This reaches its peak 48-72 hours following surgery and then starts subsiding. Crushed ice in small plastic bags applied to the eyes will help during this time. After 7 - 10 days, most of the visible swelling will have disappeared, but there will be a feeling of numbness and stiffness of the skin which means some swelling persists. It will take this swelling several months to subside completely but it will not be noticeable to anyone but the patient. In patients with thick, oily skin, swelling is slower to resolve.
Patients can usually go back to school or to sedentary work one week after surgery.
After two weeks, patients return to near normal activity. Patients can usually apply cosmetics to the face and eyes one week following surgery. Glasses can be worn usually within the first week after surgery, so long as they do not interfere with incision healing behind the ears. Contacts can be worn as soon as the swelling goes down around the eyes so they can be easily inserted and removed. Before an anesthetic is administered, most surgeons prefer that their patients have a complete history and physical examination by an internist.