Blepharoplasty is performed under local anesthesia in our Chatswood Clinic’s procedure room.

It is considered a minor operation and there is no need for it to be performed in an accredited day surgery or hospital setting.

AHPRA guideline permits blepharoplasty to be performed in a doctor’s clinic.

Below is the extract from the AHPRA website (accessed 30 June 2023).<LINK>

The Medical Board’s Guidelines for registered medical practitioners who perform cosmetic surgery and procedures require all cosmetic surgery (except certain types of blepharoplasty) to be performed in a facility that is accredited by an Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC) approved agency, to the ACSQHC National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards.

Blepharoplasties generally follow these steps (there may be some variations):

• In the procedure room (Chatswood and Cabramatta).
• Dr Peter Kim will confirm the instructions from the patient and mark the surgical plan on the patient’s eyelids.
• Photos are taken to ensure that the drawings match the desired eyelid shape.
• Patient is lied down in the operating table.
• Local anaesthesia is injected.
• Sagging upper eyelids are removed.
• Protruding fat is removed
• Subcutaneous layer tightened with laser.
• Skin sutured.
• The procedure takes around one hour to complete.
• You will stay in our clinic for about 30 minutes to make sure there is no bleeding and that your vital observations are normal.
• A staff will expalin to you the aftercare instructions.
• You can only be discharged under the care of an adult or via Uber/Taxi.
• All the medications (antibiotics, analgesia), prescription ointments, antiseptics and gauzes to clean the wound will be provided to you so that you can go home directly on discharge.
• You will be given Dr Peter Kim’s direct mobile number in case of emergency.

General Precautions about recovery

• The degree of swelling of eyelids is the most common concern voiced to us by patients after blepharoplasty.
• Most people will take 1-2 weeks off work. 
• The swelling generally takes 3 months to fully settle. In some individuals, this may persists much longer. However, they are generally substantially improved within 2 weeks and most people are able to return to work.
• Some eyelids will swells more than others and always one side will be more swollen and bruised than the other, as demonstrated below.

The degree of swelling varies, and significant individual differences exist, as shown below.

There are a number of complications that are generally associated with all surgeries, and some specific to upper blepharoplasty.

The following list presents the complications. Some are more common than others.

• Swelling: There will be swelling, with varying degrees of severity. In rare cases, it may last several months to a year, and it is difficult to predict before the surgery.
• Assymetry: Perfect symmetry does not exist in the real world. There may be pre-existing asymmetries that persist after the surgery.
• Scarring: Surgery will leave a scar, usually hidden in the crease to make it less noticeable. Sometimes, scars can become hypertrophic/keloid and they need treatment with anti inflammatory injections and in rare cases a scar revision.
• Wound dehiscence. Sutures are routinely removed one week after the surgery. In rare cases, the wound may open up, requiring restitching.
• Infection: We routinely administer antibiotics.
• Pain: Usually, paracetamol is sufficient.
• Undesirable cosmetic outcome: Some patients may require a revision procedure.
• Bruising: Bruising is usually self-limiting and resolves within 1-2 weeks.
• Bleeding (hematoma): Occasional bleeding may occur after discharge, typically in the middle of the night. You may need to return to the clinic to have the bleeding stopped.
• Chemosis. This is where the conjuntiva swells due to swelling or bruising. It usually resolves spontanenously but it may require some medicated eye drops.
• Allergic reaction: Allergic reactions to local anesthesia or antibiotics or antiseptics are possible.
• Numbness: Numbness is usually temporary and caused by swelling.
• Unable to close eyes:this is usually due to swelling and it is quite normal in the first week after the surgery.
• Dry eyes: if you have dry eyes before the surgery, you are more likely to have dry eyes after the surgery. It may be good idea to have some liquid tears to use after the surgery for 2-3 weeks.
• Death and blindness: These complications are extremely rare but have been reported in the literature. We have not had this complication and we are not aware of any cases in Australia.

Even when the utmost care is taken, complications can occur. Our intention is to fully inform you of the risks so that we can obtain fully informed consent. Complications are fortunately not a common occurrence.

We have even listed the most remote complications. If any of these complications particularly worry you, please bring them to the attention of Dr. Kim during the consultation. He will explain these complications to you in detail.

Important Information

In accordance with the Good Medical Practice guidelines and Medical Board of Australia expectations, patients are advised of the following:

• All surgical, invasive, non-surgical, and laser procedures carry risks.

• Complications can occur, and outcomes vary between individuals.

• Previous outcomes or clinical experience do not guarantee future results.

• Patients are encouraged to seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner before proceeding with any cosmetic procedure.

All before-and-after images displayed on this website are clinical photographs of patients treated by Dr Peter Kim and are provided for illustrative purposes only. Individual results vary.

Dr Peter Kim is a registered medical practitioner with AHPRA and holds specialist registration in General Practice. He has undertaken postgraduate training in cosmetic surgery, including specific training in cosmetic eyelid procedures, and maintains ongoing professional development in this area. His experience includes clinical practice and contributions to professional education and peer-reviewed medical publications related to cosmetic surgery.

Dr Kim practises within the scope of his registration and in accordance with AHPRA and Medical Board of Australia guidelines, including those relating to cosmetic surgery.