I cannot afford to miss more than 2 weeks of work when recovering from blepharoplasty procedure. Can a plastic surgeon describe the post-op recovery typical for patients?
Answer: Eyelid Surgery Recovery
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)
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CONTACT NOW Answer: Eyelid Surgery Recovery
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)
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CONTACT NOW Answer: Recovery After Blepharoplasty 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
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CONTACT NOW Answer: Recovery After Blepharoplasty 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
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March 27, 2024
Answer: Eyelid Surgery Recovery Time The recovery time for eyelid surgery can vary depending on the extent of the procedure, whether additional procedures are done at the same time, and individual healing factors. In general, I recommend taking 2 weeks off of work to be conservative, but most people will be able to return to work and normal activities within 7-10 days. Exercise and strenuous activities should be avoided for about 3 weeks. It is normal to have bruising and swelling for the first 1-2 weeks, which gradually subsides. While patients are generally pleased with their results at their one-month visit, full healing and final results take several months to a year. Scars will continue to fade over time, and the final outcome of the surgery becomes more apparent as swelling completely resolves.
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CONTACT NOW March 27, 2024
Answer: Eyelid Surgery Recovery Time The recovery time for eyelid surgery can vary depending on the extent of the procedure, whether additional procedures are done at the same time, and individual healing factors. In general, I recommend taking 2 weeks off of work to be conservative, but most people will be able to return to work and normal activities within 7-10 days. Exercise and strenuous activities should be avoided for about 3 weeks. It is normal to have bruising and swelling for the first 1-2 weeks, which gradually subsides. While patients are generally pleased with their results at their one-month visit, full healing and final results take several months to a year. Scars will continue to fade over time, and the final outcome of the surgery becomes more apparent as swelling completely resolves.
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November 13, 2022
Answer: Blepharoplasty recovery time. Most patients only need to take 7 days off work. Your stitches will be removed 4 days after your procedure. This will significantly speed up the recovery time. Swelling and bruising you may have will be virtually gone by day 10. However, I do recommend my patients to stay away from direct sunlight and wear sunglasses for several weeks when they are working outdoors. Best of luck to you.
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Answer: Blepharoplasty recovery time. Most patients only need to take 7 days off work. Your stitches will be removed 4 days after your procedure. This will significantly speed up the recovery time. Swelling and bruising you may have will be virtually gone by day 10. However, I do recommend my patients to stay away from direct sunlight and wear sunglasses for several weeks when they are working outdoors. Best of luck to you.
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March 11, 2021
Answer: Recovery is always a gradual process Any surgery including upper eyelid surgery has a recovery phase that goes through swelling. I think 2 weeks off is more than what standard patients do. Most of my patients, if taking any time off for eyelid surgery, take one week off. and by second week most of them look presentable.
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CONTACT NOW March 11, 2021
Answer: Recovery is always a gradual process Any surgery including upper eyelid surgery has a recovery phase that goes through swelling. I think 2 weeks off is more than what standard patients do. Most of my patients, if taking any time off for eyelid surgery, take one week off. and by second week most of them look presentable.
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January 25, 2021
Answer: About a week This all depends on how you define recovery. If you define recovery as most of the bruising being gone, incision being hard to see, and pain controlled, I would say that it's about a week for blepharoplasty. Upper blepharoplasty is less intense of a recovery than lower eyelid surgery, as blood pressure control, etc. postop is more critical after lower eyelid surgery. I advise patients to avoid heavy exercise for 4 weeks, but can go back to work after a week as long as they don't do any strenuous exercise or lifting at work. If you have an office job that's not a problem. If you have an active job, such as nursing, you may be better off if you can take 2 weeks off before returning to work. Overall, incisions are nearly impossible to see when healed and patients are very happy. -David Mattos, New York Plastic Surgical Group
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CONTACT NOW January 25, 2021
Answer: About a week This all depends on how you define recovery. If you define recovery as most of the bruising being gone, incision being hard to see, and pain controlled, I would say that it's about a week for blepharoplasty. Upper blepharoplasty is less intense of a recovery than lower eyelid surgery, as blood pressure control, etc. postop is more critical after lower eyelid surgery. I advise patients to avoid heavy exercise for 4 weeks, but can go back to work after a week as long as they don't do any strenuous exercise or lifting at work. If you have an office job that's not a problem. If you have an active job, such as nursing, you may be better off if you can take 2 weeks off before returning to work. Overall, incisions are nearly impossible to see when healed and patients are very happy. -David Mattos, New York Plastic Surgical Group
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