How long does it take for the swelling to subside after double eyelid surgery?

After double eyelid surgery, you must pay attention to maintenance, especially to prevent infection. Once infection occurs, it will often lead to more serious problems and even cause scar hyperplasia, resulting in surgical failure and turning plastic surgery into disfigurement. After the operation, the swelling will generally go away within a week. During this period, do not eat spicy and irritating foods. When edema occurs, you can use ice compresses to relieve it.

Several suggestions to reduce swelling as soon as possible

1. Do not remove the gauze on the day of surgery

That is the pressure treatment. After the double eyelid surgery, the upper eyelid will be covered with a gauze strip to apply pressure to prevent bleeding. Generally, right after the operation, the doctor will ask you to apply pressure for half an hour before leaving, also to prevent bleeding. Therefore, do not remove the gauze by yourself after leaving the hospital. Go to the hospital on the second day after the operation to remove it or remove it by yourself. Be gentle and remove it slowly, and do not tear it off forcefully.

2. Don’t rush to take painkillers after surgery

Doctors will prescribe some anti-inflammatory drugs and painkillers that affect coagulation function. If the pain is not extremely unbearable, do not rush to take painkillers, because aspirin-like drugs will reduce blood coagulation and thus aggravate wound bleeding.

3. Be sure to go to the hospital to change the dressing within 48 hours after surgery

Generally, you need to go to the hospital to change the dressing the next day after double eyelid surgery. This dressing change is not just a dressing change, but also a process for the doctor to check the results of the operation. Only by discovering problems in time can you avoid affecting the effect of the entire operation. Some doctors will tell you to go to the hospital to remove the stitches one week after the operation, and they will not ask you to go for a check-up. But if you don’t want to make any mistakes, please bother yourself and go to the doctor for a check-up the next day.

4. Do not get wet within a week

At the same time, pay attention to cleanliness, which is the most important point. After double eyelid surgery, the eye wound must not be exposed to water, and it must be kept clean to prevent bacterial infection. Because wound infection will not only delay wound healing, but may also cause scarring. Therefore, after double eyelid surgery, be careful not to wet the wound when washing your face. Apply erythromycin eye ointment on the incision once a day with a sterile cotton swab. Wear sunglasses when going out to avoid sunlight irritation to the wound and prevent scar proliferation. Patients with dilated eyes should use antibiotic eye drops in the corners of their eyes several times a day. After removing the gauze, if there is secretion from the corner of the eye, use a sterile cotton swab dipped in eye drops or sterile saline to gently wipe away the secretion from the corner of the eye. Note: Stay happy and don’t cry.

5. Apply cold compress within 3 days after surgery

Hot compress can only be applied after 3 days. Many people cannot distinguish between hot and cold compress. You must pay attention that hot compress can only be applied cold within 3 days after the operation. Because applying cold compress to the wound within 1-3 days after surgery can stop bleeding: 20 minutes each time, more than 5 times a day, isolate the wound with gauze and the ice pack, and do not let the wound get wet. Use water from the refrigerator, not the freezer, to avoid frostbite. Applying hot compress to the wound 5-7 days after surgery can eliminate hematoma: 20 minutes each time, more than 5 times a day. Place the hot compress bag in warm water to warm it up, do not boil it in boiling water to avoid burns.

6. Do more eye-opening exercises during the recovery period

Watch less TV and play less mobile phone. Do more upward eye-opening movements after the operation. You can feel that the double eyelids are folded after the operation. Doing this movement more often can promote blood circulation and help postoperative recovery. Note: Do not use excessive force to prevent bleeding from the double eyelids. During this period, you should mainly give your eyes a rest and try to play with your phone and watch TV less.

7. You must avoid certain foods. Some doctors will say that you can eat anything, but I tell you, if you want to get better quickly, you must avoid certain foods. Everyone's physical constitution is different. Some people will be fine if they do not avoid certain foods, while others will get their wounds inflamed. Therefore, the diet should be light, and spicy food should be avoided. Eat less tobacco, alcohol and seafood within six months after the operation. Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables to supplement vitamins, which is beneficial to wound repair; eat more high-quality high-protein foods, such as beef, chicken, fish, etc., to provide the body with energy for repair.

8. Raise the pillow a little bit and don’t use cosmetics. You can raise the pillow a little bit when you sleep at night to keep your head high and your feet low to help reduce swelling. Avoid using cosmetics and skin care products containing heavy metals within 3 months after the operation, otherwise it may cause the scars of the surgical incision to proliferate.