In short, an eyelid lift does not hurt that much.
An eyelid lift, or blepharoplasty, can be done on the upper eyelids, lower eyelids, or both.
The procedure can tighten loose skin, remove excess fat pockets, and give you a more rejuvenated look.
It is usually done under light to heavy sedation anesthesia, which can be given by mouth or through an IV.
Since only skin and some fat is usually tightened, an eyelid lift usually does not hurt that much.
Aectaminophen, aka Tylenol, is usually sufficient for pain control.
You may need something stronger right after surgery, but within a couple of days, you should be able to stop taking narcotics and other strong pain medications.
An eyelid lift may cause a fair amount of swelling or bruising out of proportion to the actual amount of surgery.
Since eyelid skin is very thin and delicate, you may develop bruising and swelling around your eyes.
Friends and family who do not know you had surgery may think that someone hit you in both eyes! However, the pain immediately after a blepharoplasty is generally not that great, and many people can go back to work from home very quickly.
If you have a job that requires you to be in the public eye, such as in advertising, PR, or television, you may need a longer time to recover.
You will be able to use a computer and talk on the phone within days of your procedure, but it may take a week or so for you to have little or no bruising, and be able to be presentable to clients again.