Open wounds and eyes that can't close - women warn about cheap bleph eyelid surgery

Nikita Morgan, a 31-year-old woman from Dublin, underwent a blepharoplasty, or "bleph," to make her eyes more defined. She paid €750 (£650) for the procedure at a clinic in Düsseldorf, operated by Dutch company Faceland. Despite receiving a local anaesthetic, Nikita experienced extreme pain and burning skin during the surgery. She was so traumatized that she had to tape her eyes shut to sleep and feared she might lose her sight. Nikita left the clinic feeling like she was "crying blood" from her stitched-up eyelid wounds.

UK surgeons have reported a concerning number of patients experiencing complications from cheap blepharoplasty procedures, often carried out abroad. These complications include inability to close eyes properly and infections due to improperly stitched eyelid wounds. The lack of aftercare in these clinics is putting a burden on the UK's National Health Service (NHS).

Meanwhile, Faceland claims its bleph procedures are safe and quality, with less than 1% of patients reporting complaints. However, the BBC could not verify how many complications have occurred at their clinics.

Faceland, which has performed over 2,950 bleph procedures on UK patients since 2024, states that all patients receive consultations and informed consent before treatment. However, some patients report feeling anxious or uncertain during the procedure, which may influence their perception of pain. One patient, Laura, had to be airlifted to an NHS eye specialist after experiencing reopened eyelid wounds a week after her Faceland procedure.

Despite the NHS covering the cost of fixing her surgery, Laura expressed frustration with the experience, emphasizing the need for better regulation and oversight in the blepharoplasty industry.