NHS surgeons warn over cheap eyelid surgery abroad as patients report complications

More people are choosing blepharoplasty, known as BLEF, a cosmetic eyelid operation that removes excess skin and sometimes fat or tissue. NHS oculoplastic surgeons have warned that they are seeing a rise in complications among patients who opted for cheaper surgery abroad.

During the procedure, incision lines are drawn on the eyelids before they are numbed. A practitioner uses a blade or a surgical needle to remove skin, and sometimes fat and tissue, before closing the cut. Surgeons stress that it is not a minor treatment like Botox and is more invasive.

Members of the British Oculoplastic Surgery Society reported issues including scarring and uneven results. The most common problem was patients being unable to close their eyes because too much of the eyelid had been cut away. They said removing too much skin is dangerous because it leaves the eye exposed to the elements, and correcting the damage is very difficult. Another concern was patients returning to the UK and removing their own stitches.

The investigation spoke to dozens of people who had complications after cheap eyelid surgery. One patient, Rebecca, found a Dutch company called Faceland that was charging just over £400, compared with thousands of pounds in the UK, and flew to Amsterdam two years ago. She experienced extreme swelling and then the wound above one of her eyes opened. She waited for a scab to form and for the wound to heal from the inside out. Rebecca is still happy with her new look, saying it has completely changed her face, made her look more awake and open, and reduced sagging in her eyelids.

Another woman, who does not want to be identified and is referred to as Laura, had eyelids split open and become infected days after returning to the UK following a BLEF with Faceland. Every time she closed her eyes, the wounds came apart and started weeping again. She said she was scared to close her eyes and scared to go to sleep for a long period. Laura went to her local A&E four times in a matter of days. A specialist later confirmed that too much skin had been removed.

Faceland said it offers safe BLEFs, which are performed by trained medical doctors, and that less than 1% of procedures have led to a complaint. It said patients are informed of potential complications, sign a consent form, and support is available afterwards. Both Laura and Rebecca said they received some aftercare, but it was not good enough.

Laura agreed with critics who think it is wrong to go abroad for cheap eyelid surgery and then be treated by the NHS. She said she would never have gone if she had known that could happen. She advised others to save and have the operation in the UK, where aftercare is available at all times. The report concluded that for some people a cheap BLEF transforms their lives, but for others it is not worth the risk.