Is Eyelid Surgery Painful?

When considering eyelid surgery, patients often ask: is eyelid surgery painful?

The simple answer is no, but it is strongly recommended that you work with a board-certified and experienced specialist to ensure the best result.

To explain further, we have to define eyelid surgery. Multiple types of eyelid surgery exist, with each option providing different cosmetic (or functional) benefits. In the hands of a board-certified and experienced expert, this procedure is not painful at all. Additionally, a skilled surgeon can perform the procedure with only local anesthetic, avoiding the health risks posed by general anesthesia.

How Your Surgeon Prevents Eyelid Surgery Pain

When performing blepharoplasty for patients, an experienced surgeon only needs to apply local anesthesia to prevent any pain during the operation. Once the local anesthesia is in the eyelid, it blocks the nerve’s pain receptors and there is no pain whatsoever during surgery. You remain awake and comfortable throughout the process.

In contrast, general anesthesia may also prevent pain, but it renders the patient completely insensate. This state is deeper than even normal unconsciousness, requiring constant medical attention during the procedure. This intense formula places significant strain on organs such as the heart and lungs. Additionally, it comes with risks that are elevated in patients with certain medical predispositions. It may stop eyelid surgery from being painful, but it slows the recovery and can have long-lasting effects on the body.

Types of Eyelid Surgery and Their Pain Level

• Double eyelid surgery, also known as blepharoplasty for an Asian eyelid, is not a painful surgery. Converting a monolid to a double eyelid sometimes involves the removal of some fat and creating a double eyelid fold or a double eyelid crease. With local anesthetic, patients feel no pain.
• Some patients have excess upper eyelid skin that needs to be removed in order to create the desired result. The excess eyelid skin means the patient has a condition described as eyelid ptosis. Traditionally, in cases where eyelid ptosis surgery is performed, there can be minimal discomfort. However, with newer, advanced surgical techniques, even eyelid surgery that treats ptosis can be performed with zero pain for the patient.
• Upper and Lower Eyelid Surgery: These forms of blepharoplasty target cosmetic concerns about the eyelids. Neither eyelid surgery is painful, even with only local numbing.

About the Procedures

Dr. Kim is pleased to offer patients advanced techniques where there is no pain for the patient, whatsoever. The patient is awake and is comfortable during the entire double fold eyelid procedure. Some patients wish to talk while other patients may sleep during the procedure. Dr. Kim may ask the patient to open their eyes if needed. In all cases, the eyelid procedure will be completed without any pain or discomfort.

This procedure can take anywhere from 30 minutes to one and a half hours.

Pain After Eyelid Surgery

Some discomfort is normal after any invasive procedure. However, another advantage of having an awake procedure is that there is less damage to your tissues. Less damage in turn means a more comfortable recovery. Patients tend to only need over-the-counter medication for a few days to manage any discomfort as they recover.

Learn More with Dr. Kim

Dr. Kenneth Kim is a board-certified plastic surgeon in Los Angeles who specializes in blepharoplasty and Korean eyelid surgery.