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Upper Eye Lids - Will Bumps Go Away or is Scar Tissue Forming?

I had a poorly done upper eyelid surgery done 15 days ago. I notice hard bumbs and cysts forming, which I initially thought would subsde. They seem to be here to stay. Am I freaking out unjustly or is the beginning of permanant scar tissue forming. Please see pictures of day 8 (day stitches came out) Day 10, day 15 (today).

Doctor Answers 8

January 11th, 2011

Bumps after upper lid blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery): scarring or something else?

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Because eyelid skin is the thinnest in the body, usually one can expect very minimal scarring when performing a blepharoplasty. That being said, there are certain factors that come into play that will effect the ultimate healing and one is the length of time sutures are left in. Most of the time blepharoplasty sutures are removed on either the fifth or sixth day. This is because, if left in much longer in the area, the body creates epithelial tracts where the sutures are placed which can result in bumps, cysts and potentially noticeable scars. Many plastic surgeons have gone to closing the eyelid incisions with a subcuticular suture to help avoid tracts. That means the suture is placed beneath the skin and only comes out on either end. Even with this technique, at about six days, you start to see a small bump on either end where the suture emerges which usually settle down over a short period of time. In your case at day 15, it is a bit early to determine if these irregularities will be permanent. If it is just melia (small cysts), then your plastic surgeon can address this easily, so let him know.

Learn more: http://www.delucaplasticsurgery.com/procedures/facial-rejuvenation/eyelid-surgery/

William F. DeLuca Jr, MD
July 4th, 2015

Upper eyelid surgery - will bumps go away or is scar tissue forming?

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Hello! Thank you for the question! It is common for scars to fully mature for up to a year. In the meantime, there are a few things that may help to ameliorate your incision/scar. The most proven (as well as cheapest) modality is simple scar massage. Applying pressure and massaging the well-healed scar has been shown to improve the appearance as it breaks up the scar tissue, hopefully producing the finest scar as possible. Using ointment or Vaseline does well - avoiding creams and lotions to eyelids. Other things that have been shown to add some benefit, albeit controversial, are silicone sheets, hydration, and topical steroids. In addition, avoidance of direct sunlight to the incision will significantly help the appearance as they tend to discolor with UV light during the healing process.

If unsightly scars are still present after approximately a year's time, other things that your surgeon may consider are intralesional steroid injections, laser, or just surgical revision of the scar itself.

Hope that this helps! Best wishes!
Lewis Albert Andres, MD
January 8th, 2011

Upper Lid Blepharoplasty

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Thanks for the picture.  It has been just over 2 weeks and I think the incision should look a bit better than it does.  It is hard to tell if you have cyst or not without a physical exam.  I would revisit with your surgeon to see what his/her answers are.  If dissatisfied with that then get a second opinion.

Dr. ES

Earl Stephenson, Jr., MD, DDS, FACS
September 20th, 2016

Wound Healing Following Blepharoplasty

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It's normal to have areas or irregularity along the incision fifteen days following blepharoplasty surgery. These areas of irregularity occur for a variety of reasons including suture tracts, normal skin edge eversion, inflammation, crusting, scabbing and normal wound healing.



These lumps, bumps and bulges tend to heal nicely with the passage of time. This process can be facilitated by gentle massage, topical ointments and avoidance of sun exposure. When these steps are taken, eyelid incisions heal nicely. It's important to realize that wound healing goes on for up to a year following surgery.



If you're concerned about the appearance of your eyelids following blepharoplasty, it's important to consult your surgeon. Your surgeon should be able to make an appropriate recommendation regarding the optimization of wound healing.

Richard J. Bruneteau, MD
July 26th, 2015

Bumps following blepharoplasty

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Thank you for the question. You do not need to be worried, because those bumps are quite common following blepharoplasty and will resolve. If there is any concern, follow up with your surgeon. Good luck.

Learn more: http://www.CosmeticEyelids.com

James R. Gordon, MD, FACS, FAAO
February 7th, 2011

Healing after a upper Blepharoplasty procedure...

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Healing after upper blepharoplasty or any plastic surgery procedure takes time.  The incision line is placed in the natural crease of the eyelid, and the skin in this area is delicate and thin, therefore healing is usually excellent.  While most healing occurs in the first couple weeks, it can take a few months for complete healing of the incision.  It is completely normal to be experiencing the symptoms that you have.  The sutures that are placed in the crease are usually dissolving and may cause some irritation while going away.  Small bumps, redness, and swelling may be seen and usually disappear with time.  If you have concerns you should contact you surgeon to discuss your symptoms.

Andrew Miller, MD
January 29th, 2011

Bumpy scar from eyelid lift

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Many times, the bumps that can occur initially after surgery, resolve with time.  If not, the scar can be revised but I would wait at least 1 year before doing this.

Jonathan Heistein, MD
January 7th, 2011

Eyelid incisions with small bumps after Blepharoplasty

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Dear OrangeCounty,  Thank you for the picture or your upper eyelids after Blepharoplasty.  The bumps that you describe can be from a variety of  causes.

  •  They can be entirely normal at only 15 days after surgery if the bumps are where your sutures where placed.
  • If you had absorbable sutures, then they may be where your body is dissolving the sutures.
  • If your eyelid skin is forming some small "milia" at the sutures sites, then these can be self-limiting, or can  usually be treated very simply by your surgeon.  
Travis T. Tollefson, MD, MPH

These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.