Last fact-checked: 18 July 2020

Get rid of unsightly, baggy skin around the eyes with eye bag removal surgery. This guide outlines what this popular treatment entails, who it’s suitable for, typical recovery times and other key considerations. 

When you book through Medical Departures, it’s possible to save over 70% at our partner clinics around the world. 

Also known as blepharoplasty, the surgery is used for correcting defects or cosmetically modifying areas around the eyelids of both the upper and lower lids.

It is common to lose muscle tone and skin elasticity around the eyes as we get older, which results in the formation of deep creases under the lower eyelids and loose folds on the upper eyelids. This can make you look tired, older than you really are and in some cases, it may even affect your vision.

Eye bags can be exacerbated a number of factors, including: 

• Genetics

• Smoking 

• Too much exposure to the sun

• Lack of sleep/insomnia

• Poor diet

If you have droopy, baggy eyelids, especially if they are causing you problems with vision, then the answer here is yes, providing you are in good health and you have no other eye problems.

Most patients who have this procedure are over 35 but if it is a hereditary problem in your family then you may want to consider having it earlier. 

Eye bag surgery will not:

• Remove Crow’s feet

• Get rid of dark circles 

• Decrease other wrinkles from around the eye

• Lift your eyebrows

You may consider undergoing other facial cosmetic surgery to tackle these problems.

Eye bag removal surgery will usually be performed under a local anesthetic or light sedation. Depending on the extent of the procedure (i.e. whether you are having the upper lids done, the lower or both) it will take between one and three hours.

For the upper eyelid, incisions are made in the creases of your upper lids, following the natural lines of your eyelids. Excess fat is removed through the incisions and excess skin removed before being stitched.

For the lower eyelids, a transconjunctival blepharoplasty is made inside the lower eyelid, which leaves no scar visible.

Immediately after surgery, your eyes will be bruised and swollen and steri-strips may have been applied over the stitches. You will usually be given ointment to prevent infection and to stop your eyes from drying out.

You will need to take it easy for up to five days after surgery. Activities that raise your blood pressure, such as lifting and bending should be avoided, and you should not take part in any strenuous activities, including sports, for three weeks.

Smoking and alcohol should be avoided immediately afterward as they can hinder the recovery process.

Your scars will be pink for up to six months, but gradually they will fade to a practically-invisible, thin, white line over time.

Although this depends on where you travel for treatment, most patients save at least 50%. Some people have saved as much as 85% by having eye bag removal surgery abroad.

In the United States, eye bag removal costs around $3,200, whereas in Thailand it's $1,250 and in the Philippines average prices are around $1,000. [Please note: these are average price comparisons calculated at the time of writing.]

Get started by taking a look at our quality-checked clinics in these popular medical tourism destinations:

• Clinics for bag removal in Thailand

• Clinics for bag removal in the Philippines

• Clinics for bag removal in Mexico

• For a wider search, see our full eye bag removal clinic listings here. 

The Medical Departures Customer Care team is also available 24/7 to provide additional information and assistance with booking. Or if you are ready to book your appointment you can do so right here any time of the day or night, at no charge to you.

Sources:

Bags Under Eyes. WebMD. 3 December 2019.  https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bags-under-eyes/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20369931" target="_blank

Nall, Rachel. Eye Bag Surgery: What You Need to Know If You’re Considering This Cosmetic Surgery. Healthline. 8 March 2019. https://www.healthline.com/health/eye-bag-surgery" target="_blank

Khazan, Olga. My Pointless Battle Against Puffy Eyes. The Atlantic. 14 February 2017.  https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2017/02/under-eye-bags/516369/" target="_blank