Sutures after blepharoplasty: how long to heal and how to speed up the process

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Many women know that, first of all, age can be determined by the condition of the eyelids and eyes, because they are the ones who lose their youth and freshness earlier than other facial areas. The solution to this problem was blepharoplasty, a surgical procedure that involves lifting the eyelids.

In this article we will talk about what care the skin needs after this operation. The recommendations collected in it will allow you to get the desired result, which will not make you regret your decision.

How are scars formed?

If you decide to undergo one of the types of blepharoplasty, do not forget that after making skin incisions, marks always remain. This is due to the fact that with any surgical intervention, stitches always remain and scar tissue is formed. But what the scar will look like after lower blepharoplasty depends on many factors:

  • correct adherence to the surgeon’s recommendations and prescriptions;
  • features of human physiology;
  • qualifications of the surgeon performing plastic surgery.

Usually, when performing blepharoplasty, small scars remain in the form of a thin light strip located in the skin fold of the eyes. Thanks to the use of modern techniques, invisible incisions, scars become less noticeable to the unprofessional eye.

Scars become a patient's problem only in case of improper care or non-compliance with the doctor's recommendations. Then small traces from operations can lead to the growth of connective tissue and the formation of colloidal scars.

Blepharoplasty: indications and contraindications

Although every woman wants to look beautiful, not every woman needs blepharoplasty to achieve her goal. The list of indications for this procedure is quite exhaustive: obvious bags under the eyes, the appearance of excess skin in the eyelid area.

On the lower eyelid you can see a layer of fat that begins to bulge over the years - this is another unpleasant thing that can be gotten rid of with surgery.

The formation of wrinkles is an inevitable process, the result of cellular aging. And if small wrinkles sometimes give a woman a playful look, then deep wrinkles on the lower or upper eyelid are considered their complete opposite.

If deep wrinkles bother you and prevent you from feeling attractive, then blepharoplasty can also be considered a solution to this problem. In addition to the above, indications for eyelid lifting surgery include drooping lower corners of the eyes, sagging skin, and even a tired appearance.

Naturally, we should not forget that any surgical procedure is a great stress for the human body, which is why a list of contraindications for the blepharoplasty procedure has been established:

  • chronic liver diseases;
  • diseases of the heart and blood vessels;
  • oncology;
  • diabetes;
  • problems with the thyroid gland;
  • high blood and intraocular pressure.

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It is important to remember that the postoperative period after surgery can proceed differently. This is especially true for people whose bodies are weakened for various reasons. In this regard, the operation is contraindicated for people who have had a heart attack, as well as those suffering from hepatitis or AIDS.

Moreover, blepharoplasty is contraindicated for minors, pregnant women and during lactation and menstruation. Infectious or acute respiratory diseases can cause complications both during the operating and postoperative period, for this reason it must be completely cured before the scheduled operation.

If a person has chronic diseases, you need to consult not only with a plastic surgeon, but also with the doctor who is under his supervision.

Due to the fact that blepharoplasty is a surgical procedure, you need to change your lifestyle for some time after it. At the same time, it is necessary to carry out a list of medical procedures that speed up the recovery process.

The length of the rehabilitation period depends on the personal characteristics of the body and the presence of bad habits. With proper care, scars after blepharoplasty become completely invisible after 4-6 weeks.

Doctors' recommendations for preventing scars

The main rule that helps get rid of unwanted consequences after surgery is to follow the surgeon’s recommendations during the rehabilitation period:

  • in the first week after surgery you need to stop reading books, watching TV and working on the computer;
  • Do not touch or stretch the skin next to the marks of surgery;
  • try to avoid exposure to ultraviolet rays as much as possible, wear dark glasses for protection;
  • you cannot go to the bathhouse, sauna, solarium;
  • reduce active physical activity on the body;
  • take a bath, use warm water, do not wet the seams;
  • Reduce salt intake to prevent swelling.

The doctor will also tell you about the facial care products that you should use during the rehabilitation period.

