People come to Harley Street from every continent for eyelid and periocular surgery - some for a first procedure, many more to have earlier work put right. This page explains how a trip is put together and what to plan around.
Accredited & recognised by
Dr Shah-Desai is an oculoplastic reconstructive surgeon - her work is confined to the eyelids and the area around the eyes, rather than spread across the whole body. Patients travel precisely because that focus is hard to find close to home.
MS, FRCS (Ed) Ophth, and listed on the Royal College of Surgeons of England register of board-certified cosmetic surgeons - a public record anyone can check from anywhere before booking a flight.
Named a top practitioner by Tattler UK for eyes for eight consecutive years, from 2019 to 2026, alongside more than twenty-five years of surgical and seventeen years of non-surgical practice.
A large share of the overseas caseload is revision work - correcting earlier eyelid surgery, or dissolving and repairing migrated filler placed elsewhere. Second opinions are seen at a separate consultation rate.
The clinic's surgical pathway, laid out in the order you would meet it with a suitcase in hand.
Before you fly
Enquiries come in by telephone or email and are answered by the team between 9:30am and 6:00pm London time, Monday to Friday. Appointments are arranged from there.
Visit one
An appointment at 121 Harley Street covering assessment, diagnosis and a plan. You leave with a written consultation letter setting out what has been recommended and why.
Visit two
Where surgery is the agreed route, a second appointment finalises the plan and takes consent. How this sits alongside your travel dates is worked out with the team, case by case.
The procedure
The eyelid procedures described across this site are carried out as day cases, so there is no overnight hospital stay to build into your itinerary. Your own procedure is confirmed at consultation.
Six to seven days later
Your wounds are checked and any sutures removed roughly a week after surgery. This appointment is the one to plan your stay around - book your flight home for after it, not before.
Three to four months later
A further review between twelve and sixteen weeks looks at how everything has settled, with clinical photography and a proper look at the outcome. Timing is agreed with the team around your travel.
One appointment, and you leave with a diagnosis, a plan and it all in writing - not a brochure and a follow-up call.
A full assessment of the face and the area around the eyes
Your medical history, and clinical photography for the record
A diagnosis - named, and explained in plain terms
Recommendations shaped around what you have come for
A written letter afterwards, setting out the agreed plan
MS, FRCS (Ed) Ophth
Dr Sabrina Shah-Desai, MS, FRCS (Ed) Ophth is a multi-award-winning Oculoplastic Reconstructive Surgeon and Aesthetic Practitioner specialising in reconstructive, revisional, and cosmetic surgery of the eyelids, as well as non-surgical treatments for the eyes and face. With 25 years of surgical and 17 years of non-surgical experience, she is globally recognised for her pioneering, minimally invasive techniques.
Named in Tatler’s Beauty & Cosmetic Surgery Guide every year since 2019, she is known as the “go-to” surgeon for discerning patients seeking subtle, natural results, and is highly sought after for revisional procedures by those who have undergone previous fillers or eyelid surgeries.
The five that come up in almost every enquiry from overseas. Anything they do not answer, ask us directly - we would rather you asked before booking a flight than after.
Long enough to reach the six-to-seven-day review after surgery, since that is when wounds are checked and sutures come out. The exact length depends on the procedure and is confirmed at your consultation - please do not book non-refundable travel before then.
Often, but not always. The surgical route includes a separate planning-and-consent appointment before the operation itself, and whether that can sit in the same visit depends on the procedure and on your own circumstances. It is one of the first things the team will talk through with you.
Yes - a remote consultation can be arranged on request, so many of the initial questions can be worked through before you book flights. Get in touch with the team to set one up.
No. Dr Shah-Desai does not offer free consultations, and the fee is the same whether you have flown in or walked round the corner. The current rates are set out below.
The twelve-to-sixteen-week review remains part of the plan, and arrangements for it are agreed with the team rather than left to chance. If you are one of our private patients and need urgent advice out of hours, you will already have the emergency number from your correspondence.
4.8out of 5 from 240+ Google reviews
Book a private consultation with Dr Shah-Desai at 121 Harley Street, London, or request a call back from our team.
Consultation fees
Mon to Fri 9:30am to 6:00pm · Harley Street
Speak to our team about which treatment suits you, or arrange a private consultation at 121 Harley Street.
