Say Goodbye to "You Look Tired" — For Good
Lower Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty) in Ottawa with Dr. Mehrad Jaberi
You could sleep 10 hours, drink all the water, use every eye cream on the market — and those under-eye bags would still be there in the morning. Staring back at you. Making you look exhausted when you feel perfectly fine.
Here's the truth about under-eye bags: they're not caused by lack of sleep or dehydration. They're caused by fat pads that have pushed forward through weakened tissue — and that's a structural issue no cream or concealer can fix. The good news? Lower eyelid surgery addresses the actual problem, and the results are permanent. One procedure. No more bags. No more looking tired when you're not.
Quick Facts
| Procedure Time | 1–2 hours |
| Anesthesia | Local with sedation |
| Recovery | 7–10 days |
| Results Last | Permanent (bags don't return) |
| Starting From | $6,000 |
What Is Lower Eyelid Surgery?
Lower blepharoplasty is a procedure that addresses puffiness, bags, and hollows under your eyes. But here's what makes it interesting — the approach has evolved dramatically over the past decade, and the modern technique is nothing like the old "scoop out the fat" method.
Dr. Jaberi's preferred technique is fat repositioning (also called fat transposition). Instead of simply removing the fat pads that cause the puffiness, he carefully moves them downward to fill the hollow tear trough — that dark groove that runs from the inner corner of your eye toward your cheek. This is a game-changer because it solves two problems at once: the bags disappear and the hollows fill in, creating a smooth, natural contour from your lower lid to your cheek.
In many cases, Dr. Jaberi uses a transconjunctival approach — meaning the incision is on the inside of your lower eyelid. Translation: no visible scar whatsoever. Zero. If excess skin needs to be addressed too, a tiny incision just below the lash line heals to a virtually invisible line.
The result is an under-eye area that looks rested, smooth, and naturally youthful — not hollow, not overdone, just refreshed.
Who's the Perfect Candidate?
Lower eyelid surgery might be exactly what you need if you have:
- Puffy under-eye bags that don't improve with sleep or skincare
- Dark hollows or tear troughs that make you look perpetually tired
- Bulging fat pads visible under the lower lids
- Excess lower eyelid skin with fine wrinkles
- A "tired" appearance that concealer barely camouflages
- You've tried fillers but want a permanent solution
Lower eyelid bags often run in families — we see patients in their 30s with significant puffiness alongside patients in their 60s. It's not always about age. If it bothers you, it's worth addressing.
What to Expect — Smoother Eyes, Zero Guesswork
Your Consultation
Dr. Jaberi will closely examine your under-eye area — the fat pads, the depth of your tear trough, the quality of your skin, and how it all interacts with your cheek structure. Everyone's anatomy is different, which is why a cookie-cutter approach doesn't work here.
He'll also assess whether your puffiness would benefit from fat repositioning, skin tightening, or a combination. And if fillers might actually be sufficient for your situation, he'll tell you that too — even though it means less surgery. That's the kind of honesty you should expect from your surgeon.
Surgery Day
The procedure takes 1 to 2 hours under local anesthesia with sedation. If Dr. Jaberi is using the transconjunctival approach, the incision is made on the underside of your lower lid — no external cut at all. He accesses the fat compartments, carefully repositions the fat into the tear trough, and smooths everything flat. If there's excess skin, a micro-incision just below the lash line takes care of it.
You'll go home shortly after with cold compresses and instructions to keep your head elevated. The swelling will make your first look in the mirror a bit jarring — don't worry. What's underneath is smooth and beautiful.
Recovery Timeline
Swelling and bruising at their peak — your under-eyes will look puffy and discolored. Ice compresses, head elevation, and rest. This is normal and temporary. Arnica supplements can help with bruising.
The swelling starts to retreat and bruising transitions from dark purple to yellow-green (the body's natural healing progression). You'll start to see the smoother contour underneath.
If external sutures were placed, they're removed now. Bruising is fading and can be covered with concealer. Many patients feel comfortable going out in public.
Back to work and normal activities. Most visible evidence of surgery is gone. Your under-eyes are already looking dramatically better.
All residual swelling has resolved. This is your final result — smooth, rested under-eyes with no bags and no hollows. This is what permanent looks like.
Frequently Asked Questions
Great question — and the answer has changed significantly in recent years. The old approach was to simply remove the fat causing the bags. Problem solved, right? Not exactly. Removing too much fat can leave you with a hollowed-out, sunken look over time — especially as you age and naturally lose volume.
Dr. Jaberi prefers fat repositioning in most cases. He takes the fat that's bulging forward and moves it down to fill the hollow tear trough. It's elegant because you're using your own tissue to solve two problems simultaneously: eliminating the bag and filling the hollow. The result is a smooth, natural transition from lower lid to cheek.
In many cases, no external scar at all. Dr. Jaberi frequently uses the transconjunctival approach where the incision is on the inside of the lower lid — completely hidden. If excess skin needs to be removed, a tiny incision just below the lash line heals to a fine line that's virtually impossible to see. This is one of the most scar-friendly procedures in all of plastic surgery.
Fillers can work well for mild tear troughs (the dark hollows) by adding volume to blend the transition. But they can't fix actual fat bulging — and injecting filler into an area that already has protruding fat can make things look puffier. Fillers also require maintenance every 6 to 12 months and carry their own risks in this delicate area. Surgery is a one-and-done permanent solution. If you've been doing the filler treadmill and want off, lower blepharoplasty is the answer.
Very often, yes. If your parents or siblings have prominent under-eye bags, you're more likely to develop them too. That's because the tissue structure that holds fat behind the lower lid has a genetic component. This is why some 30-year-olds have noticeable bags while some 55-year-olds don't. The upside of genetic bags? Once surgically corrected, they virtually never come back.
Absolutely. The most natural combination is upper and lower eyelid surgery together — refreshing the entire eye area in one go. It's also commonly combined with a facelift, brow lift, or skin resurfacing. Combining procedures means one recovery period, one round of anesthesia, and a more comprehensive result. Dr. Jaberi will tailor a plan based on your goals.
Here's the beautiful thing — the bags themselves are permanently corrected. Once the fat is repositioned, it doesn't migrate back to where it was. Your under-eye area will continue to age naturally, of course, but the puffy bags won't return. Most patients never need a second lower blepharoplasty. It's one of the most "worth it" procedures in facial plastic surgery.
Ready to Finally Look as Rested as You Feel?
If under-eye bags have been bothering you for years — if concealer is no longer cutting it and you're tired of looking tired — let's fix this for real. Book a consultation with Dr. Jaberi and find out how a simple 1–2 hour procedure can permanently transform your under-eye area. No more bags. No more excuses. Just results.
Book Your ConsultationOr call us directly: 613-591-1188