Are drooping upper eyelids making you look constantly tired and older than you actually are? Are your sagging eyelids obstructing your field of view? Eye-lifting creams, lotions, serums, and other products can only do so much to help lift sagging eyelids, and they are not permanent fixes.
Upper-eyelid surgery, or upper blepharoplasty, can correct your drooping eyelids, making you look more youthful and improving your field of view.
If you’re in need of upper-eyelid surgery, you’ll need to learn more about the procedure, especially the recovery period, so that you can be properly prepared.
What Is Upper-Eyelid Surgery?
Upper-eyelid surgery is a plastic-surgery procedure that treats upper-eyelid sagging. It involves removal of excess eyelid skin, tightening of loose muscle tissue, removal of excess fat, and tightening of the remaining skin.
During an upper-eyelid surgery, Dr. Feng will first administer anesthesia in order to ensure that you are free of any pain or discomfort during the procedure. She will then make markings on your upper eyelids to mark off the areas that need to be removed or corrected.
Tiny incisions will be carefully made in the natural creases at the tops of your upper eyelids. Dr. Feng will remove and adjust tissues as needed to lift and recontour the upper eyelids.
At the end of the surgery, the incisions will be sutured closed with the help of dissolvable stitches. An antibiotic ointment will be applied topically on the surgical areas.
What Is Upper-Eyelid Surgery Recovery Like?
It will be important that you arrange for a ride home after your procedure from a friend or a family member. Because the tissues of your eyelids will be temporarily weakened, you will not be able to drive yourself home.
You can expect some mild discomfort immediately after the surgery. Dr. Feng may prescribe some pain medication for you to take, if needed. Most people will need only non-prescription painkillers, and narcotics are rarely necessary. However, if you’re in too much pain or your vision starts to change, you must consult Dr. Feng immediately.
It may take up to a few weeks for the healing to fully complete. During the recovery period, your eye areas will appear bruised and red. You might have swollen eyes, especially during the first few days after surgery. While your eyelids are healing, you should not wear any eye makeup in order to avoid irritating the areas.
On the first day of your recovery, you will have to apply cold compresses every hour that you are awake for at least 10 to 15 minutes each time. This will help soothe the eyelids, reduce post-surgical swelling, and keep post-surgical bruising to a minimum.
On the second day of recovery, you will have to apply cold compresses every few hours and for 10 to 15 minutes each time. After two days, warm compresses will have to be applied to ensure faster healing.
Contact Our Office to Arrange a Helpful Consultation
To find out more about upper-eyelid surgery and the recovery process, you will need to set up a consultation with skilled board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Lu-Jean Feng. Contact us today to schedule an appointment for your consultation.
