Eyelid Surgery Recovery
Recovery After Blepharoplasty
Recovery after blepharoplasty takes between 10-14 days. Bruising and swelling are typically worse in the first 5 days. Ice compresses placed over the lids for the first 3 days dramatically helps to reduce the swelling.
No patches are placed and a patient can typically get around and drive after 2 days. Gym or heavy physical activity is restricted for 2 weeks. I encourage brisk walking to help with circulation and rest when warranted.
Antibiotic ointment is placed on the woulds twice a day for 2 weeks. The recovery is not typically painful, but it will look like someone beat you up for a few weeks. Most patients take it easy and avoid heavy social contact during that time.
Sutures are removed in 1 week. Makeup can be applied in 10 days. The result should be a refreshed and naturally brighter eyed appearance. (John Fezza, MD, Sarasota Oculoplastic Surgeon)
Recovery from Eyelid Surgery
I usually find that most patients can return to work within 2 weeks of eyelid surgery. Some patients return within 1 week, if their job is not strenuous, and they can camouflage their bruising with makeup. Bruising lasts an average of 2 weeks, but begins fading after the first 2-3 days.
There is also swelling, and this goes away gradually over several weeks. Maintaining head elevation higher than the heart level, using ice packs initially, and avoiding strenuous activity, will all help you heal up faster.
Blepharoplasty recovery timeline black eyes
Fortunately, there really is very little pain or discomfort after eyelid surgery, so your return to work may depend mostly on how you feel about other people noticing some bruising and swelling. (Richard G. Schwartz, MD, West Palm Beach Plastic Surgeon)
Eyelid Surgery Recovery
Most patients will recover within 2 weeks. The sutures usually come out at 5 days. It is a very quick recovery with an outstanding result. (Paul Vitenas, Jr., MD, Houston Plastic Surgeon)
Recovery after eyelid surgery
Eyelid surgery recovery with arnica
The recovery is different for each person, but in general you are bruised and swollen for 1-3 weeks. The first day or two after surgery the swelling worsens, then plateaus around the 3rd day and by the 4th or 5th day it starts to subside. Using lots of ice and keeping your head elevated can help shorten this. Most of my patients have greatly improved by a week, with some showing significant bruising (usually those with history of aspirin or other blood thinner use) and others have very little detectable bruising.
By 3 weeks nearly all the swelling and bruising should be gone. Sometimes the eyelids retain some fluid just above the eyelashes for up to 5-6 weeks, but this varies greatly. This area can also be numb after surgery, which may last weeks to months. (Matheson A. Harris, MD, Salt Lake City Oculoplastic Surgeon)
2 weeks should be enough for eyelid surgery recovery
Eyelid surgery recovery arnica montana
Physically, eyelid patients are up and about the next day. There will be some irritation from the surgery and some visual stigmata, but these are generally modest. After 2 weeks, even though healing is in the early stages, the patients generally look good enough for public view. (Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD, Atlanta Plastic Surgeon)
Eyelid Surgery Recovery
Recovery after eyelid (blepharoplasty) surgery is largely one of swelling and bruising. How much of that occurs depends on whether two or all four eyelids are done and what needs to be done to the eyelids, particularly the lower ones. On average, two weeks is an adequate recovery time particularly if you are on the ‘stealth program’ where you want no one to know you had the surgery.
Blepharoplasty eyelid surgery recovery
If that is not an issue it is likely you could return to work in less time. (Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD, Indianapolis Plastic Surgeon)
Eyelid Surgery Recovery
Generally speaking, I recommend my patients take 1 week off of work. The majority of the swelling is gone by the 2 week mark and the rest of the swelling and scarring is quite minimal and unnoticeable after this time frame.
Eyelid surgery recovery after procedure
Each patient is different, but this is a general guideline. (Cory Torgerson, MD, PhD, FRCSC, Toronto Facial Plastic Surgeon)
With sufficient rest and care, your eyelid surgery is much more likely to be comfortable and successful.
Blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery, is one of the best cosmetic surgery enhancement procedures where patients benefit from both functional and aesthetic results. The benefits can be long lasting and the recovery time is fast. One of the greatest factors in the success of an eyelid surgery is the patient’s ability to recover fully afterward.
