What to Expect During and After Blepharoplasty

Naturally, as you age, the skin becomes less elastic due to the force of gravity and less production of proteins that support healthy skin. Thus you may have excess skin on the upper eyelids and bagginess on the lower eyelids. Blepharoplasty is a surgical procedure that removes excess skin and soft tissues from your eyelids. Eyelid reshaping or Peoria blepharoplasty can help eliminate sagging eyebrows, drooping eyelids, and puffiness under your eyes. As a result, you can benefit from improved eyesight and a younger facial appearance.

One of the main disadvantages of blepharoplasty is that it may not eliminate fine lines around the eye area, dark circles under the eyes, and other wrinkles on your face. Therefore, your blepharoplasty specialist may rely on other cosmetic treatments such as forehead lifts, laser resurfacing, and dermal fillers to eliminate eyelid wrinkles.

Before and during blepharoplasty

Before your doctor subjects you to eyelid surgery, you must be the right candidate. You must have saggy or droopy eyelids, be more than 35 years old, and be healthy. You should not have a serious medical condition, especially an eye problem. It will also help speed up your healing and recovery if you do not smoke or drink alcohol.

Before the day of surgery, your blepharoplasty specialist will provide instructions to help you prepare. After checking your medical history, discussing the risks and potential benefits of the procedure and your expectations, and performing physical exams, your health provider may request you stop taking some medications and quit smoking a few weeks before surgery.

Some drugs can lead to blood thinning, which may cause excessive bleeding during and after eyelid surgery.  Also, toxins in your bloodstream from tobacco products or cigarettes can distort your immune system and delay healing, making you prone to infection at your wound site.

During treatment, your surgeon will cut along the fold of the upper eyelid and remove excess fats, muscles, tissues, and skin. The cut is then closed. On your lower eyelid, your surgeon may need to make an incision underneath the eye’s natural fold or crease. Then, the surgeon performs redistribution or removal of excess fat, muscles, tissues, and skin before closing the cut.

If the drooping upper eyelids are close to the pupil, your health provider may need to make a small adjustment to your lid’s lifting muscle. Your surgeon will strengthen and reattach the levator eye muscle if you have a severe case of upper eyelids drooping over the eye.

After blepharoplasty

After eyelid reshaping, you may need to rest for a few hours before returning home. As you rest, your surgeon takes the time to monitor if you may have any complications.

A few hours or days after eyelid surgery, expect to experience watery eyes, light sensitivity, inflammation, puffy eyelids, pain, and blurred vision.

Your surgeon will provide instructions to help you care for your wound site to enable faster recovery. For example, avoid exposing your eyes to smoke or sun’s rays, wearing contact lenses, rubbing your eyes, using eye makeup, and doing strenuous activities.

Contact Arizona Ocular & Facial Plastic Surgery today to schedule an appointment with a blepharoplasty specialist.