Lower blepharoplasty removes the excess fat and/or skin responsible for eye bags. In most cases these changes are due to age-related tissue laxity. Patients typically notice bags under the eyes, dark circles or a tired look.
The indication
An eye examination confirms the surgical indication and rules out any contraindications.
The procedure
The procedure is performed as day surgery under local or general anaesthesia and takes about thirty minutes. The incision is made just below the lash line (subciliary) or inside the eyelid (transconjunctival) depending on the technique chosen. Recovery involves little pain, with variable swelling and bruising in the first few days.
Scar and recovery
With a subciliary incision, stitches are removed between the 5th and 7th day after surgery. With a transconjunctival incision there are no stitches to remove. The detailed timeline (swelling, back to work, sport, make-up) is described in our article Blepharoplasty recovery: what to expect.
BeforeAfter
BeforeAfter
Frequently asked questions
Does under-eye bag surgery leave a scar?
Not in most cases: the transconjunctival approach, through the inside of the eyelid, leaves no visible scar. When excess skin also needs to be removed, the subciliary incision is hidden at the lash line and becomes very discreet within a few weeks.
Can the bags come back after surgery?
The fat that is removed or repositioned does not grow back: the result on the bags is long-lasting. Natural ageing does however continue in the surrounding skin and tissues, which may justify other procedures years later.
Bags or hollow dark circles: what is the difference?
A true bag is a fat hernia: its treatment is surgical. A hollow dark circle is a depression between eyelid and cheek: it can be filled with hyaluronic acid at the practice, or with fat (lipostructure or fat transposition) during the blepharoplasty. The examination tells them apart — see our article under-eye bags: causes and treatments.
Information sheets from the French Society of Ophthalmology
To read before your procedure — information and consent sheet (in French):
📄 Cosmetic eyelid surgery: blepharoplasty (SFO sheet No. 30)PDFBook an appointment
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