Eyelid lower surgery recovery
Most patients have minimal pain or discomfort after eyelid surgery and many are able to resume their normal activities about a week or so after the procedure. (Ross A. Clevens, MD, Melbourne Facial Plastic Surgeon)
It depends on the approach used and the patient’s unique healing process. For upper eyelids, 2 weeks is more than enough time. For lower eyelid surgery performed as a transconjunctival approach (incision inside the eyelid), this is also true.
Eyelid surgery recovery pictures
For a skin-muscle flap or an extended approach (designed to provide more lift and to treat the midface as well), some patients will need more than 2 weeks for bruising and swelling to resolve. Also, keep in mind that there is some degree of remodelling for a period of months following any facial surgery. (Evan Ransom, MD, Bay Area Facial Plastic Surgeon)
The recovery time from blepharoplasty is mostly dependent on the amount of bruising and swelling which occur. Unfortunately, there is no way to tell in advance how much bruising and swelling there will be.
For some patients who are not concerned with other people knowing they had surgery, the amount of bruising is not an issue and they return to most normal acitvities in 2-3 days.
For others, 2 weeks is a good time course. In addition to the bruising and swelling, care should be taken for about 2 weeks not to get your heart rate or blood pressure up as this can cause bleeding.
Unfortunately there are reports of delayed bleeding in the eye which can cause blindness. (D.J. Verret, MD, Dallas Facial Plastic Surgeon)
Recovery time from blepharoplasty
Most patients look presentable after one week and quite good after two weeks. The eyelid area is very fragile and bruises easily but the bruising usually resolves quite rapidly.
The most important factors are for patients to be off any medication that causes bruising or bleeding, to maintain a nice low blood pressure during and after surgery (using medication is necessary), keeping ice water packs on the area for the first 2 days and nights and really taking it easy.
Blepharoplasty does not hurt very much postoperatively and many patients really overdue it and result can be more and prolonged bruising. I tell my patients to rent some books on tape and just veg out for a few days. (Lisa L. Sowder, MD, Seattle Plastic Surgeon)
Eyelid Surgery Recovery
Two weeks is more than enough time to recover from eyelid surgery. Bruising and swelling can be greatly reduced if your surgeon uses certain techniques during he surgery and specific methods and medications.
Typically, the sutures are removed in about five days. Generally speaking, eyelid surgery is one of the quickest plastic surgery procedures to recover from. (Ali Sajjadian, MD, FACS, Orange County Plastic Surgeon)
Recovery after eyelid surgery
Two weeks is plenty of time to plan for your recovery. You will most likely have some swelling and possibly some bruising at the end of two weeks, however you should be able to cover any bruising with makeup.
The swelling will look more like puffiness and even with the puffiness your eyelids should look significantly better than they did before your surgery. The stitches on the upper lids are removed 5-6 days after surgery.
Depending on the type of surgery needed for the lower lids will determine if you even have any stitches. Eyelid surgery is one of the easiest and quickest surgeries to do. Almost all of my patients have commented that they do not know why they were so afraid and waited so long after having this type of surgery. (Arnold Zweig, MD (retired), Atlanta Facial Plastic Surgeon)
How long is the recovery time for blepharoplasty
Recovery usually takes 10 days. During that time patients notice swelling and bruising. Once the initial 10 days have passed, patients may return to normal activities. In this initial period, prescription prednisone can help reduce swelling.
I also find Arnica-Montana effective in minimizing early post operative bruising. The final results of surgery though, may take up to three months to manifest. (Maurice M. Khosh, MD, New York Facial Plastic Surgeon)
Upper or Lower blepharoplasty recovery?
There is always a range of what one would consider a normal recovery period – some of which is dependent on the type of procedure, patient compliance with post operative instructions (light activities, cool compresses, etc), and finally random chance.
In general, the “recovery” from upper eyelid surgery is shorter than lower, ranging from 7 to 10 days. (The final result takes longer, as the thin eyelid skin will show edema [swelling] for months, but only such that the surgeon and patient will notice – it should be inconsequential in social encounters.)
Lower eyelid operations have a wider range of recovery times, as the extent of individual procedures vary from very simple (transconjunctival blepharoplasty) to extensive and complex (multicomponent seperation blepharoplasty). As such, lower lid recovery can range from 7 days to a month or so. Make sure you ask your surgeon how long the recovery normally will be for the particular type of procedure that they are proposing for you. (Michael A. Bogdan, MD, FACS, Dallas Plastic Surgeon)