Blepharoplasty can help you feel more confident in your appearance and give you a brighter, more youthful look. When you start to consider a procedure like eyelid surgery, also known as blepharoplasty, it’s important to keep in mind that you’ll need to prepare for recovery time as well as the procedure.
Fortunately, knowing a little bit about what to expect during your recovery can help you prepare for the different stages of healing after blepharoplasty.
Initial Recovery:
Days 1-2:
This is the time when you should be resting your eyes as much as possible. It’s also best to keep your eyes clean and strictly follow any post-surgery instructions your surgeon gives you.
You’ll likely have some bruising and swelling, which is normal after surgery. You can apply cold compresses to help ease the symptoms. You may also have some discomfort during the initial healing stage; you can manage this with the prescription medication your surgeon instructs you to take. After this, you can treat any pain or discomfort with an over-the-counter pain medication.
Days 3-7:
Your first week after surgery should bring an improvement in swelling and bruising, though you will probably still have some degree of both. Your surgeon will likely remove stitches between days 5 and 7 post-blepharoplasty, which will help you feel more comfortable.
You might experience some itching or tightness around the incisions as you enter your healing phase. Continue to keep the area clean to avoid infection. You can also continue to use compresses to help reduce any remaining swelling. Stick to light activities like walking and put off any strenuous activity to keep from delaying your recovery.
Weeks 2-3:
Your eyes will significantly improve during this time—you’ll see bruising fade and swelling decrease as the first signs of your results appear. At this point, you can begin wearing makeup to cover any bruising or puffiness.
If you still have any discomfort or have developed dry eyes or other symptoms, talk to your surgeon to see what steps they recommend. While it will still take some time to heal completely, you’ll be well on your way to wider, brighter eyes.
Weeks 4-6:
You can gradually begin to work exercise and other activities back into your schedule at this point in your recovery; however, it may still be a good idea to limit things that can strain your eye muscles or put pressure on them, just to be on the safe side.
You may notice slight puffiness around your eyes, especially after a night’s sleep, but overall, the post-surgical swelling should have improved significantly. Continue to rest your eyes as much as possible and be mindful of things that stress them, like too much screen usage or long reading periods. If your eyes feel tired, take a break and rest them for a few minutes to help them continue to heal properly.
2-3 Months:
At this point, your eyes will be fully healed. Any tight feeling around your eyelids should be gone. While you may see scars at your incision sites, these will continue to fade and should eventually blend in with the creases of your eyelids.
Once your eyes have healed and the swelling has decreased, you will be able to enjoy the stunning results of your blepharoplasty.
Get Bright, Youthful Eyes At JIYA
The best way to see good results from your blepharoplasty is to choose a skilled and experienced surgeon. Dr. Jindal of the Jindal Institute for Youthful Aging is a certified oculoplastic surgeon. He specializes in helping patients reach their aesthetic goals through procedures like blepharoplasty.
To learn more about our services or schedule your consultation with Dr. Jindal, call JIYA at (919) 929-6006 today.
