Possible Side Effects

• Temporary swelling and bruising - may last up to 3 weeks
• Temporary discomfort, feeling of "tightness" in the eyelid area
• Excessive tearing and sensitivity to light for the first few weeks may occur.
• Temporary dryness, burning, or itching of eyes may also occur but these side effects are rare.

Risks

• Infection
• Persistent swelling
• Persistent dry eyes
• Areas of permanent numbness are possible.
• A lowered position of the lower eyelid that may take months to correct (this may rarely require further surgery.)
• Slight asymmetry in healing or scarring.

Recovery

The patient may begin reading after about two to three days and can expect to return to work at approximately 1-2 weeks. Use of contact lens may be resumed after two weeks. More strenuous activities may be resumed after 4 weeks. Bruising generally resolves over 2-3 weeks. Swelling typically takes several weeks to resolve.

Results

The natural ageing process will continue and therefore a mid-facelift cannot be expected to last indefinitely. Maintenance of optimum appearance can be expected for between five to ten years.