Recovery time after blepharoplasty

The Plastic Surgery Channel Surgeon Answers: (2)

1. Answer from PSC Doctor:

   

   Bruce W. Van Natta, MD

   bvannatta responded:

   Many people at your age are good candidates for blepharoplasty. If you are seeing signs of aging including excess and drooping skin of the upper lids and fullness and wrinkling of the lower lids this may be a good time to consider blepharoplasty. Recovery time for routine blepharoplasty is usually in the order of 1-2 weeks. You can certainly be active in terms of being up and about and do things that don’t involve straining or lifting. In some cases your surgeon may recommend you consider having additional procedures to improve the result such as laser to the lower lid skin for smoothing or tightening or even fat injections around the eyes to restore volume that is loss as we age. Those things could possibly extend your recovery in terms of additional redness, swelling or bruising. I generally tell my patients that eyelid rejuvenation surgery or blepharoplasty provides the biggest bang for their cosmetic buck. If our eyes look tired, puffy or even angry or sad that is the image we are projecting to the world even if we don’t feel that way. Good luck and remember to always seek out a surgeon who is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and who has plenty of experience in doing eyelid surgery.

   Posted on October 29th, 2011

2. Answer from PSC Doctor:

   

   Caroline Glicksman, MD

   cglicksman responded:

   Patients often seek blepharoplasty at younger ages than other facial rejuvenation procedures because many of the signs of aging such as heavy lids and lower lid bags are often genetic, and can develop at an earlier age in some people. Blepharoplasty is often the first real surgical procedure that I offer my younger patients, as it can make a huge difference in their appearance, with minimal downtime or scarring. There is usually negligible pain or discomfort with a blepharoplasty, and for most patients they can return to normal activities, except exercise, in one to two days. Many patients either work from home for a few days or adjust their schedules and miss very little work with this procedure. The addition of laser, fillers, or other minor procedures may lengthen the recovery time. In addition, blepharoplasty is usually a very long lasting cosmetic procedure, but if done in a patient’s late thirties or early forties, it may require a revision years later.

   Caroline Glicksman, MD

   Posted on October 30th, 2011

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