There are many things that change in your face as you grow older, but the most disturbing – for me – was the collapse of my eyes. I dealt OK with the flaking and dark circles (that’s what a good concealer is for), but not with what was happening on my upper lids. Increasingly without elasticity and spring, between the ages of 49 and 53 they took on the appearance of deflated balloons: sad, wide and protruding.
As a beauty journalist specializing in makeovers, I inevitably looked for a scalpel-free solution. There are many eye options including fillers, neurotoxins and heat-based ‘skin resurfacing’ procedures, with prices ranging from £100 to £5,000. But if you do your research, you’ll find that often the results are minimal and don’t last. Most alarmingly, some “minimally invasive” procedures involve weeks of painful downtime (think swelling, crying, and scabbing).
Is it worth a flutter? Ingeborg’s surgery was quick and light on downtime
The ophthalmologists I spoke with said that surgery, or blepharoplasty (“blephs,” for short), was the far superior and longer-term (at least ten years) option. It was also safer and involved significantly less downtime than some non-surgical procedures – between seven and ten days, on average.
However, this is surgery – that is, scalpels, anesthetic and an operating table. Besides feeling much more serious than a quick jab, it represented a big step up the vanity ladder. I’m sure I’m not the only one who once balked at Botox, thinking it would be a slippery slope into Bride of Wildenstein territory, to becoming a (relatively) regular user while muttering “it’s not like it’s plastic surgery.” While the idea of going under the scalpel filled me with anxiety, the prospect of having my once round and bright eyes won me over.
My husband never likes to mess with my face, but he was relieved to learn that eyelash extensions are one of the surgeries with the highest success rates. According to Nora Nugent, president of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, its 2023 audit showed that demand for eyelashes (the fourth most popular cosmetic surgery procedure in the UK) was static, while the number of cosmetic procedures performed overall had decreased by 16 percent. , indicating a steady uptake of ‘eye makeover’ surgery.
BEFORE: In her early 50s, Ingeborg felt her upper eyelids lose their elasticity and spring
I knew some very good eye surgeons but I talked about Prof Jonathan Roos and Dr Rachna Murthy who are not only ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgeons but also ophthalmologists (eye doctors). Working as a team, they operate in one eye each in unison, like a pair of synchronized divers. The idea of having two highly specialized brains at my disposal appealed to me, as did their informal approach (“this should be fun!”) and their 360-degree eye knowledge (I’m severely short-sighted and have dry eyes. I should have known that I was in safe hands).
Before the op, we had two in-depth consultations to discuss my wishes, expectations and concerns. As much as I wanted my eyes a decade ago (photos provided), I was adamant that I didn’t want to go out looking “altered” like my mom, who looked clearly stunned for about two years after her eyelash in 1997. This guy overcorrection is a thing of the past, they explained, and modern blepharoplasty is much more subtle, producing results that leave people guessing. They also tended to remove a minimal amount of skin to ensure that my dry eye condition did not worsen.
However, the day of the function found me terrified. Professor Roos and Dr Murthy perform upper eyelid flaps using local anaesthetic, which eliminates the risks of general anesthesia and is believed to promote faster recovery. But, of course, it means you’re awake while people cut your caps and sew them back on. Nondescript.
In this case, the experience was non-traumatic and could be considered mildly “fun”, with the surgeons reassuring me all along the way. Pain isn’t a problem: injections of anesthetic into your eyelids, using the world’s thinnest needle (and a ‘vibrator’ – on your temples – to distract from the sting) ensure you’re completely numb, while diazepam ensures that you are mentally cold.
AFTER: After surgery, she is pleased to see that her eye shape has returned
The process was over in 30 minutes. During that time, a strip of skin was removed from each eyelid, as well as some loose fat from the inner corners of my eyes. After pulling the lot again, a firm pressure pad was applied to my eyes to reduce swelling while I relaxed in an anteroom for an hour.
I emerged with pink puffy lids and eye creases accented with tiny blue stitches – very Halloweeny. It felt a little tight but not painful and I could see normally. I was given eye drops, antibacterial ointment and an eye mask that reduces inflammation to apply several times a day for a week. I was told not to bend over for the first two days, not to exercise for ten, and to avoid any pressure on the wounds. A date was set for a week to have the stitches removed – on my 54th birthday.
The swelling and redness disappeared within five days, although one stitch remained slightly irritated for another week. I was given ointment to treat it. I could wear my contact lenses and makeup within a week. My pink scars weren’t visible as they were firmly attached to the creases of my eyes. The most amazing thing is that I felt no pain. The whole thing was surprisingly low in downtime.
The results? As restrained, as remarkable. The light returned to my eyes, where before it seemed as if the blinds were down. The creepy bulge is gone so I can see my upper lids without having to lift my eyebrows and my eye shape is back.
After four months, the scars are gone. Surprisingly, it is only female colleagues in their 50s and 60s who have branched out. “You look great,” they say, looking into my eyes. “Aha. This is really good. Who did it?’ To my younger friends, I have to point out the differences, to which they respond with “Oh yeah…but I didn’t see a problem before.” My husband is about the same.
Do I feel like I could have gone further? Encouraged by the relatively easy process and results, I now focus on a little slack left in my eye creases. In theory, this could be fixed by removing another half a millimeter…
Maybe plastic surgery is slippery after all.
Inge went to Facial Restoration.
Prices up to £7,000 (surgery only).
To find an eyelid surgeon go to bopss.co.uk/
Hair and Makeup: Catherine Legg
