During blepharoplasty, the surgeon cuts into the creases of the eyelids to trim sagging skin and muscle and remove excess fat. The surgeon rejoins the skin with tiny dissolving stitches.
While this is one of the least painful facial procedures, you will require sutures around the eyelids to close the skin after the procedure. In some cases, you may have dissolvable sutures that don't have to be taken out and disappear on their own.
Cuts to the upper eyelid may damage the muscle that controls the up-and-down movement of the eyelid. These cuts may need stitches to reduce scarring and keep the normal use of the eyelid. Surgery may be needed to prevent lasting drooping of the eyelid.
The incision lines are fragile for 2 weeks, treat them carefully and do not rub them. Stitches that are clear or skin colored will dissolve on their own in 1-2 weeks and do not need to be removed. Stitches that are purple, blue or white will be removed by your doctor in the office.
If your doctor closed your incisions with removable stitches, the stitches will be taken out in 5 to 10 days. Your eyelid may be swollen and bruised for 1 to 3 weeks after surgery. The appearance of your eye may continue to get better for 1 to 3 months.
It's almost like a skin excision, and the eyelid itself is not particularly painful. It may swell and bruise a lot, but it is not very painful. Many of my patients don't even take any narcotics after surgery. They only take acetaminophen or Tylenol.
Here are a few tips that will help you recover faster from a blepharoplasty: Use an ice pack to reduce swelling and discomfort. Take all the medications prescribed by your doctor on time. Use eye drops regularly.
Swelling in the eyelids is very normal, to the point that your eyes may feel hard to open. The swelling actually peaks at 24-48 hours after surgery and will then begin to decrease. You can sleep with your head slightly propped up to help the swelling drain down your face.
Lack of full eyelid closure after blepharoplasty can be very challenging and physically uncomfortable. Sleeping and bathing can be difficult and the eyes may feel constantly dry and irritated. There is also a heightened risk of corneal irritation due to exposure of the cornea.
Finally, a rare cause of eyelid closure problems after blepharoplasty is nerve damage. There are nerves that travel in the corners of the eye that supply the muscles that control eyelid closure. If those nerves are damaged the eyelid closure muscles don't work well and the eyelids have trouble closing.
The common approaches used for closing the upper eyelid blepharoplasty incision are running and interrupted cutaneous suture techniques with either an absorbable or nonabsorbable material.
The results of a blepharoplasty can be dramatic – in some cases, a slight change in eye shape is observed. When the eyelid has been weighed down with excess or wrinkled skin, the eyes can appear more closed or squinted, often causing you to look tired, angry, or upset.
The standard incision for a lower eyelid procedure lies within 2-3 millimeters of the lower lid eyelashes and then extends out to the side for a centimeter or so depending on how much work is done and skin is planned to be removed.
Dissolvable stitches will dissolve on their own, while permanent stitches will be removed in 4-7 days. For the first few weeks, you may experience dry or watery eyes, blurring or double vision, and sensitivity to light but these symptoms will gradually subside.
The Recovery Process: What To Expect
After your procedure, you must spend the first four to five days resting and recovering before having the stitches removed. You'll be able to apply makeup a few days after the procedure and, within 7 to 10 days, can resume your normal daily activities.
We suggest you plan to rest and avoid exercise and other strenuous activities for several days following your procedure. It is common to experience tightness around your eyes after blepharoplasty procedures for about one or two weeks.
Because blepharoplasty typically involves trimming excess eyelid skin, removing bulging undereye fat, and tightening the skin of the eyelids, most patients will experience at least some degree of change to the eye's shape.
It cannot make your eyes bigger than they naturally are, but by removing excess skin and fat, it can make them appear larger. It will rejuvenate your eyes and give you the youthful look you've been dreaming of.
To accomplish this end, the surgeon must take the outer muscle and tack it to the lining of the bone called the periosteum. This is known as a lateral canthopexy. The problem is that as the stitch loosens it can cause the eye to round a bit and look like a dog.
Be Prepared for Swelling
Swelling is to be expected after your surgery. It might be very dramatic, particularly at first, and your eyes might look worse before they look better.
Answer: After eyelid surgery, for the first few days it is ideal to sleep on your back, with your head elevated in order to decrease swelling, however, if you accidentally turn over during the night, and lie on your side, you are very unlikely to have any negative side effects from this.
We would like for you to sleep upright on your back and avoid turning on your side so that there is no inadvertent trauma during sleeping. Some people use a recliner; others use multiple pillows in bed. You can shower the day after surgery. Clean your incision(s) once daily with peroxide for the first two days.
Your eyelids will be puffy, your incisions will appear red, and the swelling and bruising may resemble a black eye. This is a hard time for most of our patients because they're anxious to see results. Don't let recovery time get you down. The swelling goes away in about two weeks.
Keep activities to a minimum for 3-5 days; avoid strenuous activities for 2-3 weeks. Read or watch television after 2-3 days. Return to work in 10-14 days.
Refrain from strenuous exercise like running, jumping or aerobics (walking is fine). Also, be careful to avoid everyday activities such as lifting heavy items, bending over or lying flat, which can increase blood flow to your eyes or put pressure on your healing lids.