Blepharoplasty Recovery
After blepharoplasty surgery, the eyelids will be bruised and swollen for one to three weeks. However, most patients say their eyes look normal and better than before after one to three months.
Post surgical swelling of the eyelids always cause the eyes to appear more closed in the early post op phase. As the swelling subsides, they return to a more pleasing and youthful appearance.
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.
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.
Predominantly speaking, the goal of a blepharoplasty is to remove unnecessary tissue and refresh the area surrounding the eye. Though small changes may occur in the appearance of your eye shape, these changes will not be drastic.
Upper-eyelid surgery can produce beautiful and natural-looking results. The key is to not remove too much tissue so that the results don't look overdone. It is also important that the incisions used for the procedure are precisely made along the natural creases at the top of the upper eyelids.
Around six weeks, you will start to see the final result of your eyelid surgery. Mild residual swelling may still be present as the delicate tissues around your eyes continue to adjust, but your eyes will be noticeably refreshed, alert and younger-looking.
Fortunately for our patients, the procedure can be reversed! This is done by resecting the sutured crease. Dr. Linville will then add a spacer under the skin to ensure that the eyelid cannot crease like that again.
In some cases upper and lower eyelid surgery can drastically change a look, and another instances it just freshens up the overall eyelids. The results are very subjective, so it is best to see what can be accomplished with the procedure by looking at many different before and after results.
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. Below, check out a general guide on what you should expect for your overall timeframe.
If you are unhappy with the results of your eyelid surgery, you may be a good candidate for a revision procedure. Blepharoplasty revision surgery aims to correct the identified issues so that your eyelids look natural, are comfortable, and leave you feeling happy about the way that you look.
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.
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.
Can Eyelid Surgery Make Your Eyes Look Bigger? Yes. Double eyelid surgery (upper and lower blepharoplasty) can make your eyes look bigger by excising excess skin around the eyes and lifting sagging skin.
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.
An eyelid lift can tighten the skin around the eyes, removing wrinkles or puffiness and giving a person an overall fresher look.
An eyelid lift can produce significant results by tightening the skin around the eyes, removing wrinkles or puffiness, and providing a younger appearance.
Answer: Eyelash loss after blepharoplasty is very rare.
Patients will occasionally notice loss of eyelashes after blepharoplasty. As far as I know this is within the normal lifecycle of the hair shaft. The patient's are probably just more aware of the loss because of the recent surgery.
Kolstad recommends for his patients during the recovery period. He typically recommends massaging the incisions 10-14 days after surgery and continuing them until the scars have softened. In addition to the massaging exercises some patients benefit from steroid taping or steroid injections into the scar tissue.
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.
The results of your blepharoplasty become more visible as side effects, like swelling and bruising, subside. Most patients love their outcomes and do not seek repeat treatments. While future aging may cause your eye bags to return, this ultimately depends on your age, skin condition, and lifestyle choices.
Swelling typically appears shortly after surgery, peaks two to four days after the procedure, and then slowly subsides over the next few days. Some residual swelling may remain for several weeks, but this is typically minor and shouldn't interfere greatly with social commitments.