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Can Swelling After Blepharoplasty Be Permanent?

I had lower blepharophasty Nov 10, but since the one eye stayed swollen the doctor opened it up again to see if any was wrong on Dec 23. He claimed that the muscle had slightly folded on itself and he straightened it out. So, it's four weeks today, and it's still swollen each morning with makes that circular indentation where the puffiness meets the eye socket and makes me feel like a freak.

Last night it actually looked better, but today when I woke up it was more swollen than ever and it has remained swollen today. I have hardly left the house for the past two months, as I am so self conscious. Evenings are a little better, but I still don't feel like me and I keep wondering if people are noticing it since it can look better or worse depending on the lighting. The other healed in two weeks. Could this problem be permanent?

Asked 37 months ago by hollygirl in USA

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swelling

No but it can take a long time for all swelling to resolve.

With rare exceptions, swelling caused by eyelid surgery resolves in time. Four weeks after a surgery is actually considered to be relatively soon after surgery. This means that the swelling you are experiencing will get better in time. The rare circumstances where swelling lingers can be related to surgical disruption to the eyelid lymphatics but even this type of swelling resolves eventually. However, there other causes of fullness following eyelid surgery that are unrelated to tissue... more

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD

Los Angeles Oculoplastic Surgeon

Swelling after Blepharoplasty can persist for months

Usually the majority of swelling lasts a few weeks, but for some individuals the swelling can persist for months. Usually by a year the tissues have settled back to normal.

Steven Wallach, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Swelling after lower Blepharoplasty should gradually improve

It is hard to tell without examining you. Swelling after eyelid surgery may take several months to resolve. In view of the fact that it seems to fluctuate, it will probably gradually get better. Since you had two procedures in the course of a couple months, it will probably take a bit longer to heal. You might benefit from a small steroid injection. If it does not get better in several months, you might need another small revision.

Stella Desyatnikova, MD

Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon

Sounds like swelling

It sounds like you had a problem that was rectified. Great! However, when you have two surgical procedures in such a short time, one would expect a significant amount of swelling. On a good note, the fact that it gets better and worse suggests that it is swelling and will eventually resolve. Finally, although I cannot comment on what you look like at this moment, it is my experience that most people think others see their imperfections, when in fact they don't. So relax and be patient.... more

Robert M. Freund, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Time and patience may be all that are required.

Dear Hollygirl, Swelling following lower lid blepharoplasty is not particularly uncommon. If the muscle had folded upon itself it sounds like your surgeon performed a subciliary incision to the lower lid. This approach can address the fat and excess skin and muscle of the lower lid, but, the approach does require an incision and more dissection to the area. Too much fat removal or improper fat repositioning may also give areas of the lower lid a puffy or hollow appearrance. Surgery in... more

Philip S. Schoenfeld, MD

Chevy Chase Facial Plastic Surgeon

Swelling after Blepharoplasty is not normally permanent but can be visible for 3-4 months

The fact that you had a revision of your blepharoplasty 6 weeks after surgery certainly has prolonged your swelling. If the revision corrected the muscle problem I would expect your swelling to be greatly improved by six weeks and certainly gone by 6 months at the longest. The eyes are very delicate and prone to swelling following surgery. Typically, swelling is 50-60% improved by the first 3-4 weeeks after surgery. By 6 weeks most of the swelling is gone. However, incisions can remain... more

Doctor's Website

Brooke R. Seckel, MD

Boston Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Swelling usually not permanent

Swelling is usually not permanent after a blepharoplasty. Some of the swelling that is occurring more in the morning and then in the evenings is just fluid shift and will go away. Make sure to be on a low-salt diet.

Doctor's Website

William Portuese, MD

Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon

Not an easy question to answer

You are still quite soon after your second surgery so I wouldn't pass judgment on the permanancy of your condition. There sounds like a dynamic component to your situation where sometimes it looks good and sometime look worse. Whether or not alternating compresses or steroidal therapy would be helpful might be answered by your surgeon. However, it might also be related to your anatomical structure of the orbital and periorbital tissues. There are some patients whose lower eyelid puffinesss... more