What should be noted before and after eyelid surgery to ensure safety and effectiveness?
Le Thi Hong Nhung
Asked: 10/02/2026
Hello doctor, I am planning to undergo eyelid surgery to correct my hidden eyelids and excess skin on the upper eyelids. However, I am quite worried and do not know what should be noted before and after eyelid surgery to ensure safety and achieve the best results. I have heard that improper care can easily lead to swelling, inflammation, or unsightly scarring. So could you please advise me on what I should and should not do before and after eyelid surgery so that I can prepare more thoroughly?
Hello, eyelid surgery is a simple cosmetic minor procedure, but it requires meticulousness and high precision to deliver natural, long-lasting, and safe results for the eyes. Many people, before undergoing surgery, only focus on the desired eyelid shape and forget that proper preparation before and after eyelid surgery is actually the key factor determining effectiveness and recovery time. Below is a detailed sharing from doctors at Gangwhoo Cosmetic Hospital, helping you clearly understand what needs to be noted to ensure the procedure is safe and achieves the best possible results.
Things to note before eyelid surgery
Before undergoing surgery, thorough preparation is extremely important to ensure the procedure goes smoothly, safely, and minimizes risks. Below are the notes that doctors recommend you follow before eyelid surgery:
Consult and discuss directly with a specialist doctor
First of all, you should visit a reputable aesthetic facility to be examined by a doctor who will assess your eyelid condition, degree of sagging skin, excess fat, and advise an appropriate method. This helps clearly determine whether you are in good health to undergo eyelid surgery before and after, avoiding risks during the procedure.
Stop using medications and stimulants
At least 7–10 days before surgery, you should stop using anticoagulants, aspirin, pain relievers, vitamin E, or products containing omega-3. At the same time, you should avoid alcohol, coffee, and cigarettes to prevent affecting blood clotting and postoperative recovery.
Maintain a relaxed mindset and get enough sleep
A stable mental state is an important factor before surgery. You should get adequate sleep, eat lightly, and avoid stress. A healthy body and good mental state will help the surgery go smoothly, reduce swelling and pain, and shorten recovery time.
Choose a reputable facility with modern technology
This is the key factor affecting the results before and after eyelid surgery. You should choose facilities with doctors specialized in aesthetic ophthalmology and advanced technologies such as endoscopic microsurgical eyelid surgery using the exclusive Plasma knife at Gangwhoo Cosmetic Hospital. This technology creates ultra-fine incisions, minimizes tissue damage, reduces swelling, and significantly shortens healing time.
Things to note after eyelid surgery
After surgery, proper care and strict adherence to the doctor’s instructions are decisive factors in ensuring stable eyelid creases, preventing scarring or asymmetry, and promoting fast recovery. Below are specific notes after eyelid surgery that you should remember:
Keep the eye area dry, clean, and avoid water for the first 3–5 days
Water can soften sutures and cause wound infection. Therefore, you should use cotton swabs soaked in saline solution to gently clean the area around the eyes, avoiding direct rubbing on the eyelid incision.
Apply cold compresses – warm compresses at the right time to reduce swelling quickly
During the first 2 days, you should apply cold compresses to reduce swelling, then switch to warm compresses to improve blood circulation and reduce bruising. This helps the eyelids heal faster and form natural creases.
Follow a proper diet and appropriate restrictions
You should consume foods rich in vitamins A and C, zinc, and protein to promote tissue healing. At the same time, strictly avoid beef, water spinach, seafood, sticky rice dishes, and spicy foods to prevent hypertrophic scarring and prolonged bruising.
Do not self-medicate or apply topical creams without instruction
All anti-swelling medications, antibiotic ointments, or eye drops must be prescribed by the doctor. Self-use may cause irritation, delay wound healing, or result in poor scarring.
Attend follow-up visits on schedule and monitor recovery
The doctor will check your recovery progress and remove sutures after 5–7 days. If you notice unusual redness, yellow discharge, or prolonged pain, contact the hospital immediately for timely examination.
Thanks to the application of endoscopic microsurgical eyelid surgery using the exclusive Plasma knife at Gangwhoo Cosmetic Hospital, postoperative swelling and pain are minimized, wounds dry quickly, and eyelid creases become well-defined and natural after just a few days.
Advice from doctors at Gangwhoo Cosmetic Hospital:
Although eyelid surgery is a simple minor procedure, to achieve natural and long-lasting results, you need to pay special attention to the care process before and after eyelid surgery. If you are planning to undergo eyelid surgery, please visit Gangwhoo Cosmetic Hospital to be examined by an experienced team of specialist doctors, receive detailed consultation on your eyelid condition, and be guided on safe and scientific aftercare.
The exclusive Plasma-assisted endoscopic microsurgical eyelid surgery technology at Gangwhoo will help you achieve clear, youthful, and natural double eyelids after just one procedure.