Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) reduces the effects of aging by brightening your most prominent feature and rejuvenating a youthful, refreshed facial beauty. Because of its success rate and dramatic results, more than 200,000 patients chose to revitalize their appearance with this cosmetic improvement last year alone.
After an eyelift, many people can’t wait to reveal their new look, but it’s essential to be patient during your recovery, especially when it comes to makeup. Using makeup too soon may irritate the incisions, and creating pressure or pulling on your healing skin with makeup application and removal is not wise during this time. Also, if makeup penetrates the incisions as they heal, the risk of infection will increase.
An important part of your post-surgical instructions will be to wait until after recovery to begin wearing eye makeup again. Dr. Montante advises his patients that incisions should heal entirely before applying any makeup to the eyes, usually about two to three weeks after surgery. Although you will be permitted to return to work or other daily activities after a few days, you can expect a longer duration for the incisions to heal fully. While you may feel eager to present your new eyes and the dramatic improvement to friends and family, they will notice the correction even without makeup for the first couple of weeks.
If your goal is to minimize visible bruising, applying makeup to the incision area can irritate the healing skin or, worse yet, create an infection. Applying makeup too soon can also create the risk of the product getting trapped inside the incision creating a tattoo effect.
First, Dr. Montante recommends replacing old products like mascara and eyeliner because of the bacteria that can grow in these products. This is a great opportunity to upgrade your makeup collection and invest in new, healthier products you will love.
Second, it’s a good idea to closely examine the ingredients in each product. Mineral-based, all-natural products will be gentler on your skin. With the investment that you are making in your eyes, you will want to use non-irritating eye makeup. Search for hypoallergenic products or non-comedogenic, which will be less likely to clog pores or dry and damage the skin.
Finally, makeup removal is another important consideration. When you remove your makeup, avoid harsh products like alcohol-based eye makeup cleaners, which can cause drying of the skin, redness, and irritation. Instead, use natural cleansers, olive oil, or micellar water. Also, it is best to be gentle and avoid excessive pressure during makeup removal. This will protect your incision sites and avoid damaging the skin around the eyes.
Board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Steven Montante will provide detailed information on what you can expect during and after your surgery to ensure you have optimal results. If you have been considering blepharoplasty to revive those beautiful eyes and would like more information, contact us today.
