UK Edition
Teenagers are having eye surgery because they are staying up too late staring at screens, say leading cosmetic surgeons.
Doctors in London's Harley Street have reported a spate of eye-bag removal operations among young people who stay up into the early hours, using their phones and binge-watching Netflix shows.
Lower blepharoplasty, a procedure involving the removal or repositioning of the fatty bags below the eyes, has traditionally been undertaken by those in middle age or older.
But experts have warned that a lack of sleep caused by excessive internet use is behind a rise in youngsters seeking treatment to reverse the signs of premature ageing.
Sabrina Shah-Desai, Consultant Ophthalmic Plastic Reconstructive Surgeon at Perfect Eyes, said a “lack of sleep” and “too much screen time” is pre-disposing youngsters to developing “bigger eye bags”.
She has seen a 30 per cent increase in younger people asking for blepharoplasty as they look for a solution more permanent than under-eye fillers used to reduce puffiness.
It comes after research, carried out by the DQ Institute, an international educational think tank, revealed that British children spend almost two days a week staring at screens online.
Harley Street surgeons have said the popularity of blepharoplasty, which typically costs between £2,000 and £6,000, is also partly being fuelled by social media pressures.
Dr Julian De Silva, a specialist in facial surgery at The Centre of Facial Cosmetic Surgey in Harley Street, told The Telegraph: “Traditionally, issues with bags in the lower eyelid will be from those over 40, but there has been an increasing number of patients in their late teens and 20s.”
“They are getting it done because people are saying: 'Why are you stressed?' or that they look tired.”
“I think social media has played a role, with Instagram making people look perfect, meaning young people have an increased expectation and want to get closer to that level of perfection.”
According to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (Baaps), a group that advocates for safety in the cosmetic surgey industry, 2,820 people had cosmetic eye surgery in the UK last year.
The NHS will only pay for blepharoplasty if someone's eyesight is affected by drooping eyelids, or is causing them demonstrable physical or mental discomfort.
The condition can be caused by ageing, sun damage, trauma or an underlying medical condition such as thyroid issues.
Some surgeons are referring clients to a psychologist before agreeing to treat them, believing therapists can deal with the underlying mental health issues they may be experiencing.
Hugo Henderson, a leading surgeon from the London Clinic in Harley Street, added: “There have always been a few teenagers with very baggy eyes, even if they are quite thin and fit. In the 90s, there was an occasional one, but now there are more introspective men in their late 20s coming in with a little bit of puffiness wanting to have surgery, which I try to avoid because they usually have problems with their body image.
“I would try to refer many of them to a psychologist. They can then assess them and look at underline anxiety images and that might be what they need.”
Campaigners have warned that waking up in the middle of the night to check messages can negatively affect young people's moods and makes them look more tired the next day.
A spokesperson for the Royal Society for Public Health said: “Taking a break from social media when in the bedroom or during sleeping hours can be a great way to ensure that social media use does not override a young person's ability to get a good night's sleep, which is a vital component to overall health and well-being.”