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Eyelid surgery is one of the most common cosmetic procedures in the world. This operation, called blepharoplasty, can help patients achieve a more youthful aesthetic appeal around their eyes and can also correct vision problems and, in some cases, even offer migraine relief. This is because the procedure involves the removal of excess skin, tightening the underlying tissue, and sometimes removing small pockets of unnecessary fat. This not only makes the eyes appear to be more youthful, but can resolve issues with sight, as the hanging additional skin that might have obscured the field of vision will be removed.

After the operation, patients will be provided with instructions for aftercare during the relatively short recovery period. Typically, patients will spend the first 2 weeks after the operation recovering, as the eyes will still be puffy and/or bruised. Eye drops will more than likely be provided, and an ointment will need to be applied to the areas where small incisions were made during the procedure. However, a common question many patients have is whether or not they can wear makeup. Let’s explore that in a little more detail.

To learn more about blepharoplasty and the recovery process, consider having a consultation with a qualified plastic surgeon like Dr. Cory Torgerson, who is reachable at (647) 343-0207.

Can I Wear Makeup After Eyelid Surgery?

In most cases, the answer is no—at least not right after the surgery. This is because immediately following a blepharoplasty procedure, most patients will experience bruising and swelling around the eyes. Generally speaking, patients will want to rest and recover for at least 2 weeks before returning to their normal activities. This can vary from one patient to another based on the advice provided by their plastic surgeon.

While it may be tempting to apply makeup before going out, it’s possible that if the eyes are still healing, makeup could negatively impact the recovery process because the incisions may not have sealed properly yet. In those cases, makeup would likely cause irritation at the least, and infection at the worst. In fact, if makeup were to make its way inside the incision before it heals, it’s possible that a “tattooing” kind of effect would take place—the makeup would be trapped beneath the dermis, and would still be visible after healing. Needless to say, this would be very undesirable.

Since everyone’s anatomy is different, all blepharoplasty procedures are administered in a unique way. There are no hard and fast rules about when you’ll be able to apply makeup again after this common cosmetic surgery, but generally speaking, most patients will need to wait around 2 weeks. The most prudent way to proceed with makeup will be solely based upon the instructions provided to you by your plastic surgeon. In other words, wait until he or she gives you the go-ahead.

Finally, you’ll more than likely want to replace your makeup collection with a completely new set, at least for a while. You don’t necessarily have to discard all of your old makeup that you had used before your blepharoplasty procedure, but you’ll want to leave it for after you’re completely healed. This is because by not using it, you can reduce the possibility of contamination. Since your old makeup will have germs that you don’t want anywhere near your eyes while they’re still healing, it’s best not to use it until you’ve made a full recovery.

Many patients have found benefit from using concealers or other “camouflage”-type makeup to hide the swelling and bruising that may still be present, but again, these kinds of cosmetics should be used only with the complete approval of your plastic surgeon.

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