Blepharoplasty in Atlanta

While most of our patients experience minimal pain after their blepharoplasty in Atlanta, we will be there every step of the way to manage any discomfort you may experience.

Whether we are performing an upper blepharoplasty (under local anesthesia) or a lower blepharoplasty (in the operating room), we take the appropriate steps to ensure you do not feel any pain during surgery.

If your blepharoplasty is done under general anesthesia, you will remain comfortable throughout and won’t feel any pain immediately after surgery.

Typically anesthesia wears off within a few hours, at which point you may experience mild discomfort. We often advise patients to use ice packs and over-the-counter medications like Tylenol. While we do prescribe stronger pain medications, they are rarely necessary.

Our goal is to make your experience as smooth and comfortable as possible, from the procedure itself to your recovery afterward.

At Artisan Plastic Surgery, a blepharoplasty typically takes about 1 to 2 hours.

Blepharoplasty is performed as an outpatient procedure, so no overnight hospital stay is required. However, if combined with a facelift, a 23-hour observation at Northside Hospital ensures your safety and comfort after your eyelid surgery.

There are a few things you can do to prepare for a blepharoplasty surgery to ensure optimal results.

• Stop taking NSAIDs like Ibuprofen or Advil a few days before surgery. They can increase the likelihood of bleeding or bruising.
• Give up smoking a few weeks before the surgery. Smoking can reduce the ability to heal after surgery.
• We recommend using bruise cream and taking bromelin prior to the procedure.
• Arrange for someone to drive you to and from your outpatient surgery to ensure a safe trip. Make sure you have someone with you on the first night after coming home from surgery.

After you have had a blepharoplasty in Atlanta, we ask that you comply with the below instructions to heal properly.

• We recommend using bruise cream and arnica pills after your procedure.
• Limit lifting, pulling, pushing, and straining for at least 10 days.
• Avoid bending over to pick things up from the floor for 1 week.
• You may resume strenuous activities approximately 4 to 6 weeks after surgery.
• Avoid prolonged exposure to sun and heat for 1 month to help with swelling.
• Positioning: When lying down, position yourself on your back, elevated with your head above your heart for 1 week. This helps with swelling.
• Icing is important to reduce swelling in the first 3 days post-op. Apply ice for up to 20 minutes every hour while you’re awake. Be sure there is a barrier between your skin and the ice to reduce the risk of burns.
• Please leave the brown tape in place that is located between your eyes and at the corner of your eyes. These are protecting the integrity of the sutures.
• We suggest wearing dark glasses for a 1 week period, even when indoors, to prevent irritation from sun and wind, as well as to rest the eyes.
• No contacts for at least 2 weeks.
• No eye makeup for 2 weeks. When resuming makeup, brushes should be cleaned or new, and makeup should be new to avoid infection.

For your follow-up appointment after eyelid surgery in Atlanta, you can expect:

• Sutures will be removed 6 to 7 days post-op.
• 3 weeks post-op with medical staff to check progress.
• 6 weeks post-op with the doctor.

Call the office (404-851-1998) if you experience:

• Severe pain not responding to pain medication.
• Excess swelling, or one eye that is significantly more swollen than the other.
• Some asymmetry in swelling is normal.
• Significant changes in vision.
• A fever.

You should notice results immediately following your blepharoplasty in Atlanta. However, like with any surgical procedure, there will be some bruising and swelling. Using bromelin, bruise cream, arnica, and ice packs will speed up the recovery process. Scars can take several months to completely fade, but they are hidden from view in the creases of the eyes and easily concealed with makeup.