How Long Before the Lower Incisions Heals After Transcutaneous Bleph Procedure?

This is unfortunate because the bulk of lower eyelid complications arise when a the lower eyelid incision but through the skin and the underlying muscle because of damage to the orbicularis oculi muscle that helps hold the lower eyelid against the eye .  Open gallbladder surgery was the tried and true method but now it has been virtually entirely replaced with laproscopic cholecystectomy except in unusual situations.  Like laproscopic cholecystectomy, transconjunctival lower eyelid surgery, which avoids the skin incision, heals much faster than the tried and true methods and is associated with far few complications.  If you have already had this surgery, the redness of the incision will fade in 4 to 6 months.  If you have not had this surgery, you might consider getting some additional opinions including cosmetic oculoplastic surgeons.

The incisions on a lower transconjunctival blepharoplasty are on the inside of the lower eyelid and are invisible to the patient.  The incisions are sealed within 24 hours and heel quite nicely a week after surgery.  There is nothing visibly externally whatsoever since it is on the inside of the lower lids.  

As a facial plastic surgeon, the physical examination determines whether a transcutaneous vs. tranconjuctival approach is used. I have performed both and understanding the anatomy of the lower eyelid is paramount in a successful transcutaneous surgery. In my experience, the incision heals very well with redness being the longer lasting issue. Usually, I find my incisions look great within 4 weeks. Makeup can be applied and camouflage any lingering redness. It is usually the swelling of the conjunctiva that may take longer to resolve. More often than not, I combine a lower lid tightening procedure and malar suspension. Tightening of the lower lid not only preserves the almond shape of the  palpebral aperture but prevents eversion of the lower lid (ectropion) and  chronic tearing in the patient with poor lid tone. I also perform an angled cut to preserve the muscular orbicularis muscle which maintains the muscular sling of the lower lid.

Jessahaa,

I tell patients that any incision will take up to one year to completely heal.  Usually within a month blepharoplasty incisions are barely visible.

A traditional blepharoplasty is tried and true and still done for some patients with excess skin.  The scar usually fades very well with time.

Eyelid incisions heal very quickly-sutures can be removed as early as 3-5 days. However, chemnically beneath the surface significant healing takes 6 weeks for the wound to become strong.

Studies have shown that the average skin incision can take up to 7 months for the skin color to return to normal.

It seems that the previous responses to your question are polarized to one technique vs. another, and which technique is superior. Firstly, transcutaneous blepharoplasty incisions "heal" in 5-7 days. They will fade on average in one to three months. Makeup can be used as early as one week. Secondly, the " best" procedure for blepharoplasty is dependent on your particular situation. If you have excess skin and muscle on the lower lid causing a "drapery" look, removing only the fat via a transconjunctival approach will not resolve the skin/muscle excess, and will cause increased laxity and sagging. This situation is best approached externally and most surgeons with experience will add support for the lower lid. On the other hand, if you have lower lid fullness and puffiness, and also have minimal or slight skin/muscle excess, the transconjuntival approach (with or without laser skin tightening) is appropriate.

IMHO, this is the older technique for a lower eyelid surgery, the transconjunctival technique being the newer, preferred method. In either case, the incision should slowly fade from pink to your normal skin color within a few months.

The incisions heal exceptionally quickly. I remove sutures at 3 days. The next day you can apply camouflage make-up. They stay slightly red for up to 2 months, but, with make-up, are almost invisible. After that the red usually fades and the incisions become almost invisible. In spite of some surgeons' preference for transconjunctival Blepharoplasty, I believe the transcutaneous method is the only way to really correct the cheek and tear trough. This is what I chose for myself and still believe strongly in it.