Eyelid Surgery San Diego, CA

Pain is not generally how most patients would describe blepharoplasty. It is, however, mildly uncomfortable in the first week of recovery, as bruising, swelling, and tightness are common. Your aftercare instructions will include tips for caring for your eyes during this time, such as using ice packs, cold compresses, pain medications, and more.

To begin, you will have your consultation, followed by a pre-operative appointment. This is to ensure you’re medically cleared to proceed and finalize any details related to your surgery. After your surgery, you will have a series of follow-up appointments with Dr. Tiffany Pham and her surgical team to ensure your results are as expected and that everything is healing safely and properly.

The full results of a blepharoplasty, whether upper, lower, or both, may take 3-6 months to appear due to swelling and bruising. The good news, however, is that the majority of this swelling and bruising will resolve within the first 10-14 days, with minor swelling lingering for a few months.

The incisions that Dr. Tiffany Pham makes are highly discreet to avoid the appearance of scarring around the eyes. With that being said, scarring is an inevitable part of any surgery. Upper eyelid surgery will have scarring along the edge of the eyelid crease, while lower eyelid surgery scarring is just beneath the lash line. While they are already difficult to detect at a normal distance, the use of scar creams and sunscreen will help fade them even faster. We will give you tips on how to handle this as part of your aftercare instructions.

Returning to exercise after a blepharoplasty happens in phases. During the first week, rest is of the utmost importance; no exercise, bending over, or exertion should occur at this time. For two weeks after, avoid swimming, saunas, or high-impact exercises. In the third week, you can start incorporating more of your usual exercise routine; however, Dr. Tiffany Pham will provide a more accurate timeline based on how your body is healing.

It is very common to combine eyelid surgery with other procedures, because doing so can reduce overall costs and recovery time. If you have other concerns that you want to address in a single surgery, be sure to bring this up during your consultation with Dr. Tiffany Pham. With that being said, the most common combinations of procedures include rhinoplasty, lip lifts, brow lifts, and ear surgery.

It’s important to note that all surgeries, whether for cosmetic or other reasons, carry some degree of risk. However, in the hands of a skilled and highly trained surgeon like Dr. Tiffany Pham, these risks are minimized.

Risks can include bleeding and infection, irritated or dry eyes, complications involving the eye muscles, blurred vision (temporary or permanent), blood clots, and more. We will discuss these concerns during your consultation.