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Dr. John Burroughs is an oculofacial plastic surgeon in Colorado Springs, who exclusively practices cosmetic and reconstructive eyelid and facial plastic surgery. All eyelid and facial incisions can be red for a while. Certain skin types (e.g., fair skin) show redness more prominently and for longer periods of time than others. This patient had undergone an upper blepharoplasty that she was very pleased about with the exception of the early redness of her incisions. Some methods to help with the redness include topical steroid creams, massage, vaseline, and scar creams (e.g., Mederma). Shown is the patient a few weeks after surgery and then again several months showing the redness has almost completely resolved. On eyelid incisions the redness if often most prominent at the outside edges of the eyelid where the most skin is removed and where the skin is thicker.

Most incisions can become more red and hardened for a few months after surgery and then usually around the 3rd month they begin to soften and blend in with the surrounding tissues color-wise. This can be a frustrating situation for many patients and it is hard to consistently predict which patients will show redness for long periods of time. Generally in all patients the redness is resolved by 6-12 months, but usually much sooner. Once sutures are removed from incisions it is safe to apply makeup to cover unsightly redness.

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