An eyelid correction for €425? Is that possible?

The simple answer is: yes, you can. However, it immediately raises a lot of questions that not answered immediately. What can you expect from the quality of such eyelid surgery for €425? By whom is the treatment performed at all? And where can you go if something goes wrong?

If you search for 'eyelid surgery' on the internet these days, you will come across numerous clinics. Each one promises to be more beautiful than the other, and the prices between them vary enormously. How do you know how to choose a reliable clinic? And what causes these huge price differences in treatments?

The quality of your eyelid surgery

The well-known phrase 'price means quality' is more prevalent than ever in the cosmetic world. The products, instruments, methods and techniques used; all contribute to the quality of your treatment and affect the price. In eyelid surgery, for example, we often see the minimum amount of skin being removed to keep the procedure as small (and therefore cheap) as possible. The consequences are unnatural results and symptoms that recur. If, as a result, you have to repeat the treatment, you end up paying a lot more and running a higher risk of complications and a difficult healing process.

At Skin + Surgery, we believe it is important to look at the overall picture, your face as a whole. A long-lasting and natural result is precisely the starting point. Therefore, we do not have one technique that applies to every eyelid surgery. Sometimes there is excess muscle and fat in addition to skin removal. This requires extra skill and expertise from the doctor performing the treatment, and partly explains the price differences in treatments. Our doctors have years of experience in cosmetic surgery and can advise you precisely on the technique that will give you the desired result. This way, they know how to tailor the treatment perfectly to your unique facial features and wishes.

If the procedure is spot on, you won't be always treated by a doctor

There are several practitioners with whom you can have cosmetic treatment. Depending on the treatment you are looking for, you can think of doctors, but also skin therapists and beauticians. Cosmetic treatments that involve pricking (injectable treatments) or cutting (e.g. eyelid corrections), may only be performed in the Netherlands by a doctor. This must be trained for the treatment and have sufficient experience. The specialisation that focuses entirely on cosmetic treatments is the cosmetic doctor specialisation.

However, this does not mean that this specialism is a requirement for performing (minor) surgical procedures such as eyelid corrections. Basic doctors, general practitioners or doctors with another specialisation can also perform cosmetic procedures.

Unfortunately, in practice, we increasingly see that treatment is not performed by a cosmetic doctor or surgeon. Such specialised doctors are expensive and scarce. They are doctors who have studied for as many as 10, sometimes 15 years, and that is apart from all the years of clinical experience they have gained in addition.

This is why some clinics use physician assistants, physician assistants, basic doctors or junior doctors to perform procedures. If you decide to undergo eyelid surgery cheaply, chances are very high that your procedure will not be performed by an experienced, specialised cosmetic doctor or surgeon.

Before visiting a clinic and getting treatment, it is always a good idea to look up the practitioner in the BIG register. This clarifies the competences of the doctor with whom you plan your eyelid surgery.

To ensure quality of each treatment, Skin + Surgery employs doctors with the title 'cosmetic doctor KNMG'. This is a recognised and protected title in medicine, and assures you that your treatment is performed by an experienced, qualified doctor. This experience and specialism of the doctors is also logically reflected in the price differences between treatments.

If things go wrong, who can I turn to?

Eyelid surgery is a relatively safe and simple procedure. It might well be possible for a well-trained basic doctor or physician assistant with years of experience to perform such a procedure. However, the big question is, what if things go wrong? Are they trained and competent to act in case of a complication? Do they know how to give you the right advice if something unexpected happens to the wound at home?

An experienced, specialised cosmetic doctor or surgeon not only has years of experience in procedures like eyelid surgery, they also have years of experience in medicine in general. Thus, they always know how to act appropriately in case of a complication or complaint.

To be sure that the clinic will help you even if things go wrong, whether due to a complication, complaint or if you are not completely satisfied, it is advisable to check in advance whether the clinic you are making an appointment with is a member of a professional organisation. The advantage is that professional organisations often offer a complaints procedure. If you are not satisfied with a treatment and cannot come to an agreement with the doctor or clinic, you can always follow the procedures of the complaints scheme.

In the Netherlands, the Dutch Cosmetic Medicine Association concerned with the quality of medical cosmetic treatment and proper information for you, the client. At Skin + Surgery, the doctors are all members of the NVCG, which contributes to the price differences of treatments when you compare them with other clinics. Rightly so too, as this membership is valuable. After all, it guarantees the quality of knowledge, skills, training and continuing education her members.

If things go wrong, who can I turn to?

Eyelid surgery is a relatively safe and simple procedure. It might well be possible for a well-trained basic doctor or physician assistant with years of experience to perform such a procedure. However, the big question is, what if things go wrong? Are they trained and competent to act in case of a complication? Do they know how to give you the right advice if something unexpected happens to the wound at home?

An experienced, specialised cosmetic doctor or surgeon not only has years of experience in procedures like eyelid surgery, they also have years of experience in medicine in general. Thus, they always know how to act appropriately in case of a complication or complaint.

To be sure that the clinic will help you even if things go wrong, whether due to a complication, complaint or if you are not completely satisfied, it is advisable to check in advance whether the clinic you are making an appointment with is a member of a professional organisation. The advantage is that professional organisations often offer a complaints procedure. If you are not satisfied with a treatment and cannot come to an agreement with the doctor or clinic, you can always follow the procedures of the complaints scheme.

In the Netherlands, the Dutch Cosmetic Medicine Association concerned with the quality of medical cosmetic treatment and proper information for you, the client. At Skin + Surgery, the doctors are all members of the NVCG, which contributes to the price differences of treatments when you compare them with other clinics. Rightly so too, as this membership is valuable. After all, it guarantees the quality of knowledge, skills, training and continuing education her members.

Be critical and ask questions

At Skin + Surgery, it is most important to us that you walk out the door happy after having been to our clinic. We go to great lengths to provide you with the highest quality for this reason. After all, it is your eyes, often the eye-catchers of your face. A cosmetic procedure like eyelid surgery is not the procedure you want to save on. Therefore, when looking for a clinic, be critical and ask questions during your first meeting or consultation. And finally, remember: if something seems too good to be true, it often is.

At Skin + Surgery Clinics,...

• Works with the best, high-quality materials and instruments
• Are the most modern treatment techniques used
• Is there always a full pre- and after-care process
• Do we value personal guidance
• Going for natural results and always looking at your face as a whole
• Doctors hold the title cosmetic doctor KNMG, a recognised and protected title in medicine