Eyelid lift in Berlin: Which correction is suitable?
An eyelid lift in Berlin can correct excess skin on the upper or lower eyelids – dark circles, drooping brows or expression lines require other causes to be considered.
During my consultation on Kurfürstendamm, we work together to determine which area is changing the appearance of your eyes.
We look at which treatment suits your wish for a fresher, more rested appearance.
- Treatment duration
- Depends on the area treated and the extent of treatment
- Ready for social activities
- Often after about one to two weeks, depending on the healing process
- Anaesthesia
- Local or general anaesthesia, tailored to the individual
- Clinic stay
- Depends on the individual treatment plan
- Fit for work
- Often after about one to two weeks, depending on work demands and the healing process
- Exercise
- Resumption as individually agreed during follow-up care
- Wound healing
- Varies individually; an early reduction in swelling does not mean healing is complete
- Costs
- Depend on the extent of treatment, anaesthesia and follow-up care; specific cost information provided after examination
- Aftercare
- Rest and scheduled follow-up appointments; specific guidance can be found in the Aftercare tab.
We discuss incision placement, anaesthesia and aftercare. In principle, local or general anaesthesia may be used; the choice depends on the planned procedure and your individual circumstances. For upper eyelid correction, the incision is usually made in the natural eyelid crease. For the lower eyelid, depending on the findings, the approach is below the lash line or, in suitable cases, from the inside through the conjunctiva. Depending on the findings, muscle or fatty tissue may be removed in addition to excess eyelid skin, or fat pads may be redistributed.
Swelling, bruising and pain may occur after an eyelid lift. Surgical risks include postoperative bleeding, infections and impaired wound healing. Dry eyes and problems closing the eyelids completely are also possible.
After a lower eyelid lift, the lower eyelid may pull away from the eyeball and increased tearing may occur. This malposition may resolve; if it persists, further correction may be necessary. Please contact us if your eyes become more irritated or red.
Bleeding or infections in the eye socket area can also affect vision. Contact us immediately if you experience severe or persistent pain, or sudden severe or rapidly increasing swelling. If we cannot be reached immediately, go directly to an emergency medical facility. If you develop new visual disturbances, go to an emergency medical facility immediately without waiting for a response from us.
We agree on preparation instructions with you individually, particularly regarding medication.
Swelling, bruising and pain may occur after an eyelid lift. Recovery includes physical rest and the agreed follow-up appointments. How long you should take a break from work, exercise or cosmetics depends on the area treated, the extent of treatment and your healing process.
Cooling can relieve discomfort; we discuss how to do this as part of your aftercare. You should avoid direct sunlight during the healing phase. The pages on upper and lower eyelid lifts provide more detail on the relevant preparation and recovery.
An early reduction in swelling is not the same as complete healing.
What does an eyelid lift mean?
An eyelid lift, medically known as blepharoplasty, is a surgical procedure to correct excess eyelid skin. Depending on the findings, muscle or fatty tissue may also be removed, or fat pads may be redistributed. Treatment may involve the upper eyelid, the lower eyelid or both areas.
Upper and lower eyelids compared
| Upper eyelid lift | Lower eyelid lift | |
|---|---|---|
| Treatment area | Excess tissue above the eye. | Excess skin and, where present, protruding fat pads below the eyes. |
| Typical findings | Hooded eyelids: skin hangs over the natural eyelid crease and may partially cover the mobile upper eyelid. | Excess skin or visible bulges under the eyes. |
| Surgical approach | The incision is usually placed in the natural eyelid crease. | Depending on the findings, below the lash line or, in suitable cases, from the inside through the conjunctiva. |
| Important during the examination | True drooping of the entire upper eyelid must be distinguished from hooded eyelids and requires a separate examination. | In addition to the visible bulge, we assess the position and stability of the lower eyelid. |
I explain in more detail what changes are possible and how to plan your recovery time on the page about upper eyelid lifts. The additional guidance on hooded eyelids and possible surgery helps you distinguish excess skin from other causes of a heavy-eyed appearance.
