What is the standard eyelid surgery recovery time?

Typical recovery is as follows:

Pain Level: Mild discomfort. 0-3 days of pain medication; may not require medication
Swelling and bruising: skin removal only: 3-5 days; skin & fat removal: 1-2 weeks
Stitches: if used, removed in 2 -5 days; no bandages
Work: Return after 5 days with makeup; After 2-3 weeks without makeup
Exercise: Wait 2-3 weeks
Sun protection: Six months with SPF 15 or higher
Final result: Seen after 1-2 months

Contact lenses may be worn in 1-2 weeks (glasses can be worn immediately)
Eye makeup can be worn after 7 days

For faster recovery:
• Sleep with your head elevated for the first few days after surgery to minimize swelling
• Place ice compresses on your eyes for 1-3 days
• Avoid activities that dry the eyes (reading, watching television, wearing contacts, and using a computer)
• Avoid excessive blinking, which leads to increased swelling
• Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from wind and sun irritation
• Avoid any activity that increases blood flow to the eyes (bending, lifting, crying and exercise)
• Don't drink alcohol (can cause fluid retention and delay recovery)

Eyelid surgery is a great procedure as it gives patients a youthful
appearance without looking overly done.
The most common eyelid surgery is an upper blepharoplasty. This is where the excess skin of the upper eyelid
is removed to refresh the eyes.

The recovery process for the procedure is typically very straightforward. I typically use a technique for the upper
eyelids that does not require any sutures. This helps make the postoperative
period very easy for patients. Patients
often have very little pain after the procedure.

I typically have patients take a week off work for their
eyelid surgery. Patients do have to take it easy the first week so that they do
not worsen their bruising or cause a problem after their surgery. At one week typically most of the bruising
from an upper blepharoplasty has resolved, if not patients can use cover-up
makeup.

Please consult your board certified plastic surgeon for your
eyelid surgery.

I do meticulous work with eyelids.  There is no bruising and minimal swelling on upper and lower is transconjunctival having done them for 14 years with no cuts on skin and no suture.  Fine dissection only and appropriate excisions only.  simple and pure and best results.  My patients are back to work in 2 days only and best of all it cost $1800 for upper and lower starting at $2500 all included in surgery center..and no need for dangerous general anesthesia.  

Hi there,
In general, I advised my patients to be prepared to take 1 to 2 weeks off work for blepharoplasty procedures. Obviously it'll also depend on the magnitude of the procedure, whether it's just an upper or lower blepharoplasty or both. The swelling tend to be worse in the first 3 to 5 days before it starts to subside in the following week where all sutures will be removed by 5 to 7 days post op. The majority of swelling will subside by 3-4 weeks post op time frame. 
Certain patient profiles, especially for patients with atopic/allergy background could sometimes take longer for the swelling to improve. Patient expectations, comfort and preferences in letting people know they have eyelid procedures depending on the their respective line of work and individual personalities could also have significant impact on how long they want to "hide" before returning to their normal work environment.
Hope this helps your preparation in your prospective blepharoplasty procedure.
Best wishes
Ellis Choy

Thank you for your question. Like any surgery, everyone heals a little differently and the recovery process varies. However, compared to other surgeries, eyelid surgery is generally very well tolerated. If you just have an upper blepharoplasty, some patients are able to be social within a few days. Sutures are removed at day 4-5, so that is one limiting factor but I use a small suture that is hidden under the skin so it's difficult to see. 
One key to minimizing your bruising and swelling post eyelid surgery is to rest, ice and keep your head elevated. If you're able to dedicate your first 2-3 days to this you will have a much shorter recovery. Some patients feel great and try to get back to their normal routine too fast and that can set things back. So be patient and put in the time upfront to decrease your recovery time. 
If you have an upper and lower eyelid procedure the recovery process is a little longer. There may be more swelling and bruising so most people need more like 5 days. If you do develop bruising this can take more time to resolve. Using Arnica pre and post op can decrease the severity of the bruising. I also give everyone zofran, which treats nausea. The last thing you want to do it become nausea and throw up. This can be related to the anesthesia or the pain medications. 
Every surgery has a different approach and recovery protocol. It is important to understand what you need to do postoperatively before surgery so you have a good strategy. Make sure you consult with a board certified plastic surgeon and ask lots of questions. 

