Surgical · Face
Consultant-led upper-eyelid surgery that removes hooded, heavy skin and opens the eye, for a rested, awake look that is still unmistakably yours.
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Hello!
Medically reviewed by Dr Hassan SoueidConsultant Cosmetic & Plastic Surgeon
Overview
Upper blepharoplasty is the surgical removal of excess skin, and where necessary a small amount of fat, from the upper eyelid. With age the eyelid skin stretches and the brow descends, creating a hood that can sit on the lashes, tire the eyes and, in heavier cases, narrow the field of vision.
At Kensington Cosmetic Clinic the procedure is performed personally by Dr Hassan Soueid under local anaesthetic (with sedation if preferred), through an incision hidden precisely in the natural upper-eyelid crease. The fine scar sits in shadow and is invisible with the eyes open.
Our brief is restraint. The goal is an eye that looks rested and open, not operated on. We remove enough to lift the hood and no more, preserving your natural crease, lash line and expression.
Done well, an upper blepharoplasty is impossible to spot. People notice you look rested, they cannot say why.
How it works
A schematic of the most common indication, a hooded upper lid. The surgical plan is mapped on your own anatomy at consultation; what is removed is conservative, what remains is yours.
Before
The hooded upper lid, excess skin resting on the crease and, in some cases, medial fat fullness assessed with the brow in its natural position.
Surgical plan
A conservative crescent of excess skin is marked within the natural crease; fat is repositioned only where it bulges. Any true lid droop (ptosis) is corrected in the same operation.
After
An open, rested eye with the crease restored. The fine scar hides in the crease and settles to near-invisibility over a few months.
How it works
A diagram of the procedure. Hover any pulsing marker to see how each layer of the upper eyelid is treated by Dr Hassan.
Hover or tap any highlighted region
Illustration is anatomical only, the procedure is tailored individually at consultation.
Treated Areas
Most cases combine skin removal with subtle refinement of the crease and fat, keeping the result balanced and natural rather than hollow.
Excess eyelid skin
Redundant skin (dermatochalasis) that hoods the crease and can rest on the lashes. Removed as a conservative crescent within the natural crease.
Loss of the crease
A crease buried by overhanging skin. Re-defined so make-up sits properly again and the eye reads open.
Field-of-vision hooding
Heavy skin that narrows the upper field of vision. Where functionally significant, this may be assessable for medical rather than purely cosmetic treatment.
Medial fat pad
Fullness at the inner corner of the eye from a bulging medial fat pad. Conservatively trimmed or repositioned, never over-hollowed.
Central fat pad
Puffiness across the mid-lid. Refined to smooth the contour while preserving youthful volume.
Lacrimal gland fullness
A prolapsed tear gland at the outer upper lid, occasionally mistaken for fat. Gently repositioned where present.
Coexisting lid droop (ptosis)
A true droop of the lid margin from a stretched levator. Tightened in the same operation so the eye opens fully and symmetrically.
Brow position
A descended brow can mimic or worsen hooding. Assessed together, as brow lift and eyelid surgery are sometimes complementary.
Left-to-right symmetry
Small natural differences between the eyes are measured and planned for, so both lids match after healing.
Candidate
Benefits at KCC
Investment
Every patient is different, the area, technique and number of stages shape the plan. We share full pricing during your private consultation, after Dr Hassan or your treating clinician has reviewed your goals in person.
Before
Upper blepharoplasty is a minor operation, but a little preparation keeps healing quick and bruising minimal.
Approach
The technique is tailored to your anatomy at consultation, not chosen by default.
Approach 1
For lids where hooding is purely excess skin, a conservative crescent is removed within the crease and closed with fine sutures. The quickest to heal, with the most reliably invisible scar.
Approach 2
Where puffiness from the medial or central fat pad accompanies the excess skin, a small amount of fat is repositioned or trimmed and a thin strip of muscle refined, smoothing the whole lid.
Dr Hassan selects the approach during consultation, after examining your eyelids and discussing your goals.
The Treatment
With you sitting upright, the natural crease and exact skin to be removed are marked on each lid. Local anaesthetic is then infiltrated (with light sedation if you have chosen it).
Performed in our CQC-registered treatment room. Operative time is typically 45–90 minutes for both eyes.
This is a walk-in, walk-out procedure. You rest for a short while, then go home the same afternoon with cool packs and simple aftercare instructions.
Step by Step
From the first consultation to the final review, what to expect at every stage of upper eyelid surgery at KCC.
01 · The Consultation
Dr Hassan assesses skin, fat, crease height, brow position and lid function, and checks for any hidden droop (ptosis). Standardised photography and a frank discussion of what surgery can and cannot achieve for your anatomy.
02 · Preparation
Four weeks of smoking cessation. Two weeks off blood-thinners and supplements. We confirm the plan, skin-only or skin-and-fat, and whether ptosis correction is included, and arrange your day-of logistics.
03 · The Procedure
Performed personally by Dr Hassan under local anaesthetic in our CQC-registered room. A conservative crescent of skin is removed within your natural crease; fat is refined only where it bulges. Both lids are planned to match. You go home the same afternoon.
04 · Recovery & Aftercare
Cool packs for the first 48 hours. Sutures removed at day 5–7. Bruising typically gone by day 10–14. Most patients return to work and social life within two weeks, with the fine scar settling over the following months.
After
Upper blepharoplasty is one of the most comfortable facial procedures, most patients describe tightness rather than pain. Bruising and swelling settle quickly.
Results
The improvement is visible immediately, then simply gets cleaner as swelling and the fine scar settle.
Questions
The incision is placed inside your natural upper-eyelid crease, so with your eyes open the scar sits in shadow and is effectively invisible. In the first weeks it is a fine pink line, which fades to a pale, near-undetectable mark over a few months.
No, that is exactly what our conservative technique avoids. We remove only enough skin to lift the hood, preserve your crease and lash line, and never over-resect. The aim is a rested, awake eye that still looks like you.
Very little. It is performed under local anaesthetic and most patients describe tightness or mild soreness rather than pain, easily managed with paracetamol. The main sensation in the first week is dryness or grittiness, helped with artificial tears.
Upper blepharoplasty is long-lasting, most patients enjoy the result for ten years or more. It does not stop ageing entirely, but the skin removed does not return; any future change is gradual and usually modest.
Yes. Upper blepharoplasty is often combined with a brow lift, lower blepharoplasty, or a facelift for a balanced result, and any coexisting lid droop (ptosis) is corrected in the same operation. Dr Hassan will advise what is appropriate at consultation.
Sometimes. A descended brow can create or worsen upper-lid hooding, and treating the lid alone would not fully address it. Dr Hassan assesses brow position alongside the eyelid so the right procedure, or combination, is recommended.
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