I explain the surgical approaches and appropriate preparation and recovery in more detail on the page about lower eyelid lifts.
Eye bags are visible bulges under the eyes. However, persistently protruding tissue is not the same as fluctuating swelling or a dark under-eye circle. Before you have eye bags removed, the cause therefore needs to be established: the upper and lower eyelids each require their own assessment.
When is an eyelid lift appropriate?
The main concern is often the desire for a more open-eyed appearance. However, in some cases, the procedure may also be medically necessary. If overhanging skin restricts the visual field, an ophthalmological assessment is required first; a purely aesthetic change and a functional impairment must be assessed differently.
When several areas are considered together
In some cases, the upper and lower eyelids are lifted at the same time. This may be considered if both areas show changes that warrant treatment and you would like them corrected. The desire for a more rested facial expression alone does not justify combined surgery.
For a combined blepharoplasty, both areas are examined individually and then considered together. We discuss what additional benefit a combination might offer for your specific concern. The greater extent of treatment and the recovery are also part of this assessment.
It is equally possible to focus initially only on the area that actually concerns you. Brow or wrinkle treatment is not automatically included. Together, we determine what should be changed—and what can deliberately be left as it is.
What result can be achieved with an eyelid lift?
If overhanging skin conceals your eyelid crease, an upper eyelid lift can make it more visible again and give your eyes a more open and rested appearance. On the lower eyelid, we can correct suitable areas of excess skin and protruding fat pads so that the contour under the eyes appears smoother. We discuss which changes suit your eye area based on your examination findings.
An eyelid lift does not stop the natural ageing process. Incision lines are planned to blend into natural contours as much as possible. Nevertheless, external incisions leave scars, whose visibility may vary from person to person.
An early reduction in swelling is not the same as completed healing; nor can the longevity of the results be universally defined as a fixed number of years.
Keeping your proportions and eyelid function in view
The aim is not to remove as much tissue as possible. What matters is a correction that suits your natural proportions and the function of your eyelids.
When brows, dark circles or wrinkles change the appearance of your eyes
For me, eyelid correction in Berlin begins not with the choice of an operation, but with a look at the entire eye area. Lowered eyebrows can push tissue together above the upper eyelid and accentuate excess skin. Upper eyelid correction alone may then fail to address the underlying cause.
Dark under-eye circles also have different causes. A hollow that casts a shadow must be assessed differently from dark skin pigmentation. A lower eyelid lift does not automatically lighten the skin; small laughter lines beside the eyes may also remain.
Crow’s feet develop in connection with the movement of the facial muscles. Depending on the findings, other treatment approaches may be considered for movement-related wrinkles or deepened tear troughs. Our overview of facial treatments puts these options and their risks into context without implying that they should automatically be combined with eyelid surgery.
Cooling compresses can relieve temporary swelling, but they do not remove excess skin. The term laser treatment also requires a distinction: a surgical laser can serve as a cutting instrument, whereas a superficial laser treatment acts on the skin’s surface. These are different applications, not interchangeable forms of the same lift.
From your examination to the treatment plan for your eyelid lift in Berlin
Your concern comes first: what do you notice in the mirror, and what change would you like? The examination findings determine whether surgical correction is appropriate and what its limitations are. I examine:
- The skin and tissue distribution
- The brow position and the function of your eyelids
Symptoms and pre-existing conditions
Please speak openly about visual symptoms, dry eyes, known medical conditions, allergies and previous treatments. Any medication you take regularly is also important for planning. If your vision is impaired, please first have the cause assessed by an ophthalmologist; any existing findings will help us with our further assessment.
Planning and preparation
We also discuss incision placement, anaesthesia and aftercare. In principle, local or general anaesthesia may be considered; the choice depends on the planned procedure and your individual circumstances. We tailor preparation instructions, particularly those concerning medication, to you individually.
Your decision
You should understand why I suggest a particular option. This also includes possible complications and whether your expectations can be met with the procedure. Between the consultation and your decision, there is time for reflection and further questions.