How long does it take for scars to heal?

After blepharoplasty, the patient is sent home 3-5 hours later. This is allowed if there are no complications. The next day after surgery, pain, swelling, bruising, and redness in the eye area may appear. Such signs are a normal reaction; this happens due to injury to nerves and blood vessels.

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To get rid of discomfort, you need to apply cold compresses to the sore areas. The sutures are removed on days 5-6, but swelling and bruising may persist for two weeks. Keloid scars after blepharoplasty take a long time to heal. This is done in several stages:

  • exudative stage. Its duration is 6-8 days. This phase is inflammatory, as the eyelids remain red and swelling is observed. At this time, you need to adhere to the rules of seam hygiene. You should not perform physical activity, as it will lead to divergence of the stitches and cause bleeding. Also, at this stage, you should not strain your eyes;
  • granulation of sutures. This stage lasts the first 7-14 days after surgery. New tissue appears at the site of the scar, elastin and collagen fibers are created. Scars usually take on a pink tint;
  • scar formation. Scars appear 30-90 days from the date of surgery. The seam structure becomes more dense. Scar tissue is lightened and smoothed. This is the most important stage, since if all the rules of the recovery period are not followed, hypertrophic or keloid scars will appear.

The scar is fully formed 4-9 months after eyelid lift. The scar becomes dense, whitens, evens out and becomes invisible. If you follow all the doctor’s recommendations, the scars are tightened without pain for the patient and unnoticed by others. The location of the scars depends on the type of lifting. After lower eyelid surgery, they are created along the eyes under the lash line.

With complete regeneration, they are no different from the structure of normal skin. The transconjunctival technique allows you to hide scars, since the incisions are made from the inside. When lifting the upper eyelids, the scars are located in the crease above the eyes, they become invisible after 14 days from the date of surgery.

Where will they be located and what will they look like?

There are 4 types of eyelid blepharoplasty. The stitch after will depend on the type of operation.

Classical

In lower eyelid blepharoplasty, an incision is made under the edge of the eyelashes or on the inside of the eyelid. The placement along the line of natural folds and the application of cosmetic sutures intradermally make the sutures very thin and almost invisible.

When performing an upper eyelid surgery, the doctor makes an incision in the supraorbital fold, where the skin is attached to the muscle that lifts the eyelid, then the excess skin is excised and excess fatty tissue is removed. Thus, scars after upper blepharoplasty are located in the natural folds of the upper eyelids.

Transconjunctival

It is carried out through an incision on the conjunctiva, that is, from the inside of the eyelid. This method allows you to avoid the formation of scars on the skin, being seamless, because the mucous membrane is well restored and there is no need to use suture material.

Laser

This method of eyelid surgery is non-surgical. The surgeon does not make any incisions on the skin. Instead, the areas of skin that need correction are targeted to a laser beam. New skin quickly appears on the treated areas.

The visible effect can be observed within a week after the procedure, but the process of skin cell renewal will continue for about another month.

Asian eyelid surgery "Singapore"

During the operation, the surgeon removes the epicanthus in the inner corner of the eye, excising the skin and removing excess fatty tissue, creating a double semicircular fold on the upper eyelid and applying sutures. Singaporei without incisions can be performed if the patient has slight drooping eyelids.

In the upper eyelid, the surgeon, using suture threads, creates invisible sutures along special muscle aponeuroses, which subsequently look like a natural double fold.

How to smear scars after plastic surgery?

