What Is The Recovery After Eyelid (Blepharoplasty) Surgery?

Q: I would like to get my eyelids done as they are very heavy looking and make me look bad. People tell me all the time that I look tired even though I am not. I am sick of hearing that! My only real concern about the surgery is recovery. How long is the recovery and what will I look like?

A: Thank your for your inquiry. Recovery after blepharoplasty surgery is largely social…meaning how do I look? (how much bruising and swelling will you get) That would depend on whether one is doing only upper eyelids, only lower eyelids, or all four eyelids.. When all four eyelids are done, most people will have noticeable bruising and swelling for up to 10 to 14 days after surgery. If only one set of eyelids is done, it will be less than that. Lower eyelids develop more welling and bruising than the upper eyelids after surgery. There are also different types of blepharoplasties done in which the overall swelling and bruising may well be less, what we call limited blepharoplasties which are either of the pinch type or lower eyelid which use only a transconjunctival (inside the eyelid incision) approach.

There are numerous strategies for keeping the amount of swelling and bruising as limited as possible. This includes pre-and postoperative oral Arnica, keeping one’s head elevated above one’s heart for the first few days and a good icing of the eyes the night after surgery. I also use gentle surgical technique with delicate amounts of cautery to keep down the amount of bruising that can develop.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis Indiana