It’s normal to have questions before having surgery. If you’re considering eyelid surgery and have more questions, let us answer a few of those for you!
Our previous blog post was all about eyelid surgery (also known as blepharoplasty), so we won’t go too much into the specifics.
In short, blepharoplasty, or eyelid lift surgery, is an incredibly common type of surgery that can be done for both cosmetic and medical reasons to help correct droopy eyelids. For more detailed information please see our previous blog post on blepharoplasties here.
During an eyelid lift procedure, the surgeon makes an incision along the top eyelid crease or bottom lash line (depending on your goals and needs). In some cases, blepharoplasty may involve removing or repositioning excess skin, fat, and muscle tissue of the eyelid and/or brows.
1. Who Can Get Eyelid Surgery?
While it’s true that eyelid surgery is especially popular for aging women to address droopy eyes that affect vision or just generally give a tired appearance, eyelid surgery isn’t confined to one demographic. Men commonly get blepharoplasties done for all the same reasons women do! Both adult men and women can benefit from the results provided by this great little procedure.
Blepharoplasty isn’t limited to one age group, either. Genetics and lifestyle can factor heavily into whether someone develops lower eyelid-bags and droopy, sagging eyelids. Young people with these same concerns can also benefit from an eyelid lift to help combat these genetic traits!
2. Does it hurt?
Blepharoplasty is performed under local anesthesia with twilight sedation, meaning that the eye area will be numbed, and you will be given anesthetic sedation(not a general anesthetic you will always be breathing on your own) to keep you comfortable which is administered by a certified anesthesia provider. While you may feel some pressure and tugging during surgery, it’s usually not uncomfortable.
After surgery it’s common to experience some discomfort, as well as bruising and swelling while your eyelids heal. However, due to the mild nature of the surgery itself, pain should be minimal and subside as healing takes place.
3. How Long Does Healing Take?
Initially, you’ll experience some swelling, pain, and discoloration. These initial symptoms will diminish in two weeks. However, total healing time varies by patient, and some symptoms can last 6 to 8 months.
You may experience some of these side effects following surgery:
Dry eyes
Itchy eyes
Bruising and Swelling
Discomfort
Tightness
For the first few days you may also experience blurred vision. This is another common side effect following eyelid surgery. However, if vision doesn’t improve after the first week, call our surgery center immediately.
5. When will I see results?
You can technically see results immediately. However, you won’t be able to fully appreciate the results until full healing occurs, which as said, which can take months. Swelling and bruising will subside significantly after a few weeks, but keep in mind that it can take up to 8 months for surgery scars to fully heal. Be patient and trust the process!
6. Can I get eyelid lift surgery at the same time as another procedure?
Yes! Because eyelid surgery is performed under local sedation anesthesia, it can often be paired with a brow lift or other procedures.
7. What other options are there for droopy eyelids?
There are other non-surgical options available to help with your appearance. What works best for you will depends primarily on your outcome goals. There are times when a blepharoplasty may be necessary. However, Facial fillers or neurotoxins such as Botox or Dysport may provide dramatic results.
The primary difference between getting non-surgical versus surgical intervention is the length of time your results last. Blepharoplasties can last for 10+ YEARS with minimal maintenance necessary.
Non-surgical injections, in contrast, require continual maintenance every few months, with results lasting only weeks depending on the product. Still, injections are less invasive, require a smaller yet recurring financial output upfront than surgery. Ultimately, it is up to you and your surgeon to decide what is the best option for you.
8. How long does it take?
In most cases a blepharoplasty procedure takes 1-2 hours. You can expect to be at our facility for 3 to 4 hours to provide you individual care before and after your surgical procedure.
9. Will I need to stop any medications before surgery?
If you are on any medications associated with increased bleeding risks, we may ask you to stop those for the weeks leading up surgery. Our surgeons will coordinate with your primary care providers to determine a safe and effective plan prior to stopping any medication. You may be asked to stop any herbal supplements or other medications that are also associated with increased bleeding.
10. When can I resume normal activity?
We recommend taking at least three days off of work or school. If you do not wish to return with bruising and swelling, we recommend two weeks. At that time, you can wear cover up to hide any residual bruising. You will be able to drive as soon as your vision is no longer blurry. Two weeks away from the gym, hiking, excessive lifting and bending and other aerobic strenuous activities is required. We suggest this amount of time for two reasons:
1) Focusing on healing without the distraction or stress of work and appearance paves the way for the best outcome and
2) Aerobic activities increase the blood pressure which increases the chance for bleeding and additional bruising.
During the initial few weeks of recovery you’ll be instructed to manage swelling and pain with cold compresses on the eyes during the day.
Despite taking time from normal activity, it’s still safe to use your eyes. Feel free to use your phone, computer, read, watch TV, etc. You may find that you’re more sensitive to light immediately following surgery making some quiet activities difficult, some off time from your phone and bright lights will probably do you good.
Schedule a Consult
If you have any more questions about eyelid surgery, let us know! You can schedule a no-risk consultation with our competent staff. We can help give you a holistic view of what the procedure looks like, what to expect, risks, results, and more! Schedule online or give us a call to schedule your consultation today.