Swelling after double eyelid surgery

Patients wonder how long it will take for the swelling to subside after double eyelid surgery. Postoperative recovery is based on few factors. One is patient’s tissue type and physiology. The other is the type of surgery that was performed.

First of all, there are 2 types of patients when it comes to swelling. Those who recover relatively fast after surgery and those who recover slowly. The patients who tend to recover fast after double eyelid surgery are patients who have thin skin. Another type is patients who have excellent lymphatic drainage. Lymphatic drainage is a network of channels where fluid drains. Some patient has well-developed drainage system while some do not. Thick skin patients tend to recover slowly after double eyelid surgery because the tightness of the skin compresses the lymphatic channel and prevents the egress or the migration of fluid after double eyelid surgery.

The other factor is the type of surgery that was performed. The non-incision suture technique double eyelid surgery recovers faster because there is less injury to the lymphatic drainage. However, many patients require the definitive incision technique double eyelid surgery. Thus, for patients who require incision double eyelid surgery, the lymphatic layer will be cut and thus there will be longer postoperative swelling. However, if eyelid ptosis is performed at the time of double eyelid surgery, then the swelling will resolve faster. This is because ptosis surgery increases the eye elevating mechanism. Therefore, the eyelid can lift up easily and help relieve fluid from the eyelid.