Second Blepharoplasty-Eyelid Surgery-Lower Eyelid Only This Time (First Was Unsatisfactory/left Me WorsewithWrinkles) Fresno, CA

I got my stitches out yesterday and I feel good about the results so far. If I learned anything from my first bleph it was that I wont know what the actual results will be for about 2 months though. If I look the same as I do, less the obvious redness and swelling, then I will be a very happy woman. Dr. Truong was able to smooth out about 80-90% of the wrinkles I was left with from the first blephoraplasty 2 years ago, and I feel great so far! I am hoping and praying that the results are in fact as they appear right now. I have a good feeling about it.
I want to take a moment to correct myself about the surgeon who performed the first bleph. I was so upset that I was left with wrinkles I didn't gave before, and that he didn't offer to amend the situation for free or for a large discount after I'd saved up for so long that I was unable to realize that he gad actually done a good job otherwise. Yes, I feel like he should have removed the loose skin left from the bags for maybe $1000 more, and He also didn't admit that I even needed it, but he also did a very good job on my upper lids that were starting to look hooded, and he didn't do me any harm on my lower lids. He just didn't do a complete job of removing the skin that definitely needed to be removed, and I wanted to clarify that. Had he simply fixed the problem for a very reasonable price (since I was mortified) I would have been super happy and I would have referred many others to him. However, because he will not admit this, and did not do that, I stand by my rating of his work and him and do not trust or like him. Had I not been able to save the money and get this second bleph, I'd literally hate him. Money doesn't come easy for me, and surgery is scary every time. So I paid a lot and took the risks because I wanted pretty bright eyes very bad, and he almost made me worse. I understand that he simply just failed to complete the job, made an incorrect recommendation (no skin needing removed), and insisted he was right while looking me in the eyes afterward, but he did a good job otherwise. Does that make sense to you guys?
As for Dr. Truong, he is my new cosmetic surgeon, and, so far, I really like him. My only complaint is that he would only give me 15 pain pills and refused my refill request. I definitely felt judged by my appearance for that because I have tattoos, a lot, and I've dealt with judgment before. I did not pay almost $3k to "get high". I simply wanted a few more days of comfort. I'm fine now though, and didn't even bring it up when I saw him yesterday, as I no longer need strong pain medication. Otherwise, he was nice and pleasant to me.
I will update you again at my 1 month follow up.

Everything seems to be coming along fine. I believe I am healing at a normal pace. My eyes are still somewhat swollen, and the bruising is minimal. As you can see by the photos the bruising is very minimal, and I believe that is due to my taking the Bromelain 3x day, and I started taking it the day prior to surgery, and icing my eyes with the ice eye mask the doctor provided, which was a huge benefit comfort-wise, as recommended for 20 minutes on and 10 minutes off for the first 2-3 days. In addition, I've been sleeping propped up on several comfy pillows.

The incisions were made starting just a few centimeters outward from the inner corners of both eyes out to about 1/4" past the outer corners of both eyes. The swelling is mostly at the outer corners as I believe that is where most of the skin was removed. I was worried about that, prior to surgery, because the majority of my wrinkles were below the outer corners of my eyes. So far, I am pleased with the placement of the incisions. I am hopeful that enough skin was removed to give me a smooth under eye area, but not too much to cause my lower lid to retract from my eyeballs.

My pain level is moderate, and the pain medication is very much needed. It definitely helped, and I have been comfortable. Extra Strength Tylenol would not have been enough to keep me comfortable. I was prescribed 15 pain pills and directed to take 1-2 pills every 6 hours, and I definitely needed them so I set my watch timer to take them 30 minutes prior to the 6 hour interval so as to maintain my comfort. I was taking 2 pills at a time for the first 2 days, but as I was running low, I began swapping one for an Extra Strength Tylenol yesterday.

Wish me wonderful healing!

I've been lying on my bed with my computer, Netflix, Youtube, and music, propped up with my head above my shoulders using ice as recommended 20 min. on, and 10 min. off this entire day (and tomorrow I will too). I am so grateful for the ice mask the doctor provided me with. My last bleph surgeon did not provide me with one, and I had to buy frozen peas . The mask is so much easier to use and it fastens around my head easily with a Velcro strap, which is way more comfortable than trying to get two bags of frozen peas to stay in place most of the day, not to mention swapping out thawed bags for frozen bags and suffering through extreme cold. It's way more convenient. I just filled a small ice chest and put it next my bed and I refill it when needed.

***I highly recommend a refillable ice eye mask that fastens around your head with Velcro.

Dr. Truong called about 2 hours post op personally to check in on me, which was very thorough and considerate just in case I had any issues or questions. I feel like I'm healing as to be expected so I did not have any questions and thanked him for calling.

My pain level is moderate, but the pain medication prescribed, Percocet, is doing its job (I take 2 pills every 4 hours). My eyes are still sore to the touch, or if I close them too tight, and I feel pain mostly in the outer corners of my eyes where the incision is extended outward, and my vision is slightly blurry, but nothing scary at all. It all feels very normal. My eyes are still swollen but nothing our of the ordinary.

My vision is clear enough now to inspect the work the surgeon performed and it appears to be good. So far so good. There are no abnormalities that I can see, no blood seepage, which would be considered normal, but I have had none since directly after. No extreme pain or uneven extreme swelling.

The incision directly below my last line seems straight and fairly even, but there are two stitches that appear to go directly into my eyelid rim, which is a little concerning. I've had an issue with a large pore on the rim of my lower lid in the past and I am hopeful that this incision hole does not start to gather oil and dirt and become a blackhead like the other enlarged pore does. Another disturbing factor was that while the doctor was performing the surgery I couldn't see what he was doing or what tools he was using, but I could swear that I heard (yes heard and that was gross) him using surgical scissors and cutting my skin away. I don't know what I expected, maybe a scalpel, but when I think of scissors I think for tears and jagged edges. I cannot see anything like that but my skin is very swollen along the incisions and the stitches are holding the skin together where it was cut and I cannot tell whether the skin was actually jagged and ripped by scissors. I would imagine that they used surgical scissors that are extremely sharp, but we will have to wait and see what the outcome is to know if they look jagged and messy.

I have been praying for a week now that I finally get the bright, pretty, smooth, wrinkle-free eyes that I've always dreamed about. Yes, I said always, as I had hereditary under eye "bags" since I was 12 yrs old. I have dreamed to have this surgery for many years, and fortunately I saved enough money ($4,900) to get the surgery when I was just 37, and again, for this second follow up surgery to remove the loose wrinkled skin that once housed the fat "bag", $2,700. Now I am hoping that all of you will pray and/or send your positive vibes my way for healthy, problem free healing, and beautifully youthful, bright smooth eyes! Thank you everyone who has followed me on both or either of my reviews. Your comments help me immensely.

Now for the photos: The post op - 1 hour post op photos I took when I looked swollen and slightly bruised, but they are now dark purple and larger area is bruised, as to be expected as bruising and swelling will reach its maximum on day 3. I have been taking Bromelain since yesterday morning, taking 3 pills a day and I am on my 2 day (I was instructed to begin the Bromelain 1-2 days prior to surgery). Last surgery I used Bromelain and Arnica and I am positive they worked wonders with bruising and swelling but this time I did not buy the Arnica as they did not have it in pill form, only a topical cream which cannot be used where skin is broken, open wound (incisions) so Id did not want to risk it. So I am just using Bromelain and hoping that it does as good a job as the combo.