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.
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.
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.
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 upper-lid blepharoplasty incision is located approximately 6 to 8 mm above the upper-eyelid eyelash crease.
Eyelid surgery is among the least painful cosmetic procedures. Aside from minimal discomfort on the day, you'll have a quick recovery and see the results swiftly. So the procedure isn't very painful, but you may have other questions.
Once you undergo eyelid surgery, also known as blepharoplasty, you can expect to spend approximately seven to 14 days resting and recovering. Once you reach the two-week point, you can enjoy your new, youthful-looking eye area.
The appearance of the eyes can be dramatically altered by the removal of excess skin or puffy bags under the eyes. Eyes that are weighed down or crowded by aging skin or puffy bulges may seem smaller or narrower. Once this skin is removed, the eye can appear more open, rounder, and awake.
It's important for you to avoid sneezing, coughing, and vomiting (throwing up), as much as you can. These can raise your blood pressure and cause bleeding at your surgical sites. Avoid bending at the waist or lifting items heavier than 5 pounds (2.3 kilograms) for 4 to 6 weeks after your surgery.
Your eyelids will probably look puffy after surgery. The incisions will probably look red, too. The swelling and bruising involved with blepharoplasty recovery tend to resemble a black eye. That is all normal.
Post-operative swelling peaks at about 48-72 hours, and then subsides over the next few days. The majority of swelling after eyelid surgery will disappear in the first week, but small amounts may persist for 6 - 12 weeks during which subtle improvements in appearance will continue.
Use a Scar-Reducing Cream
After your incisions have healed fully, applying a silicone-based scar cream can improve the appearance of your scars. Your plastic surgeon can advise you on scar creams or tapes to use based on your needs.
Because your eye area is sensitive just after surgery, it's important to sleep on your back and stay elevated. Use pillows to stay elevated to at least a 45-degree angle.
The incision for an upper eyelid blepharoplasty is a curvilinear elliptical shape with the lower margin designed to lie along the natural wrinkle of the upper eyelid leaving the final scar along that normal crease.
What Is the Ideal Age for Blepharoplasty? Droopy eyelids appear when you get beyond 30. This is the ideal age for blepharoplasty, though younger people can also go through it. However, most plastic surgeons recommend one to be at least 18 to undergo the procedure.
After 48 hours, surgical wounds can get wet without increasing the risk of infection. After this time, you can get your stitches wet briefly with a light spray (such as in the shower), but they should not be soaked (for example, in the bath).
Many patients are interested in knowing if they will be put to sleep for blepharoplasty surgery. To keep you comfortable during your procedure, you will be given either local or general anesthesia. Local anesthesia numbs the eyelid and surrounding area, while keeping you sedated but awake during surgery.
Discomfort during removal of silk sutures has generally been a problem only after blepharoplasty and not after a vast array of other oculoplastic procedures. We can think of two reasons for this difference between our patients who have undergone blepharoplasty and the rest of our patients.
A rare complication after blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) can rob patients of something that most of us take for granted: the ability to fully close the eyes. Unfortunately, this problem, known as lagophthalmos, can make the simplest tasks like sleeping or showering extremely difficult.
However, blepharoplasty is a complex procedure that can cause issues if it isn't performed correctly. Below is more information for your consideration. If you decide blepharoplasty is for you, other procedures can be done simultaneously, including a facelift or breast augmentation.
Cosmetic Eyelid Surgery: The Main Differences. Unlike blepharoplasty, which is considered a cosmetic procedure, ptosis repair is primarily functional. Ptosis repair tightens or shortens the eyelid muscle so that it can once again lift and open the eyelid adequately.
Physical Exercise after Eyelid Surgery – Blepharoplasty
Walking is one of the best form of exercise after eyelid surgery. Walking in the initial phases of recovery can promote blood circulation, prevent blood clots and lead to a smoother recovery.
Let Your Eyes Rest
To do that, it's a good idea to limit your reading, TV watching, and computer use, at least for the first few days after surgery. Odds are that your eyes might feel so dry and tired that the idea of trying to focus on a screen or read text in a book doesn't sound very appealing anyway.