Q: Bulge Directly Under Eyelids After Lower Bleph. Residual Swelling?
I had a lower bleph 2 1/2 weeks ago. As acute swelling died down, I noticed I now have direct bulges under my eyelid incisions. I know I am early in the recovery but is it possible to tell if this is swelling that will disappear in time or a part of my anatomy? Left bulge is more prominent & soft to the touch,leads to believe its swelling. Would swelling stay this high in the eyes? Its irritating that I had this to remove one problem and am now left with these bulges. Something to worry about?
A: Lower eyelid swelling can be quite persistent!
The bulging you have is quite normal and is related to the junction between the thin, easily stretched lower eyelid skin and the heavy cheek skin which does not swell as easily. The fluid will follow the path of least resistance and once it hits the cheek eyelid junction it can not easily flow further down and must be absorbed over time. If the bulge were higher up, it could represent residual fat hernia which is most common in the lateral compartment of the eyelid. In these photos, you should rest assured that things will settle relatively soon.