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.
Do not bend over or do any strenuous activities, such as biking, jogging, weight lifting, or aerobic exercise, for 2 weeks or until your doctor says it is okay. Avoid swimming, hot tubs, gardening, and dusting for 1 to 2 weeks. Wear sunglasses on bright days for 1 year after surgery.
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.
The skin around your eyes is very delicate after eyelid surgery so any friction caused by sleeping on your side or stomach can damage the skin and impact your results. It can also cause more swelling, damage to any sutures, and even bleeding.
Avoid activities that raise your blood pressure, including bending, lifting and rigorous sports. Keep activities to a minimum for 3-5 days; avoid strenuous activities for 2-3 weeks. Read or watch television after 2-3 days. Return to work in 10-14 days.
We would like for you to sleep upright on your back and avoid turning on your side so that there is no inadvertent trauma during sleeping. Some people use a recliner; others use multiple pillows in bed. You can shower the day after surgery. Clean your incision(s) once daily with peroxide for the first two days.
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.
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.
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.
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. It will give you a surge of energy as well.
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.
Gentle massage on the eyelid after blepharoplasty will help to reduce scarring. This massage can begin about 7 – 14 days after the surgery. Apply a lotion to the fingers and using just the soft tips of the fingers massage both the scar itself and the surrounding tissues.
This is a misnomer as a blepharoplasty does not lift the eyelid but removes skin and fat to enhance the upper eyelid appearance. In so doing, the skin removal may make the appearance of the eyelid to brow distance look smaller.
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. However, people usually feel okay going in public and returning to work after 10 to 14 days.
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.
Try to avoid reading, watching TV, or checking your email the week following your blepharoplasty. Instead, give your eyes a chance to rest. Avoid any other activities that can cause your eyes to dry up, too.
Everyone gets some degree of bruising and swelling. Cold compresses help decrease bruising and swelling in the first 4 days after surgery. Warm compresses help dissolve bruising after the first 4 days. Make sure the warm compress isn't too hot and cause a burn.
It takes a full 12 months for scars to fully mature, flatten and soften. The following videos are techniques Dr. 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.
The speed at which stitches (sutures) dissolve depends upon the material from which they are made and their thickness. Some sutures start to dissolve within a week and others take weeks to months.
The skin incisions should be washed with soap and water three times per day starting the day after surgery. This should be done very gently and pat dry (do not wipe). After drying, the incisions should be cleaned with a 50% solution of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide and a Q-tip.
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.
You may wash your hair the day after surgery. Mild baby shampoo is recommended.
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.