When can I shower and wash my hair after blepharoplasty?

General information about typical recovery, not medical advice. Every eye and every surgery is different, and your surgeon's instructions override anything on this page. Read our full disclaimer.

Short answer

Often the day after surgery. StatPearls states patients may shower and wet the sutures the next day, though your surgeon's instructions come first.

StatPearls guidance after upper eyelid blepharoplasty is that patients may shower and wet the sutures the next day. StatPearls guidance for transconjunctival lower eyelid surgery likewise notes patients may resume bathing the day after surgery. Keeping incisions clean is part of healing, not a risk to avoid.

The technique matters more than the timing. Keep the water lukewarm rather than hot, let it run over the face instead of blasting the lids, and pat dry rather than rubbing. Do not scrub the incision or pick at crusts.

Washing hair is usually fine on the same schedule, with one caveat: bending forward over a tub counts as bending. EyeWiki advises avoiding lifting, bending, and straining during the first 10 days, so wash your hair standing in the shower or leaning back at a sink rather than folding at the waist. Keep shampoo and conditioner out of the eyes.

Reapply your antibiotic ointment after washing if your surgeon prescribed it. EyeWiki describes ophthalmic antibiotic ointment on the incisions 3 to 4 times a day.

When	Typical guidance
Surgery day	Usually no shower. Keep dressings and ice as directed.
Day 1 onward	StatPearls: patients may shower and wet the sutures the next day. Pat dry, do not rub.
First 10 days	Wash hair without bending forward, since EyeWiki advises avoiding bending and straining.

Call your surgeon now if you notice any of these

Sudden severe pain in or behind the eye, especially with swelling that keeps getting worse. AAO states that severe pain, decreased vision, and progressive swelling may represent retrobulbar hemorrhage and should be brought to immediate medical attention. Go to an emergency room now.
The eye pushing forward or bulging, or lids so tight and swollen you cannot open them. Proptosis is a documented sign of retrobulbar hemorrhage, which EyeWiki describes as a rapidly progressive, sight-threatening emergency.
Any decrease or loss of vision, or vision getting worse over hours instead of better. Loss of vision is listed by AAO among the possible complications of eyelid surgery, and EyeWiki notes intervention for retrobulbar hemorrhage needs to happen within about 2 hours of onset.
Nausea and vomiting together with eye pain and pressure. StatPearls lists pain, proptosis, nausea, vomiting, and reduced vision as the presentation of retrobulbar hemorrhage, which it calls a surgical emergency.
New double vision. Double vision is listed among the complications of lower eyelid and transconjunctival blepharoplasty by StatPearls. Call your surgeon the same day.
Signs of infection: spreading redness, warmth, increasing swelling after the first few days, yellow or green discharge, or fever. Infection is listed by AAO among the possible complications of eyelid surgery.
Bleeding from an incision that does not stop with gentle steady pressure, or a firm lump under the skin that is growing quickly.
Not being able to close the eye fully once the early swelling has gone down, or an eye that feels raw, painful, and very light sensitive. Early incomplete closure is common and usually resolves within days per StatPearls, so closure that is not improving needs to be checked.
Any wound that opens or separates, or a suture that has come loose and is scratching the eye.

These warning signs after blepharoplasty can point to problems that need same-day care. Do not wait for your next scheduled visit. If you cannot reach your surgeon's office, use their on-call line, or go to an emergency room.

Sources: American Academy of Ophthalmology; American Academy of Ophthalmology (EyeWiki); StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf

Sources

Upper Eyelid Blepharoplasty StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf. Accessed 2026-08-25.
Transconjunctival Blepharoplasty StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf. Accessed 2026-08-25.
Upper Eyelid Blepharoplasty (EyeWiki) American Academy of Ophthalmology (EyeWiki). Accessed 2026-08-25.

When can I shower and wash my hair after blepharoplasty?

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