 Patients go home the day of surgery, they are asked to wear an ice compress over their eyes, 20 minutes on 20 minutes off until midnight and 20 minutes every 1-2 hours while awake the first 48 hours.  Patient most often place lubricating drops in their eyes and put  antibiotic ointment on their incisions two to three times per day. My patients are prescribed a narcotic pain medication "just in case" however it is extremely rare that they are needed  Sutures are removed in 5 to 6 days. Patients are advised to expect some bruising. Patients are not to participate in strenuous activity the first two weeks.  Many patients return to work the day after sutures are removed. Two weeks is most often sufficient for tell tell signs of bruising to be gone which can look like a light red or purple area just above the lash line.  When performing extended lower lid blepharoplasty I let patients know, there is a possibility  they may have to wear make up as cover-up for  bruising at and beyond two weeks.

This is a great question.  The upper eyelid is very different than the lower eyelid.  If you are having an upper blepharoplasty alone, I would agree that a two week recovery is adequate.  On the contrary, it is rare to have complete recovery for the LOWER eyelid at 2 weeks.  The lower eyelid is very stubborn and swelling can persist sometimes for 6 to 12 weeks after surgery.  Although a majority of the swelling dissipates after 3 weeks, some blurred vision, corneal irritation or redness can intermmitently persist for many weeks.  You must plan the time off accordingly.  This is serious surgery and I would be cautious of any provider who downplays the extent of recovery.  Best of luck!  Dr. Pacella

The recovery time will vary from patient to patient as well as from doctor to doctor.   Clients at my practice benefit by the fact that I do not utilize a scalpel blade for my eyelid surgery (blepharoplasties). I have been using a CO2 laser for over 2 decades.   The benefit of this technique is the laser helps to minimize bleeding so patients have faster operating room times and in my hands faster healing. Most patients have minimal " black and blueness"  I have my patients ice for only the first 24 hours time.  Most of my patients are back to their regular activites in one week.

Cosmetic eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) removes excess fat and wrinkled, drooping skin from the upper eyelids. It also eliminates bags under your eyes and tightens your lower eyelid skin. The result is a more rested appearance.

The incisions are hidden within the natural folds of the upper lid, and just below the lashes of the lower lid. If your lower eyelid skin is not excessive, the fat that causes the bags can be removed through an incision inside the lower lid. Laser can also be used to tighten the lower eyelid skin.

After eyelid surgery, bruising and swelling occur and may persist for seven to ten days. Sutures come out at five days, and you should be back to work within ten to fourteen days.

After blepharoplasty you should expect to be bruised and swollen for about seven to ten days after surgery.  While every patient is different in how he or she heals, you should typically expect to miss 7-10 days of work.  Many patients have the surgery on a Friday, then take the next week off.  That way, you have the two weekends to recover as well and only 6 regular work days are missed.  Be sure to follow your post operative instructions including a lot of cold compresses in the first couple of days after surgery for the quickest healing possible.

This is an excellent question! Recovery can vary based on patient (skin type, blood thinners, diabetes, etc.) and degree of surgery (skin only blepharoplasty, skin + fat excision, fat reposition, etc.) however generally speaking:
- Around 1-2 weeks of swelling and bruising of the upper and lower lids- I typically ask patients to take about 1 week off of work to avoid heavy lifting and exertion which can make swelling and bruising slower to resolve - The biggest complaint patients have is typically irritation/dry eyes associated with some of the inflammation from surgery. This is treated with artificial tears and antibiotic eye ointment. - You should be able to return to work in 2 weeks, though there is a chance you may still have some mild bruising and swelling. At this point it is okay to put on makeup (if you wear it), though I like to have patients avoid putting directly on the incision line for about 3 weeks.
Hope this helps! Kyle Kimura, MDFacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery