Hi, I’m Gerri O’Flaherty. I’m 51, from Bishopstown, and I’m the owner of Cork Laser Clinic. Over the years, one of the concerns I hear about most from my clients is about hooded eyes. Clients, and especially women, are always asking if there is something they can do to alleviate the heavy lids with sagging skin that they tell me makes them feel tired looking all the time.
The treatment I recommend for this is fibroblast, which can be done in other areas of the face as well as the eyelids. Clients are always curious about it, especially women who don’t want to go down the surgical route. I always think it’s important that if we offer something in the clinic, I’ve experienced it myself. So yes, I’ve had fibroblast done on my own eyelids, and I’m absolutely delighted that I did. In fact, I had it done three-and-a-half years ago and just recently again.
In the industry I’m in, there is definitely pressure to look well. I don’t mean looking 25, but looking fresh, awake and healthy. My philosophy has always been to look like myself, just a fresher version. I’m not in favour of anything that makes you look frozen or overdone. Skin should move. Expressions should move. But when I looked in the mirror a few years ago and again recently , I felt my eyes were starting to look tired all the time. I have quite small eyelids naturally, so when I began to get hooding, it showed quickly. That heaviness was making me look more exhausted than I actually felt.
Fibroblast is very different to blepharoplasty, which is eyelid surgery. Blepharoplasty involves cutting and physically removing excess skin. Fibroblast, on the other hand, is completely non-invasive. There are no scalpels, no stitches. It uses plasma energy to create tiny controlled dots on the skin, which triggers tightening and stimulates collagen production. The whole aim is to shrink and contract excess skin without surgery. For women who don’t want the downtime or commitment of an operation, it can be a brilliant alternative.
Olive, who works alongside me in the clinic, carried out my treatment. I trust her completely. She’s meticulous and incredibly experienced. I always say there’s something very comforting about lying on the bed in your own clinic, knowing the person treating you has your full confidence. I have watched her perform fibroblast countless times and have seen incredible results.
The treatment itself is very manageable. You are well numbed beforehand, so it’s not painful as such, but I would describe it as a little bit stingy in parts. You can feel tiny stings as the plasma device touches the skin. It’s quick though, and once it’s done, it’s done. I remember looking in the mirror immediately afterwards and thinking, “Right, I do look a bit shook.” There’s no point pretending otherwise. Your eyelids are covered in tiny red dots, and there is swelling. You wouldn’t be heading out for lunch afterwards.
Over the next few days, those red dots begin to change. Carbon crusting kicks in. That’s when the red turns brown as little crusts form on each dot. It looks unusual, and I always prepare clients properly for that stage because it can be alarming if you’re not expecting it. The brown dots then darken a little before they begin to flake away naturally. You must not pick at them. That part is important. Let the skin do its own healing.
For me, the first few days were the most obvious visually. I wore sunglasses if I was out and about and kept a low profile. That is the reality of fibroblast. It does come with downtime, usually about five to seven days. It’s the only treatment we offer in the clinic that really requires you to plan around social events. But I always say, a week of looking slightly unusual for years of improved eyelids is a fair trade.
What surprised me most was how quickly I felt a difference. Even in the early days, once the initial swelling began to settle, I felt that my eyelids were tighter. Olive said straight away that the hooding had reduced, and when I looked properly, I could see she was right. My eyes already looked a little more open. I could see light hitting my lids differently, I definitely looked younger and fresher.
A week after the treatment, most of the carbon crusting had fallen away. I was back wearing my full makeup again. That’s always a milestone for me because I love my routine. I remember putting on my eyeliner and thinking how much more lid space I had. My eyes didn’t look as heavy. I didn’t look as tired. It was as though someone had gently lifted that weight that had been sitting there for years.
The thing with fibroblast is that the results don’t stop there. The real magic happens over the following months. Collagen stimulation continues for up to six months after the treatment. So while you see an initial tightening, it keeps improving gradually. I find that around the three-to-six month mark, my lids looked even smoother. The skin felt firmer. Makeup sits better. I ‘m no longer fighting against that crepey texture that can creep in with age.
People began commenting, but not in a “what have you done?” way. It was more, “You look great,” or “You look really well.” That’s always my goal. I never want someone to pinpoint a procedure. I just want them to think I look fresh. It gave me great confidence. As women, we are constantly judged. If we do something, we’re criticised. If we do nothing, we’re criticised. At 51, I genuinely don’t care anymore. If something makes me feel better when I look in the mirror, and it’s done safely and professionally, then I’m happy with that decision.
One thing I always explain is that results can vary from person to person. Fibroblast can last anywhere between three and five years, depending on skin type, lifestyle and the amount of excess skin to begin with. Olive actually had her eyelids treated as well, and she got closer to the five-year mark. She has bigger eyelids than I do, so her result lasted longer. Because my eyelids are quite small, I didn’t get the full five years. That’s just biology. It doesn’t mean the treatment didn’t work; it simply means different faces respond differently.
I can say, hand on heart, that the treatment was worth the couple of days of downtime. When your eyes look open, your entire face looks fresher. I always stress that fibroblast is not about changing who you are. It’s about refining and tightening areas that have started to droop. Clients love it and as soon as one person gets it done, you’ll find her friends or sisters are contacting us wanting it too, it really is that good.
In the clinic, we carry out a full consultation beforehand. We look at the amount of skin laxity, the quality of the skin, medical history, everything. Not everyone is suitable. My approach has always been honest and practical. If I don’t think something will give a good result, I’ll say it.
For me personally, fibroblast remains one of the treatments that made the biggest visible difference to my face. When it came to hooded eyelids, it was the game changer. It addressed something topical and structural in a way skincare simply can’t.
I’m delighted with my result. I feel more confident. I feel my eyes look more open and less tired. And yes, I will absolutely have it done again in another three or four years when I feel I need it.
As women, we deserve to feel good about ourselves without apology. Whether that’s embracing every line or choosing treatments that make us feel fresher, the choice should be ours. My philosophy in the clinic has always been simple: look like the best version of yourself. Healthy skin, natural movement, subtle enhancements and fibroblast was part of that journey for me.
Prices Price for fibroblast are as follows: Upper Eyelids €500, Under Eyelids €500, Nasolabial €350, Neck Lift €900, Crows Feet €350
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