Week 1:
For this procedure, some plastic surgeons use dissolving sutures, which means that patients won’t have to return to have stitches removed at a later date. However, if traditional sutures are used, this would mean that patients will have to come back between three days to one week after the procedure.
You should make your physician aware if you observe excessive amount of tearing or dryness after the procedure. Typically, your doctor will recommend that you take eye drops to help. It is advised that you follow all the post-operation instructions given by your plastic surgeon which will limit the chances of something going wrong.
For the management of pain, you are expected to communicate with your physician before you opt for any over-the-counter medication. However, patients are not expected to use non-steroidal anti-inflammation drugs such as Ibuprofen and aspiring, as they can increase the likelihood of bleeding and bruising.
Week 2:
Typically, patients return back to work within 10 days after the completion of the procedure. It may be quite challenging to carry out some tasks such as reading due to the lingering blurred vision.
Light exercise is allowed a few days following the procedure. For more rigorous exercise, patients must refrain from it until 4-6 weeks following the procedure. Contact sports are also ruled out until there is an express permission from your surgeon.
Two weeks after the eyelid lift, patients are allowed to makeup, as long as it is sterile. Non-sterile makeup will increase the chances of an infection. If after the procedure you begin to observe blackness around the eyes, which is also called Raccoon eyes, there is no need to be worried, in cases such as this discoloration will fade with time.
In fact, most patients use makeup as a way of camouflaging any form of discoloration or bruising that may result during the recovery process. For sunglasses, it is okay to begin wearing immediately after the procedure. Usually, the eyes are sensitive to light after the procedure, so using a dark pair of sunshades is apt as it helps protect the vision from the intense glare of light. For contact lens, however, patients are advised to wait for a minimum of two weeks before they begin wearing.
EXPEDITING THE RECOVERY
1. Try as much as you can to ensure that your head is raised at all times after the blepharoplasty Santa Barbara procedure, regardless of if you are awake or asleep. This posture helps to prevent the eyelid from swelling too much, while at the same time speed up recovery. If you must take on a reclining position then you must place between two to three pillows under your head.
2. After the surgery patients are advised to wait for a minimum of 24 hours before they have their first bath or shower. Care must be taken not to submerge the whole incision under water until they have properly healed.
3. Also, after the surgery, patients are advised to refrain from reading and watching television for a minimum of 48 hours or even longer. This is quite tough and the temptation to do either of these two during recovery will be high. Reading and watching television are acts that can dry out the eyes, hence prolonging the healing process.
