Eyelid Surgery in Abu Dhabi: A Patient's Guide

Eyelid surgery — blepharoplasty, to give it its medical name — removes the excess skin and fat pockets that make eyes look tired, heavy or older, working on the upper lids, the lower lids or both. Surgery takes one to two hours, patients go home the same day, and results typically last 10 to 15 years. Dr. Paulo Michels, a Brazilian board-certified plastic surgeon, performs eyelid surgery at Elyzee Hospital in Abu Dhabi. This guide is organised the way patients actually think about the decision: by problem, not by procedure name.

Which problem do I actually have?

Most people considering eyelid surgery describe one of three situations:

• “My upper lids feel heavy and my eyes look smaller.” Excess skin on the upper lids folds over the natural crease — the hooded look. In more advanced cases it can even narrow the upper field of vision. This is the territory of upper eyelid surgery, which removes the surplus skin and fat through an incision hidden in the natural crease.
• “I look tired even when I’m not.” Puffy bags and loose skin under the eyes create a permanent air of fatigue. Lower eyelid surgery treats those fat pockets and smooths the transition between the eyelid and the cheek.
• “Both.” Very common — and both lids can be treated in a single operation.

Which of the three you fall into is decided at the examination, and it shapes everything that follows: technique, incision, downtime. The full clinical details live on the blepharoplasty procedure page; a deeper dive into the operation itself is in our blepharoplasty in Abu Dhabi article.

Is there a scarless option?

For the right candidate, yes. The transconjunctival technique works entirely through internal incisions — no visible external scar at all. It suits younger patients, early puffiness, and cases with minimal skin excess.

The honest caveat: when the eyelid has significant laxity or clearly redundant skin, internal-only surgery cannot remove what needs removing. Traditional eyelid surgery then remains the effective and lasting answer — with incisions placed so they heal into the natural crease of the upper lid, or just below the lash line, where they become very hard to see.

What is the operation actually like?

Eyelid surgery is one of the gentler facial procedures to go through. It is performed under local anaesthesia with sedation, or general anaesthesia, depending on the extent of the correction and your preference; the surgery takes one to two hours; and you are discharged the same day. Sutures are meticulously placed and removed between day 3 and day 7.

How should I plan work and social life around recovery?

A realistic Abu Dhabi calendar looks like this:

• Days 1–7: swelling and some bruising around the eyes — the week to stay home, keep the head elevated, and skip meetings you would rather not be photographed in. Sutures out between day 3 and 7.
• Week 2: most desk work is comfortable, especially with glasses; makeup can usually help cover residual bruising once the surgeon confirms the incisions are ready.
• Around day 20: healing becomes visibly settled — most patients feel at ease at weddings, majlis gatherings and dinners.
• Three months: complete healing for most patients. Over 60, smokers, and patients with certain health conditions should allow longer — up to a year for the very final refinement.

Results last 10 to 15 years for most patients. Because ageing continues, some later add complementary non-surgical treatments — botulinum toxin, fillers, plasma jet or laser — to keep the refreshed look longer.

When should I contact the surgeon during recovery?

Call the surgical team promptly if you notice bleeding that does not settle with gentle pressure, pain that worsens instead of easing, spreading redness or warmth around the incisions, fever, discharge from a wound, or any change in vision — the last one warrants urgent assessment. Routine follow-up reviews are scheduled in advance.

How do consultations work in Abu Dhabi?

Consultations and surgery take place at Elyzee Hospital in Abu Dhabi, where Dr. Michels — board certified by the Brazilian Society of Plastic Surgery, member of ISAPS, ASPS and EPSS — examines your lids, tells you plainly whether you need upper, lower or combined eyelid surgery, and whether the scarless technique is realistic in your case. Patients travelling from Dubai are seen routinely, with appointments grouped to reduce journeys. The consultation is unhurried, in English, Portuguese or Spanish — and if a smaller treatment would serve you better than surgery, that is exactly what you will be told.