Will I Experience Any Side Effects After Having Eyelid Surgery?
Blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery, addresses drooping skin over the eyelid that creates a tired or aged appearance. The popular procedure targets one of the first signs of aging and produces impressive results.
Most patients who undergo eyelid surgery recover quickly and easily. However, like any surgical procedure, blepharoplasty has some potential side effects.
How Is Blepharoplasty Performed?
Blepharoplasty is an outpatient surgery to remove excess skin from the eyelids. During the operation, your surgeon will make a shallow incision in the eyelids’ natural folds.
Then, they’ll remove excess fat or skin that causes the eyelid to sag and fold, reducing heaviness around the eyes. Additionally, they’ll tighten the underlying muscle and seal the incision to restore lift and youthfulness to the eyes’ appearance.
Eyelid surgery can restore your facial aesthetics while clearing out excess skin that reduces peripheral vision.
What Are the Typical Side Effects of Eyelid Surgery?
Eyelid surgery is a popular choice for patients seeking a dramatic improvement with little recovery time. Fortunately, the few common side effects are short-lived. These include swelling, discomfort, and scarring.
Swelling
All surgical procedures result in swelling, as it’s part of the body’s response to trauma in the tissue. However, patients can reduce swelling by taking over-the-counter medications like naproxen or ibuprofen and carefully applying cold compresses to the area in 10- to 20-minute increments.
Discomfort
The level of discomfort you experience after surgery depends on the surgeon’s technique and the extent of tissue removed in the procedure. If you experience moderate to severe discomfort, your surgeon might prescribe prescription pain relief.
Scarring
The skin of the eyelids is thin and delicate, so you should expect some initial scarring after your blepharoplasty. An experienced surgeon will carefully place your incisions to reduce the appearance of scars. While the scars of eyelid surgery fade over time, applying topical scar-reducing creams can speed healing.
What Are the Less Common Side Effects?
All surgeries can lead to unexpected bruising, bleeding, infection, or reactions to anesthesia. These risks are inherent in undergoing a surgical procedure. However, you can reduce the chances of complications by closely following your doctor’s instructions before and after your surgery.
In addition, there are less common side effects some patients experience after eyelid surgery. These symptoms typically resolve on their own within a week of the procedure:
Blurred vision
Corneal irritation
Droopy eyelids
Light sensitivity
Dry eyes
Asymmetrical eyelids
Difficulty closing the eyelids
Excessive tearing
Rarely do patients experience more severe complications. These issues often result from undergoing a procedure with an inexperienced surgeon and include wound separation, damaged vision, suture cysts, or excessive skin or muscle removal complications.
Reducing Your Risk of Side Effects from Eyelid Surgery
Patients who choose an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon who frequently performs eyelid surgery are less likely to experience the more severe side effects of the procedure.
Your surgeon will provide instructions to follow before and after your surgery. These instructions are crucial to your successful recovery. If there is a reason you can’t follow your doctor’s guidelines or if you have questions about your recovery, call your doctor immediately to reduce your chances of experiencing complications.
