MATTHEW POTTER

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MATTHEW POTTER

Lower Eyelid Surgery | Lower Blepharoplasty

Puffiness, hollowing, or looseness beneath the eyes can make you look tired even when you’re not — and lower eyelid ageing presents differently in every patient.

Lower blepharoplasty addresses excess skin, protruding fat, and laxity of the lid structures, using a combination of techniques tailored to each patient’s anatomy rather than a single standard approach. It can also be performed alongside a procedure to elevate the outer corner of the eye, for a more lifted, youthful appearance.
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Why Mr Potter

Lower Blepharoplasty

15 years performing lower eyelid surgery

0% long-term pain

0% haematoma post-operatively

0% unplanned return to theatre within 30 days

0% asymmetry requiring revision

Average post-operative stay: 1 night

Return to office work: 2-4 weeks

PHIN patient satisfaction score: 99%

PHIN is an independent government audit of consultant patient outcomes, randomly sampling post-operative patients. A 99% satisfaction score places Mr Potter among the highest-rated plastic surgeons in the country.

Understanding Lower Eyelid Ageing

Lower eyelid ageing presents differently in every patient. Some have excess skin. Others have fat that bulges below the lid margin. Some have laxity in the lid structures that causes the lid to pull away from the eye. Many have a combination of all three.

There is no single procedure that addresses all of these — and Mr Potter does not apply one. He tailors the approach to each patient’s lower lid anatomy, using a combination of techniques selected for what that individual needs.

Why a tailored approach matters

person's right eye

Patient Imagery

JM-pre-op-PS-hall-marked
JM-post-op-PS-hall-marked
lower-lid-Bleph-pre-op
lower-lid-blepharoplasty-post-op-cropped
Male-Lower-Blepharoplasty-Pre-Op
Male-Lower-Blepharoplasty-Post-Op
Lower-Blepharoplasty-1-Before
Lower-Blepharoplasty-1-After

The Procedure

You will be admitted to the ward on the day of your procedure, where you will be seen by the anaesthetist and Mr Potter. Your face will be marked and you will have the opportunity to discuss the operation further if needed.

Lower blepharoplasty is performed under general anaesthetic and takes approximately two to three hours, depending on the combination of techniques required. All wounds are closed with sutures, taped to the skin, and removed at one week in the outpatient clinic.

You will recover on the ward for the post-operative day and night, and are likely to be discharged after one night’s stay in hospital. On the first day following the procedure, your wound sites will be checked, and you will be asked to shower — wound tapes should be washed thoroughly and allowed to air dry.

You will be discharged with oral pain relief, on average needed for two to four days. You will be given eye drops to apply to the eye every morning and night for the first two weeks after the procedure. Sutures and tapes are removed at one week in the outpatient clinic.

Recovery — Upper Blepharoplasty

Days 1–2 – Significant swelling; most patients remain in hospital for one night

Day 1 onwards – Wash the area twice daily

1 week – Sutures and tapes removed at outpatient clinic

1–2 weeks – Swelling continues to settle

2-4 weeks -Most patients return to office-based work, depending on individual recovery and job

3 weeks – Review with Mr Potter

1 month – Avoid contact lenses until this point

Do's and don'ts:

  • Sleep with three pillows to raise the head and minimise swelling
  • Apply eye drops morning and night for the first two weeks after the procedure
  • Apply eye ointment every night as directed
  • Avoid screens in the immediate post-operative period — reduced blinking causes the eye to dry out
  • Avoid contact lenses for one month after the procedure
  • Avoid makeup until all wounds are confirmed fully healed at the outpatient clinic
  • Avoid coughing, straining and bending for at least two weeks
  • Avoid strenuous exercise for 6 weeks
  • Only return to driving when you have the strength to perform an emergency manoeuvre

Follow-up

You will be reviewed at 7 days at your original hospital, where the wound is checked and sutures removed. Mr Potter will review you again at 3 weeks to assess your progress, with regular reviews thereafter until the result has fully settled.

Lower Blepharoplasty

The only approach that avoids a skin incision entirely is fat redraping — repositioning the fat that causes the bulge beneath the lid rather than removing it. All other techniques involve a small incision placed within a natural skin fold at the outer corner of the lower lid, where it is well concealed.

