This blog highlights the recovery photos of the same patient at 1 week then 2 weeks after having upper and lower eyelid surgery with full face laser skin resurfacing.
Her Story
This patient first came to Dr. Peyman in January 2025. She was concerned about her droopy upper eyelids and bags under her eyes.
Dr. Peyman performed a quad blepharoplasty, addressing all four eyelids in a single in-office procedure under local anesthesia. The upper lids were lifted by removing the excess skin that draped over the lash line. The lower lids were addressed through a transconjunctival approach, removing and repositioning the fat pads causing the bags through a hidden incision on the inside of the lid with no external scar. Lastly, the full face was lasered using CO2 fractionated ablative laser.
She recovered well. Her eyes opened up. The heaviness was gone. The skin was renewed.
What Full Face Laser Resurfacing Does
An ablative CO2 laser works by delivering precise energy into the skin in a fractionated pattern. It removes the outermost damaged layers of skin while simultaneously triggering the body’s own collagen-producing response in the deeper layers.
The results build over time as the skin heals and remodels. The next day, the skin is bright red and swollen but not painful. It begins to peel day 2 or 3 and by the end of the week, all the skin has been renewed although it’s still pink.
The Three-Photo Timeline
Day 0 — First Visit, Before Treatment
The patient came in with hooded upper eyelids, bags under the eyes, and sun damaged skin.
Postoperative Day 5 – Five Days After Surgery
The eyelids and skin heal simultaneously. The skin is pink and still actively peeling. This is completely expected at day five after a full face ablative resurfacing. The patient is doing vinegar soaks and applying aquaphor to maintain the skin. The outer layers have been treated and are in the process of turning over and regenerating. New collagen is being stimulated beneath the surface. This is what you can expect at the same timepoint after surgery.
Postoperative Day 13 – Thirteen Days After Surgery
Thirteen days out and the change in the skin is already visible. The redness has calmed considerably. The skin is smoother. The tone is beginning to even out. The combination of the structural correction from the quad blepharoplasty and the surface renewal from the laser is starting to show as a unified result.
This is still early. The full collagen remodeling from an ablative laser continues for months. The result she sees today is not the final result. It will continue to improve.
Why Dr. Peyman Combines These Procedures
The quad blepharoplasty corrects the structure. It removes what is weighing the eye area down, lifts what has fallen, and addresses the fat pads beneath the lower lids.
But eyelid surgery alone does not address the surface. The skin tone, the fine lines, the texture changes that come with sun exposure and time. That is a separate issue that requires a separate solution.
Full face laser resurfacing addresses the surface. It takes years off the skin’s texture, smooths lines, and creates a more even tone. But it does not correct the underlying structural issues of sagging lids and fat herniation.
Together, the structure and the surface are treated, and recover at the same time.
The Recovery
The first few days after a full face ablative CO2 laser resurfacing, the skin will be noticeably red. It will feel sensitive and dry. There will be swelling. Patients should plan to stay home and keep the skin protected and moisturized.
By the end of the first week, the skin is already completely peeled. It may still be a little pink and that could take another few weeks to fully normalize. Avoiding sun, using sunscreen, and facial moisturizer is key to a quick recovery.
The final result, including the full collagen remodeling that gives the skin its lasting improvement in firmness and texture, develops over the following three to six months.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Full Face Laser Resurfacing
The ideal candidate for a full ablative CO2 laser resurfacing has lighter skin tone. Patients with darker skin tones require a more careful evaluation because of the increased risk of post-inflammatory pigmentation changes.
Dr. Peyman evaluates every patient’s skin tone and history carefully before recommending this procedure. In some cases, a test spot is performed first to assess how the skin responds.
Laser resurfacing makes a significant difference. The results last. It does not need to be repeated. In many cases, it complements eyelid surgery well and can be done at the same time.
Schedule a Consultation in Fullerton, CA
Dr. Jason Sabet-Peyman is a board-certified ophthalmologist and fellowship-trained oculofacial plastic surgeon who performs both eyelid surgery and ablative CO2 laser resurfacing from his private office in Fullerton, California. He serves patients throughout Orange County including Fullerton, Newport Beach, Irvine, Yorba Linda, Laguna Beach, Anaheim, and Huntington Beach.
If you are considering eyelid surgery, laser resurfacing, or both, a consultation is the best place to start. Call 714-449-1940 or visit fresheyelids.com to schedule your appointment.
