Before eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) in Lebanon, ask whether you need the upper lids, the lower lids or both, whether the problem is really the eyelid, what the operation will not change, how it is done, where the scars are, what the risks are, how long recovery takes and who will operate. These are the questions, with short answers from this practice. Whatever depends on your own eyes is decided at the examination in person.
Will I be examined in person, and how is the plan made?
Yes. The examination is done in person, by the surgeon who will operate. The plan is made from your own examination and your own photographs, not from a catalogue. Photographs of other people can be brought as a starting point for conversation, never as a target. The risks are gone through in full, and nothing is booked under pressure. Some patients are advised not to have the operation.
Do I need the upper lids, the lower lids, or both?
Upper eyelid surgery treats the fold of skin that hoods the upper lid. Lower eyelid surgery treats the bags under the eyes, which are fat pushing forward behind the lower lid. Some patients need one, some need both; the examination decides. See upper vs lower eyelid surgery.
Is a droopy eyelid always treated with an eyelid lift?
No. Excess skin folding over the lid is treated with blepharoplasty. A lid that sits low because the muscle that lifts it is weak is ptosis, a different condition with a different operation. The consultation tells the two apart.
What will eyelid surgery not change?
It does not change the shape of your eye, lift the brow or remove crow’s feet. Crow’s feet are treated with botulinum toxin, and a heavy brow needs a brow procedure. These are often planned together, but they are separate things. See eyelid surgery or Botox for tired eyes.
Am I a good candidate?
The usual candidate is over forty, in reasonable health, and bothered by something specific rather than generally dissatisfied. Surgery is delayed or reconsidered if you have significant dry eye, uncontrolled thyroid eye disease, or a brow that has descended enough that the eyelid is not the real problem. Smoking is asked about seriously, because nicotine narrows the small vessels that feed the thinnest skin on the body.
How is it done, and under which anaesthetic?
Local anaesthetic with light sedation for most cases; a general anaesthetic is used only for larger combined procedures. Upper lids take about forty-five minutes and all four lids about two hours. Fine sutures come out at five to seven days, and most patients go home the same day.
Where will the scars be?
On the upper lid the incision follows the natural crease, so with the eye open it is not visible. It is pink for a few weeks and fades over about six months. On the lower lid it sits just beneath the lashes, or inside the lid with no external scar at all when only fat needs treating.
What are the risks?
Dry, gritty eyes for some weeks, usually temporary; bruising and asymmetric swelling in the early weeks; and a scar that stays pink longer than expected, particularly in darker skin. Rarely: a lower lid that sits slightly low, an over-corrected upper lid, or a bleed behind the eye, which is the one true emergency, which is why you are given a number to call. They are written out in full on the eyelid surgery page.
How long is recovery, and how long do the results last?
Most patients take a week off, are presentable at ten to fourteen days, and can wear make-up from about ten days. Residual swelling falls over three to six weeks, and the line settles by six months. Upper lid surgery is generally long-lasting; most patients never need it repeated. See eyelid surgery recovery, day by day.
Who will operate, where, and who sees me afterwards?
Dr. Vincent ElKhoury is a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon and a member of the Lebanese Order of Physicians. He sees every patient himself at the clinic, and he operates on every case himself, at Hayek Hospital or Bellevue Medical Center. The same surgeon is there at every visit. The clinic is on Mkalles Main Street in Mansourieh, Metn, open Monday to Friday, 10:00 to 18:00.
More on the operation, with the risks and the recovery written out, is on the eyelid surgery in Lebanon page. This page is information, not advice, and it does not replace the examination in person.
Questions
FAQ
What should I ask before eyelid surgery in Lebanon?
Ask whether you need the upper lids, the lower lids or both, whether the problem is really the eyelid, what the operation will not change, how it is done and under which anaesthetic, where the scars are, what the risks are, how long recovery takes, and who will operate.
Is a droopy eyelid always treated with an eyelid lift?
No. Excess skin folding over the lid is treated with blepharoplasty. A lid that sits low because the muscle that lifts it is weak is ptosis, a different condition with a different operation. The consultation tells the two apart.
Does eyelid surgery remove crow’s feet or lift the eyebrows?
No. Crow’s feet are treated with botulinum toxin, and a heavy brow needs a brow procedure. Blepharoplasty addresses the eyelid itself.
Who performs eyelid surgery at this practice, and where?
Dr. Vincent ElKhoury, a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon, operates on every case himself, at Hayek Hospital or Bellevue Medical Center, after a consultation at the clinic in Mansourieh.