To rejuvenate the lower eyelid, Mr Potter tightens the skin and, where needed, the fat behind the lower eyelid skin. This can be undertaken alongside procedures to elevate the outer corner of the eye, giving a more youthful “feline” appearance where appropriate. Where suitable, Mr Potter can also restore the natural slope of the eye for a more defined appearance.
Mr Potter reviews lower blepharoplasty with patients on several occasions before recommending it, given the complexity of the lower lid structures, and will discuss all risks with you in detail during your consultations.
Risks associated with lower eyelid surgery include:
  • Swelling and bruising — expected; bruising may resemble black eyes in the first few days; settles within one to two weeks
  • Dry eyes — temporary; avoid prolonged screen use in the early recovery period; eye drops provided
  • Changes in sensation — uncommon; usually temporary
  • Ectropion — a weakening of the lower lid causing it to droop below its desired position and potentially cause the eye to become red. Mr Potter tightens the lid structures as part of the procedure specifically to minimise this risk.
  • Blurred or double vision — exceptionally rare; caused by temporary muscle weakness around the eye socket due to swelling; settles within days to a week
  • Bleeding / haematoma — a collection of blood at the operative site that may require a return to theatre; rare. Bleeding behind the eyeball is exceptionally rare but has been reported to cause blindness.
  • Scarring — incisions run within the lower lid and into a natural crease at the outer corner, planned to lie within normal skin folds; abnormal or raised scarring is rare
  • Asymmetry — rare; Mr Potter’s outcome data records 0% asymmetry requiring revision
  • Infection — exceptionally uncommon in this area given the rich blood supply
  • Over- or under-correction — Mr Potter is more likely to remove slightly less tissue than more; an under-corrected result is more straightforward to adjust than an over-corrected one
  • Clots in the legs or lungs (DVT/PE) — any operation under general anaesthetic carries this risk; specialist stockings and blood-thinning injections are provided during your inpatient stay to reduce it
  • Further procedures — where any adjustments are needed, Mr Potter and his hospital teams are happy to facilitate further surgery to ensure you are happy with your final result

What Patients Say

I would just like to say thank-you for all the help you have given me. It’s nice to know that there are doctors like you around.
A huge and heartfelt thanks for everything you have done for me.
VIEW FEEDBACK

Frequently Asked Questions

What is lower blepharoplasty?

Lower blepharoplasty addresses excess skin, protruding fat, and structural laxity of the lower eyelid. The technique used is tailored to each patient’s anatomy, and is performed under general anaesthetic.

This is something Mr Potter assesses carefully in consultation. Lower lid ageing can involve excess skin, fat bulging, structural laxity, or a combination — and the right approach depends on which of these is present. Mr Potter examines the lower lid and surrounding structures before making any recommendation.

Where an incision is needed, it’s placed within a natural skin fold at the outer corner of the eye. In cases treated with fat redraping alone, no skin incision is required. Scars typically become imperceptible within a few months.

Lower blepharoplasty is performed under general anaesthetic. A pre-operative health check is required before admission, and most patients stay one night in hospital.

Yes — it’s commonly performed as part of a mid or lower facelift, or alongside a procedure to elevate the outer corner of the eye. Mr Potter will discuss the full picture with you during consultation.

Most patients return to work at around two to four weeks, with swelling continuing to settle over the following weeks. Mr Potter will review you at 7 days and again at 3 weeks, then at regular intervals until the result has fully settled.

Mr Potter performs eyelid surgery at the Manor Hospital in Oxford, Ridgeway Hospital in Swindon.

Book a Consultation

Contact us if you have any health concerns or are looking to get a consultation. You can contact Matthew Potter by using the form below or contact him through one of the available telephone numbers or email addresses listed on this page.

Private Secretary & All Correspondence

T. 07917 965717

Swindon - Ridgeway Hospital

T. 01793 814848

Cheltenham - ProDerm, Festival House

T. 0800 0489230

Oxfordshire - Stratum Clinic,
Wootton Business Park

T. 01865 320790

Cotswold Surgical Partnership, Royal Wootton Bassett​

T: 0808 2803560

Oxford - The Manor Hospital

T. 01865 307777

Contact Lissie on 07917 965717 or use the form below.