Would like upper eyelid surgery asap but am currently breastfeeding a 2 month old infant. Is this possible to do now?

Question

I'm not concerned about the day of as I can hold off on breastfeeding for one day but, any medications that might be prescribed after. Is this possible to do now?

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD · Answer

I personally think that it is unethical to offer you cosmetic eyelid surgery while you are breastfeeding.  If you had appendicitis, sure, you have to have surgery.  Even if that means immediately discontinuing breast feeding, it would be an appropriate choice.  This is the only time when you can have this intimate contact with your baby.  Is it worth risking this intimacy to have eyelid surgery when the adult thing would be to wait.  I say shame on my colleagues who would attempt to lurer you into having an unnecessary surgery during this time.

Dana Goldberg, MD · Answer

The text book answer is that no one should have elective surgery or use Botox or fillers during pregnancy or breast feeding. This is because there are small potential risks, and no one is going to do studies to look at safety since no one really "needs" these procedures. That said, I'm sure you can find a surgeon who is willing to do your surgery, and likely there would be no complications and no effect on your pump supply. However, most surgeons would not want to take the risk that there could be any negative effects for you or your baby. Most of the surgeons who have strong opinions about avoiding surgery have never been pregnant and have never breast fed. There is a lot more trauma to the body from childbirth than from an upper eyelid surgery, so please consider doing what is best for you. Please just realize that there is a very small chance you could have a tougher recovery than expected. You have to be open to your baby being cared for by someone else and bottle fed if you have a complication. Best wishes.

James R. Gordon, MD, FACS, FAAO · Answer

Thank you for sharing your question. Although you should have no problems with the surgery if performed under local anesthesia, you might not feel up to breast feeding for a couple of days. I personally would put off surgery until you have finished breast feeding. Good luck,

Scott Trimas, MD · Answer

You can have an upper blepharoplasty under local anesthesia while you are breastfeeding. I see no issues with this procedure. The day of the surgery you should have enough breast milk pumped so that you will not need to breast feed until later that day or the next day. I know of no contraindications to the procedure. We do not put our patients on any pain medications after the procedure and our restrictions are to not lift greater than 20 pounds.  I am sure you can find a surgeon in your area. I have had patients have nose procedures in the past while breastfeeding while they are off from work on medical leave so I think it is a reasonable procedure for you to do.

Sean R. Weiss, MD, FACS · Answer

In general upper eyelid blepharoplasty can be performed safely in the office with local anesthesia. The amount of medication required for this procedure is very low and can likely be done safely in patients who are breast-feeding.  Alternatives to surgery may be possible as well. These include thermi smooth which can help to tighten the skin in the upper Eyelid region and around the brow. Another option would be  treating with a CO2 laser or a non-ablative laser to improve the quality of the upper eyelid skin. The success of these less invasive procedures depends on the severity of the upper eyelid condition.   Consult with a Facial Plastic Surgeon for the best advice and guidance. 
 Best regards, Dr. WEISS

Gregory Lakin, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. Yes, you should be OK with breast-feeding after an upper eyelid blepharoplasty under local anesthesia with a Tylenol afterwards if needed.
I recommend you consult with a board certified plastic surgeon to discuss your goals, examine you, and show you before and after pictures to give you an idea of what results you can expect to get. Good luck!

John J. Martin, Jr., MD · Answer

An upper eyelid surgery can be done easily with just local anesthesia.  So you would get an injection of lidocaine with some epinephrine.  Post-op you don't really need to take anything.  We often give a prescription for an antibiotic ointment, but even that can be omitted.  So you would be exposed to a minimal amount of medications.  But make sure you check with your pediatrician first.

Sam Speron, MD, FACS · Answer

You have a great question.  If you have found a surgeon to perform the procedure, you simply need to get a list of the medications that will be used in surgery and the medications that may be prescribed around the time of surgery.  As you know, some medications can be passed through breast milk and a bit of research is therefore required.  You need to determine the amount of time needed for these medications to be fully metabolized and not passed on to your infant.  Start with the list!  Once you have it, do detailed research and then discuss with your pediatrician.  Best of luck to you.

Reza Momeni, MD, FACS · Answer

Most of the time, this is done in the office with local anesthesia and most of our patients never end up needing prescription medication afterwards, but unless there's a really good reason, you might want to wait to be less involved in the care of the baby so that in case there's a problem or a complication from the surgery, the baby's needs will not be affected.

Kyle T. Yamamoto, MD · Answer

Ideally, you should wait until you are done breastfeeding before having any procedure.  However, upper eyelid surgery can often be done in the clinic with a small amount of local anesthetic.  As long as the anesthetic is used locally and no other oral medications are used, it is generally safe to do this procedure while breastfeeding.  Be sure you and your surgeon are clear on exactly what medications will be used.  This will ensure safety for you for both the surgery and the recovery period.  Best of luck!

Would like upper eyelid surgery asap but am currently breastfeeding a 2 month old infant. Is this possible to do now?

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