How long does it REALLY take to recover from upper and lower bleph?

I have patients who are back on the phones the day after eyelid surgery.  The often will sneak into their office 3 to 5 days after surgery.  Generally many people find 7 days back to work a bit early but 10 to 14 days are much more feasible depending on how much public contact they have.  By 14 to 21 days, most people will not grab  you by the arm and ask what happened?  I release my patients to return to their workouts at 21 days.  Lumpy firmness in the lower eyelid is at its maximum 4 to 6 weeks after surgery before getting better.  Most eyelid patents tell me at 8 weeks that they feel like things just settled down.  However I advise them that they continue to heal over the next 12 months.  Your experience is fits this time line.

Thanks for your question!  Swelling can persist for quite a while in the lower lids.  I would say that at 3 months, you are fairly close to what would be an end result.  If you are still concerned at that point, I would suggest addressing your concerns with your plastic surgeon.  Good luck!

Many thanks for posting your question - it is a very good point you raise - immediate recovery from surgery is different from the longterm result settling down.Whist it may be possible to return to work soon after surgery (normally most bruising has gone by 2-weeks), there will still be residual swelling for quite some time. This might be subtle and not noticeable obviously to others, but you will be aware of it. It can take several months for the residual swelling to settle down, and this varies between different people.As a rule, the final result can be said to be judged a year after surgery for most plastic surgery operations. I hope this helps

Thank you for sharing your question. It usually take about 2 weeks for patients not to look like they had surgery. Swelling improves over 6 months as well as the scars appearance. I hope this helps.Good luck,

Thank you for your question. We advise a recovery period, of 5 - 7 days, for an upper eyelids and two weeks for lower lids.  For patients who bruise easily, recovery may be slightly longer.  Cool whitchazel compresses (dampen cotton pads with whitchazel, cooled in the fridge), post surgery, are very helpful in reducing swelling and providing relief.  Sleep with your head elevated, for the first few nights, this will also aid in reducing swelling.  Best of Luck!

There are different stages to healing from any surgery.  Majority of the bruising/swelling resolves within the 7-14 days.  The muscles and other structures can take up to 3 months to recover and "settle".  Majority of the scarring is complete in first 3 months, although complete healing/remodeling of the scar take up to a year.  For most patients, what is most important is the obvious signs of surgery (bruising/swelling) which last 7-14 days.

  Most patients will look presentable at 2 weeks, but the swelling can be significant for 6 weeks or so.Kenneth Hughes, MDLos Angeles, CA

You can go back to work one day after a bleph if you don't mind looking bruised and swollen!  Most patients will want to take off about 10-14 days after the surgery so that the initial healing is well underway and they look presentable.  In some people the bruising can last for several weeks.  And full healing takes at least 6 months.  So you are still in the early healing phase.       

Most patients have visible bruising and swelling after upper lower blepharoplasty for 2 weeks. Most patients are able to return to work or social activities at 2 weeks. There is mild amount of residual swelling that is present for  Approximately 2 months and this can easily be covered with makeup. The incisions also take 2-3 months to settle down until the scar has fully matured

Healing from blepharoplasty varies with everyone.  Some have little swelling and bruising and appear to be healed in a few weeks. Others have more intense bruising and swelling or other underlying health issues that can delay healing and recovery. It is hard to predict at times who will respond best to surgery.  In the vast majority of patients, however, the outcomes are similar once healing occurs, whether rapid or slow.  So unless you feel you are getting worse, just be patient and let your body heal.  Scar remodeling and complete healing can take 6 months to a year in some patients.