How long do I have to wait to see the final result of upper eyelid surgery?

Question

2 weeks ago, i had my left upper eyelid surgery to lift up in order to match with my right eyelid. now my left eyelid is actually much lower then it used to be. everyday I'm watching it but don't see any improvement. really disappointing! after another 2-3 weeks later, will my eyelid jump up gradually??

Marie E. Montag, MD · Answer

After eyelid surgery you have to expect that it takes time to heal and that you cannot see your final result until that healing has taken place. Two weeks out from an eyelid surgery is far too soon to be judging your results. At that point there will still be a lot of swelling in the tissue that will distort things, and the scar tissue is just beginning to heal and settle down. Initially, the scar tissue looks and feels thick, as it matures that scar flattens and softens. Until it is fully mature you will still see the differences compared to the un-operated side. I would expect you to see some good improvement over the next four weeks as the swelling goes down, but it will probably be months before you see your final results. Scar tissue can take as much as 18months to fully mature. Your doctor will probably give you instructions on massaging the scar as you get further out to help speed up that process. You need to be patient and let mother-nature take her time during the healing process. If you are still concerned you should talk to your plastic surgeon and he/she may be able to give you a more specific explanation knowing what they did at the time of surgery.

Andrew Campbell, MD · Answer

Assuming that you had ptosis surgery (surgery to actually lift the lid and open the eye more) then it's not unusual for the swelling to cause the lid to droop again. As the swelling resolves, the lid comes up. It's usually all better by 2 months or so. Consider discussing with your surgeon.Andrew Campbell, M.D.Facial Rejuvenation SpecialistQuintessa Aesthetic Centers

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD · Answer

Upper eyelid surgery can and does cause ptosis.  I recommend being patient and letting the eyelids heal 6 to 8 weeks.  If ptosis is not much better by then, it is likely to be an issue that will require revision.  Usually we do wait a full 6 to 12 months before doing this revisional work.

Curtis Perry, MD · Answer

Depending on the exact nature of the procedure that was done 3 to 4 months is usually needed for the final appearance.

Neel Kumar, MD · Answer

It's difficult to fully evaluate your situation without seeing photos and directly examining you, but it's very common to get swelling after having a surgical procedure. The postop swelling from the surgery creates extra weight on your eyelid and weighs it down to cause a droop. This should continue to improve each week and a lot of the swelling will resolve within the first month. However you may continue to see improvement in the lid height for up to 3-6 months after surgery. I'd suggest continuing to follow up with you surgeon for repeat examinations while you're healing. Best of luck.

How long do I have to wait to see the final result of upper eyelid surgery?

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