After eyelid surgery, it is common for patients to wonder how long bruising, swelling, and pain will last. Patients may be anxious to return to work, run errands, and make plans with family and friends in the weeks following surgery. Others may be eager to get a preview of the results of surgery. No matter what your reasons may be, it is completely expected and normal that you should want to inform yourself about every aspect of the eyelid surgery recovery process. Dr. Paul Pin has dedicated this blog post to providing our Dallas and Fort Worth patients with pertinent information regarding eyelid surgery swelling, bruising, and pain.

Swelling

Whether you undergo upper or lower blepharoplasty, or another facial plastic surgery procedure such as facelift or browlift,  you will experience swelling after surgery. The good news is that most of the visible swelling goes down in seven to 14 days. At six to eight weeks after surgery, patients can expect more than 90 percent of the swelling to disappear. It is protocol for surgeons to advise patients that all swelling could take up to a year to resolve; however, the remaining swelling is so minimal, it is usually not noticeable to patients.

There are, of course, steps that our Dallas and Fort Worth patients can take to minimize swelling after eyelid surgery. These recovery tips include:

  • Use an ice compress on the treatment area
  • Keep the head elevated while sleeping
  • Consume a low sodium diet
  • Avoid strenuous activity
  • Use Arnica Montana (under your doctor's guidance)

Bruising

Bruising is a noticeable effect of eyelid surgery and can be very discouraging to patients. Bruising is generally more visible under the eyes. In the first couple of days after surgery, bruising is at is worst and is usually a black, deep purple, or dark blue color. As the bruise begins to resolve itself, typically by day three or four, the color turns to green, brown or yellow. The bruising continues to fade over the next few days and dissipates completely seven to 10 days after surgery.

To reduce the occurrence, severity, and timeline of post-operative bruising, it is important to choose a board-certified plastic surgeon to perform your procedure. Dr. Pin is board certified and has performed many blepharoplasty procedures on Dallas and Fort Worth patients. He will utilize techniques that limit trauma to surrounding tissues and skin so bruising is as mild as possible. In addition, Dr. Pin recommends that patients follow the swelling recovery tips, which will also help to reduce bruising.

Pain

Swelling and bruising are unpleasant to patients because they prevent them from seeing the results of surgery. Pain, on the other hand, can be debilitating and make for a miserable recovery period. Dr. Pin's patients find that discomfort is minimal after eyelid surgery, so long as they follow his post-operative instructions. It is important to limit activity and take pain medication on schedule, especially in the first few days after surgery. Depending on your needs, Dr. Pin may prescribe pain medication or recommend a product that can be purchased over-the-counter. Pain is at its worst the day of surgery, after that, it decreases considerably day by day.

To schedule an eyelid surgery consultation in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, contact the practice of Paul Pin, MD, today.