To prevent overgrowth of connective tissues, to obtain smooth skin at the site of the scar, you need to use special ointments for scars and scars after blepharoplasty, created on a silicone basis. Let's consider the most effective and popular means and their method of action:

  • Dermatix Gel. The ointment is based on silicone and softens connective tissues, preventing the appearance of uneven and rough scars. Perfectly regulates the water balance of the skin;
  • Contractubex. The basis of the cream is allontoin. This is a substance that helps in the healing and restoration of injured tissue. The gel softens, moisturizes connective tissue and relieves discomfort;
  • Kelofibrase. The gel is created on natural substances. It has an anti-inflammatory, moisturizing effect, and also improves blood circulation in the skin, normalizes water balance, and this helps in removing scar tissue;
  • Contains liquid silicone. The gel must be applied with a special brush. After drying, a film is formed on the eyelids that retains moisture, which will be needed to soften the scars;
  • Clearvin. The ointment is based on natural substances. It contains extracts of medicinal cultures. The product ideally restores, nourishes, and improves blood circulation in the skin;
  • Zeraderm. Has a silicone base. Ideally saturates the skin with oxygen and vitamins, guarantees rapid recovery;
  • Sledocid. Ideally relieves inflammation and promotes tissue regeneration. To achieve the desired result, the composition is applied 2 times a day.

Gel Sledotsit

Disturbance of scarring processes: the main causes and consequences of their influence

The formation of scars in the area of ​​surgical incisions is a natural and inevitable process. The occurrence of swelling in the first week after blepharoplasty and the presence of excess connective tissue for 2-3 months after surgery are inevitable side effects for which you must first mentally prepare and not panic. However, these processes may have individual characteristics:

  • in some patients, after 10-14 days, no traces of the intervention remain on the eyelids, while in others, even after a couple of months, bumps along the seam can be clearly felt under the skin, and sometimes can be noticeable;
  • the rate of resorption of seals can be different from different sides. Moreover, the scar itself is often uneven in length - the ends of the incisions, which are located in the corners of the eyes, retain their volume the longest;
  • Due to natural swelling and active proliferation of connective tissue, scars can look for a long time as if they are on the outer areas of the eyelids. This is not a doctor’s mistake, but a feature of tissue healing. As the excess collagen is absorbed, the marks on the incision areas will turn into thin strips, hide in the natural folds of the skin and will not become an eyesore.

In many situations, such scar lumps occur after lower blepharoplasty. Normally, they should resolve after 12 weeks - in addition to the individual characteristics of the body, the technique of making incisions and suturing, as well as the overall scope of the operation, plays a big role. The following have negative effects on tissue regeneration processes:

  • chemical and thermal burns: the influence of laser radiation, as well as irritating, drying solutions. This is why you need to forget about peeling the area around the eyes after blepharoplasty for a while;
  • suppuration: the presence of an inflammatory process in the wound leads to hyperactive growth of connective tissue;
  • incorrect comparison of the edges of the incision, strong skin tension and other surgeon errors when applying sutures;
  • disruption of the immune system;
  • genetic predisposition to hyperactive proliferation of connective tissue in response to skin injury.

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Moreover, excessive physical impact on deformed areas of the skin leads to tightening of the sutures - in particular, the habit of rubbing the eyes after sleep and active massage of the operated area. The collagen fibers of a young scar are in a chaotic order and cannot fight the stretching of the edges of the wound.

To prevent these complications, doctors apply special plasters over the sutures and strongly recommend not touching your eyelids with your hands in the first weeks after blepharoplasty: any physical impact promotes blood flow, increases the rate of collagen formation, and blocks the resorption of excess connective tissue - as a result, instead of thin threads on centuries, rough scars may remain.

If large fibrous cords begin to appear at the site of the incisions, you should contact the surgeon who performed the operation, a dermatologist or another specialist.

Don't self-medicate! The simplest advice, which often becomes difficult to implement: follow the recommendations of your surgeon and give your body time. Usually, in the first few weeks, the doctor prescribes healing medications, then adds anti-scar ointments or hardware procedures - microcurrent therapy, lymphatic drainage. The process is complemented by systematic examinations, and if something goes wrong, the doctor writes another prescription.

A few weeks after surgery, the doctor may decide to speed up the process of resorption of connective tissue by injecting hormonal drugs - glucocorticosteroids. In some situations, you can get by with their local application, but only after the incisions have been completely tightened.