What determines the work involved and the costs
The cost of your eyelid correction depends on the area treated, the extent of tissue correction, any combination of procedures, the anaesthesia and the agreed aftercare. Upper eyelid correction alone involves a different amount of work from treating both eyelid areas.
If you compare offers, these questions will help: What type of anaesthesia is planned? What care is included, and how are follow-up examinations organised? This allows you to assess the price and scope of services together.
After examining your eye area, we explain the expected total costs based on your personal treatment plan – before you make your decision.
Your questions about suitable eyelid correction
You do not need to know which method you would like before a consultation about an eyelid lift in Berlin. It is helpful if you can describe whether you are concerned about overhanging skin, a bulge, shadows or wrinkles. Together, we assess these observations and discuss which of them eyelid correction can actually affect.
I am Andrea Caletti, a specialist in Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery and a specialist in Surgery. You can find out more about my professional journey and my approach on my personal page. It is important to me to understand your wishes and explain the options to you clearly.
I look forward to meeting you at Kurfürstendamm 200, 10719 Berlin, c/o Vita Aesthetica. Please feel free to book an appointment for your personal consultation.
Do you have questions about eyelid lifts?
Space for your questions
What is the difference between an upper and a lower eyelid lift?
An upper eyelid lift corrects excess skin and, where appropriate, other tissue above the eyes, for example in cases of hooded eyelids. A lower eyelid lift addresses the area below the eyes and can treat excess skin or protruding fat pads. The two procedures have different planning requirements. Dark circles, lowered brows and expression lines are not automatically treated as part of eyelid surgery.
Is blepharoplasty another term for an eyelid lift?
Blepharoplasty is the medical term for the surgical correction of excess tissue on the eyelids. This may include removing skin and correcting or redistributing other tissues. Blepharoplasty can be performed on the upper eyelids, lower eyelids or both areas. The term does not automatically refer to treatment of all changes around the eyes.
Can an upper eyelid lift also treat bags under the eyes?
An upper eyelid lift treats the tissue above the eyes and does not correct bags on the lower eyelids. For bulges under the eyes, a distinction must first be made between permanently protruding tissue and fluctuating swelling. A lower eyelid lift may be considered if the tissue findings are suitable. Dark circles, in turn, need to be assessed separately.
Can upper and lower eyelids be corrected at the same time?
Upper and lower eyelids can be corrected together in suitable cases. This requires relevant findings in both areas and a combined treatment that suits your wishes and health circumstances. We discuss the potential benefits as well as the additional work involved and recovery. A combination is not an automatic recommendation.
Will dark circles or crow’s feet disappear with an eyelid lift?
An eyelid lift does not automatically make dark circles or crow’s feet disappear. Lower eyelid correction does not lighten dark skin, and fine laughter lines may remain. With dark circles, a distinction must also be made between skin pigmentation and shadows caused by hollows. Which treatment might be appropriate therefore depends on the specific cause.
Why is brow position also examined before eyelid correction?
Lowered eyebrows can push tissue together above the upper eyelids and accentuate the appearance of hooded eyelids. An upper eyelid lift alone may not adequately address this cause. Before eyelid correction, I therefore also examine the position of the brows and their interaction with the forehead and eyelids. This does not automatically mean that additional brow treatment is necessary.
Which factors determine the cost of an eyelid lift?
The determining factors are the eyelid areas treated, the extent of correction, the anaesthesia and the aftercare. We discuss your specific total costs with you after the examination.
How long does recovery after an eyelid lift take?
After an eyelid lift, many people can resume social activities and work after about one to two weeks. This is a guide and does not mean that healing is complete. The extent of treatment, work demands and individual recovery affect the time off needed. During aftercare, we agree on when you can resume sport, use cosmetics and undertake more strenuous activities.
How do we assess my personal risk before an eyelid lift?
Please tell us about dry eyes, visual symptoms, known medical conditions, allergies and previous treatments. Any medication you take regularly should also be part of this conversation. Together with the examination of your eyelids, this helps us weigh up the risks of the planned procedure with you individually.
You can find possible complications, warning signs and specific ways to get help above in the Risks tab.