Full blepharoplasty recovery time typically takes about 3 months but you can expect to get back to your normal routine after 2-3 weeks of healing.
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.
This may feel strange or even frightening at first, but rest assured that this is a normal postoperative effect that should subside with time. The majority of patients report tightness after eyelid surgery to last for about two weeks, though numbness or a change in eyelid sensation may last longer.
Swelling after a blepharoplasty surgery is normal. Post-operative swelling peaks at about 48-72 hours, and then subsides over the next few days.
You should begin gentle massage to the eyelids one week after surgery. This will help smooth any irregularities and areas of firmness. You may apply lotion to your hand to massage and/or you may use a vibrating massager.
All blepharoplasty and eyelid surgery scars get worse before they get better. The scar will mature and soften over 3 – 4 months. Normally no intervention is required and these scars respond well to routine scar treatment like moisturising creams and silicone gel.
While many patients return to work 1 to 2 weeks after blepharoplasty, it may take several weeks for your swelling to subside completely. You should be able to see your final results from cosmetic eyelid surgery in about 4 to 6 weeks following your surgery.
Asymmetry, The Eyes Look Different, Or Heal Differently.
The eyes may look or feel quite different from one another in the days following surgery. This is normal; no two eyes in nature or following surgery are perfectly symmetrical.
A blepharoplasty is a long-lasting surgery, and you should enjoy the results for many years to come. Once that skin is removed, it's not going to grow back.
Post-upper blepharoplasty syndrome is characterized by upper eyelid ptosis, lash ptosis, high or indistinct upper eyelid crease, hollow upper eyelid sulcus (absent upper eyelid fold), and a compensatory eyebrow elevation. We call this configuration a “synform” upper eyelid fold.
Slight Changes May Occur. For patients with hooded eyelids, a blepharoplasty can create a smoother surface area on their eyelids, which can slightly change the appearance of the eyes and make them appear less sunken.
Surgery - done well - is supposed to restore the area to its former youthful flatness. However, as your face changes continually, so your eye bags can be back in full force 10 years later.
After blepharoplasty that involved the reduction of bulging fat pouches, there is a residual bulge. This most often ocurrs at the outer corner of the lower eyelid, at the location of the lateral fat pad. This can create a contour irregularity or a mismatch with the other regions of the eyelid.
Use a Scar-Reducing Cream or Ointment
Recent studies have shown the effectiveness of silicone-based creams in making scars less noticeable when used in the first few weeks after the wound has healed. Your doctor may also use silicone dressings on the incision as it is healing.
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.
Sleep on your back with your head elevated above your heart for 1 week after surgery. Keeping your head elevated will reduce swelling after surgery. The easiest way to do this is simply with an extra pillow.
Upper-eyelid surgery can last anywhere from 5 to 7 years to an entire lifetime, while lower-eyelid surgery rarely needs to be done more than once.
When the skin is removed the eyelids can feel tight and often the eyelids do not close fully for the first month after this. If a patient has this it tends to get better. Even after a month, with time (usually 6 months to a year) the eyelid closure improves and returns to normal.
You can start using a good scar cream immediately after the operation. Even if there is no scar, the cream does have a positive effect as it accelerates recovery. And as doctors confirm: Preventing a scar is easier than removing one!
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.
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.
Chloramphenicol ointment: Chloramphenicol ointment is commonly prescribed to most patients following eyelid surgery.
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. You might look as though you have a black eye or eyes, and your vision might be blurry from the swelling.
What do scars after upper eyelid surgery look like? Once the incisions have closed, your blepharoplasty scars will begin to fade from red to pink, ultimately ending up white or skin-colored. In most cases, upper eyelid surgery scars are virtually invisible. In fact, many patients are unable to identify their own scars!