If lumps form after blepharoplasty and do not go away 2-3 months after the operation, then the treatment method can be revised - even excision. But sometimes you need to wait a little: the natural displacement of the sutures into the folds of the skin can take a very long time due to the fact that swelling after blepharoplasty sometimes persists for up to 6 months.

Treatment of scars after blepharoplasty

There are many ways to treat scars that appear after blepharoplasty. Let's highlight the most effective and popular:

  • laser resurfacing of scars after blepharoplasty. The process of tissue resurfacing after eyelid lifting is performed using innovative erbium lasers. To completely get rid of scars, you need to do 5-7 procedures. After completed manipulations, no rehabilitation is required, there are no negative sensations during the session, the risk of burns is reduced to zero;
  • excision of scar tissue. This method is used only in extreme situations, when the scars are very large and noticeable. Thanks to excision, scars can be completely eliminated. You should talk to your doctor about the possibility of scar excision;
  • use of cryotherapy. This method is based on the use of liquid nitrogen at minimally low temperatures. The technique allows you to make the scar light and thin.

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Before undertaking any type of scar treatment, you should consult a doctor.

Knots at the site of resorption of suture material

To connect the edges of the surgical incision in the eyelid area, safe thin threads with a round cross-section are usually used, which completely dissolve within 10-14 days. This process is impossible without the participation of the body’s immune system, which accelerates circulation at the site of the foreign body.

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The intense flow of blood and tissue fluid to the area of ​​the suture causes local swelling, which, upon external examination and palpation, can be characterized as lumps, peas or nodes. As the threads dissolve, all these seals go away on their own. This process can be hindered by:

  • slow blood circulation at the site of the surgical wound, when due to large swelling the outflow of blood through the venules and veins is complicated. Stagnation of tissue fluid occurs;
  • malfunction of the immune system;
  • too superficial arrangement of threads in the skin.

The last option is observed very often. In such a situation, only individual pieces of threads will dissolve, while other fragments will cut through to the surface. This situation is not a complication, since excess suture material is easily removed, and damaged skin is quickly restored. If the problem is swelling, then this is exactly the situation when a good massage will help.

It just needs to be carried out using the correct method - so as to increase the outflow of lymph and venous blood, stabilize the influx of arterial blood rich in oxygen and nutrients, and tone the tissues. The surgeon will tell you what movements should be and how long the sessions should last. In general, the threads will dissolve within 2-2.5 months.

If during this time the seals they provoke do not go away, the surgeon can make small incisions or punctures of the skin and remove the suture material, or prescribe a course of special absorbable drugs in injections.

Injection methods for treating scars

Injections based on drugs are one of the most effective methods for removing scars. The most popular methods:

  • use of corticosteroids. Substances reduce the level of proliferation of connective tissues, as it reduces collagen production. The most popular steroid is triamcinolone acetate. It is injected into the scar area after 4-6 weeks. Complications such as muscle atrophy and pigmentation are possible;
  • immunomodulators. This is a new technique. The drug Interferon is injected into the scar tissue. The procedure is prescribed in sessions every other day for 2 weeks. After completing this course, 1 injection is given once every 7 days;
  • treatment with Botox injections. The use of botulinum toxin injections reduces post-operative scars, making them thinner. To achieve the desired result, you need to contact experienced specialists who have encountered similar problems.

Injection treatment of scars

What happens to the sutures immediately after surgery?

At the end of the operation, a bandage will be applied to the stitches. Swelling, like bruising, cannot be avoided, and its severity varies among patients. In a few days they will begin to pass. It is important to ensure the drainage of lymph; to do this, it is enough to lie on your back so that your head is higher than chest level. Cold compresses, as recommended by your doctor, can also provide relief.

The stitches are removed no earlier than after 3-7 days, then a special patch is applied to the scar line for about 3 days, and after 4 days all stickers are removed. When using self-absorbing threads, this is not required; they will disappear on their own.

After surgery, you may need to take painkillers. The area around the scars will be especially sensitive for about a week.

