidden when your eyes are open. Lower lid scars sit just below the lashes or, with the transconjunctival technique, inside the lid where nothing shows.
Upper lid results usually last 10–15 years, and lower lid results often longer. The skin keeps ageing, so some patients have a small touch-up years later.
No. Your eyes look more open and rested, but their basic shape stays the same.
Eye make-up once the wounds have closed, usually after about 10 days. Contact lenses after about 2–3 weeks, when your surgeon has checked the healing.
Yes. If low brows push skin onto your lids, a brow lift and upper eyelid surgery are often done together. A mid-face lift is a common addition to lower lid surgery.
Cosmetic eyelid surgery is not usually covered. If heavy lids block your vision, some insurers cover upper lid surgery at home, so it is worth asking them first.
There is no fixed age. Most patients are in their late 30s to 70s, but inherited eye bags or hooded lids can be treated earlier.
It can be, if your provider is licensed by the Turkish Ministry of Health, your surgeon is named and qualified, you are treated in an accredited hospital and you stay until your stitches are out. MAYCLINIK holds licence AK-0086.
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