Will I need help after blepharoplasty?

[ClaraFiddlesticks]

I've been given dates for a blepharoplasty and my husband will be away. Also I'll have to rent an apartment for a week to be near to the surgeon as we live a long way from the clinic. Will it be hard to go through alone, away from home? Will I even be allowed to lift my suitcase when I leave? I'm trying to work out if it will be possible to do on my own without any help!

Other than sleeping upright and not being able to wash my face fully it was a complete non issue for me. It’s a very very minor op and so is the recovery. That was an upper Belph though. I believe a lower requires GA and creates more swelling & bruising.

I hadn’t told anyone I’d had it done so when a friend was telling me she was considering it but for the recovery I was a bit amused. It’s really a very simple procedure.

Is there a reason why you’ve chosen to stay away from home? I had mine done at a very well known clinic in London & patients Usually travel home the same day regardless of how far they live. I travelled 200 miles an hour after.
I think you may feel better being at home.

Hi Opine,
I live abroad and so I'll have to fly, which isn't advised before at least a week. Also I'd then have to fly back to have the stitches out.

I'm only looking at upper blepharoplasty too, I'm glad to hear you thought it was easy. When they run through all the potential side effects it's hard to know what the reality is! I had surgery a couple of years ago (uterus repair) and was told recovery would be easy. It was really really hard and very painful!!

What side effects did you have? Did your eyes feel really gritty or was it not too bad?

Ok that makes sense re staying close.

It was really very straightforward. I had some bruising and mild swelling but at the one week mark when stitches were removed much of that had gone.

I didn’t take any pain relief at any point or have any grittiness etc. I’m struggling to think of even minor discomforts even. It was genuinely very simple.

In truth my eyes weren’t too heavily hooded. I naturally have always had a full lid which was beginning to look puffy rather than saggy. The transformation was astonishing. It really is one of those “if you could only do one thing” procedures.

Im sure you’ll be absolutely fine. Abdominal surgery is never going to be easy. Ouch!

Thanks Opine, that's so good to hear. It gives me confidence that I can do it on my own!

'In truth my eyes weren’t too heavily hooded. I naturally have always had a full lid which was beginning to look puffy rather than saggy. The transformation was astonishing. It really is one of those “if you could only do one thing” procedures.'

Hi Opine, one more quick question... did you actually have skin removed from your eyelids? Mine are drooping over my eyelashes, not drastically but I think I'm too young for it! She'll have to remove the excess skin. Apparently it happens sooner with 'Asian style' eyes, which I have even though I'm not Asian.

Yes Skin and fat were removed. I had it done at 37. I don't think age is relevant really. If your eye lids are touching your eyelashes you will definitely benefit from it.
Your surgeon wouldn’t agree to something you didn’t need. I say need, but you know what I mean.

I doubt you’ll be disappointed with the results.

@Opine can I ask where in London you had yours done? I’ve been looking at having uppers at Signature Clinic in London but would be grateful for any other recommendations. Signature seem to have very mixed reviews! Thanks

Slight different to PP but I felt dreadful after my upper bleph. I know people that were up and about the following day but truthfully I couldn’t have done that.

I wasn’t in pain, although groggy for the evening of the surgery and tired for the next few days due to lack of sleep but I looked like I’d been in a car accident and my face was so swollen that it affected my ability to see. I wouldn’t have been confident walking around outside alone.

mrsp2009 - I had it done at Holland Park Clinic, London. My surgeon was great but I think they're all very good there. Not the cheapest, but also not the most expensive. I'd rather spend a little more and be assured of a good result! You need to look for an ocular surgeon who specialises in upper and lower eyelid surgery, not just a general aesthetic surgeon. Check out where else they work, eg do they do reconstructive or paediatric ocular surgery? My surgeon was a surgical fellow, and teaches other surgeons which I found reassuring.

I thought I'd follow up on my post, as I had the upper blepharoplasty a month ago. First of all, I did have someone with me for the first 24 hours, for which I was grateful. I'm sure I could have made it to the pharmacy if I absolutely had to, but I had one eye taped up, looked a sight and needed some medicines and gauze! The stitches are pretty scary looking, so I'm glad I was away from my young children. I stayed in for 3 days, just resting and listening to podcasts, I was pretty tired and followed the post op care instructions to a T (mostly cleaning, ointment and eyedrops regularly throughout the day). Pain-wise, I had a band of pain across my eyes on the first evening and took some codeine, otherwise paracetamol was enough and only needed for a few days. I had some impressive bruising on day 3. After that had gone (day 4) I started going for walks wearing big sunglasses, and by the end of the week I was getting bored and so did do a little shopping, sunglasses still on! By this point, the stitches were just a bit annoying and uncomfortable, they felt tight. Also sleeping sitting up initially and then at 45 degrees wasn't great! Once my stitches were out (day 7 after the op) it felt much better, and I flew home on day 8, feeling fine and though the scars were pretty obvious I didn't seem to alarm anybody so they can't have been bad. Now, a month later, you can barely see the scars and people don't notice unless I point them out. The dissolvable stitches are still there but going, and my eyelids feel so much lighter in weight. An added benefit - I have so much more light coming into my eyes! It's brilliant, I'm really happy with it and it makes me realise how much I needed it.

I am reading this thread with interest because I am also considering upper bleph. I live in west London and would prefer to have my surgery locally. I'm looking for a caring surgeon as I am a bit apprehensive. Could I please ask who was your surgeon ClaraFiddlesticks?