Scars are actively forming at this time and are red in color, as new tissue and blood vessels are being formed. Soon they will begin to become lighter. All necessary manipulations for treatment and dressing during this period are performed by a surgeon or nurse.

How to get rid of scars after blepharoplasty using traditional methods?

If long scars remain after blepharoplasty, and you do not dare to resort to drastic methods, then you can use the traditional methods described below:

  • herbal collection. You need to take dry chamomile, nettle leaves, calendula, yarrow, St. John's wort in equal quantities. Pour boiling water over them and leave in a warm bath for 65 minutes. After this, strain the composition. Moisten a piece of linen cloth in the prepared solution and apply it to the area of ​​scars and scars. You need to keep the lotion for 2 hours;
  • mixture on wax and olives. Pour olive oil into a saucepan, add 50 grams of high-quality beeswax. Place the mixture on low heat for 10 minutes. After this, cool, moisten a napkin and apply to the scars. Do the procedure twice a day for 60 days;
  • parsley tincture. Chop the parsley and pour boiling water over it. Leave the product for 15 minutes, then freeze, divide into small parts. Rub the ice cubes over the scar twice every day. The duration of treatment is 3 months;
  • marshmallow tincture. Cut 15 grams of marshmallow, pour 250 ml of cold water, leave for 5-7 hours. If there is no marshmallow, then you can use mint or lemon balm;
  • melon based mask. Take 20 melon seeds, 2 eggshells and 5 ml of olive oil. Dry the seeds, chop finely, then mix all the ingredients. Apply the prepared mask to the scar and cover it with a bandage. Treatment time is 1 month.

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You should use folk remedies only after consulting a doctor. They do not guarantee a quick effect, but after a course of therapy they can reduce the formation of scars.

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Popular professional-type products

High-quality cosmetic products will help eliminate dark circles under the eyes after blepharoplasty. Let's look at the most popular and effective means:

  • Estee Lauder Cooling Eye. The cream is created from magnolia extract and rosemary root. Allows for soft smoothing and moisturizing of the skin. Moreover, the substance significantly reduces the size of circles in the eye area, as it deeply nourishes the skin with radiant particles;
  • FORCE VITALE Aqua Vital gel. This cream allows you to get rid of bruises under the lower eyelids, hide swelling, and remove bags. The product has a very thick green structure. The cream contains compounds of acids and minerals;
  • Time Returning Eye Cream. This is the name of a professional cream that is created to disguise bruises. The product consists of arbutin, due to which problem areas quickly whiten. The effect of applying the cream becomes visible after the first use. This remedy is quite universal, as it helps eliminate age-related changes, bruises and bags;
  • Benefit It's Potent Eye Cream. The cream has a fresh aroma and light texture. The use of such cosmetics allows you to quickly eliminate signs of aging and dark circles in the eyelid area. You need to use the composition 2 times a day, which allows you to get a tightening and drainage effect;
  • Corrector Clinique. This is a professional product that allows you to brighten and strengthen your skin. The cream is used to camouflage sunken circles, hiding them and making them invisible. This product is made using oils, natural substances and a vitamin cocktail;
  • Cooling stick Tony Moly Panda's Dream. This is a cosmetic product that perfectly masks dark circles in the eye area. This stick allows the skin to get a uniform white tint. Among the main components are niacinamide and plant extracts;
  • Nivea Q10. This is a special roller that has a cooling gel inside. Thanks to Nivea cream, inflammation, bags under the eyes, dark circles and wrinkles are removed. The product is used 2 times a day. The composition contains a huge portion of vitamins;
  • Tony Moly patch. This is a special patch that helps remove dark spots. It is made with vitamin B3, grapefruit seeds, and sunflower extract. The use of such a product has been proven to be an additional aid against dark spots;
  • The gel allows you to remove dry circles in the eye area, fatigue and swelling, and also improve blood circulation. This product allows you to correct age-related changes. The cream is created from blueberries, collagen substances and tocopherol.

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