9 Eye Creams Plastic Surgeons Recommend Using After Eyelid Surgery

SkinMedica TNS Advanced+ Serum ($295) and TNS Eye Repair ($106)

“I recommend the TNS A+ Serum for patients, especially after blepharoplasty because the growth factors and peptides help the skin heal and promote collagen production. It encourages firmer, toned skin, which is ideal for post-surgery maintenance,” says New York plastic surgeon Mokhtar Asaadi, MD. “SkinMedica TNS Eye Repair equally delivers, and is a wonderful product for hydrating the delicate eye area.”

DefenAge 3D Eye Radiance Cream ($127)

“Most skin-care lines help to repair damaged skin cells, but DefenAge distinguishes itself by being one of the only medical-grade products that helps to also create new skin cells,” says New York facial plastic surgeon Lee Ann M. Klausner, MD. “This eye cream hydrates the skin and treats crepiness. After eyelid surgery, sometimes the quality of remaining skin can be further treated with the NuVissa Plasma Pen, a noninvasive in-office procedure with minimal downtime.”

Skinbetter Science EyeMax AlphaRet Overnight Cream ($120) and InterFuse Treatment Cream EYE ($115)

“Skin around the eyes is one of the thinnest, so great skin care around the eyes is encouraged, even after surgical blepharoplasty,” says New York facial plastic surgeon Dilip D. Madnani, MD. “We want to keep the fragile skin around the eyes as hydrated and youthful as possible. A comprehensive anti-aging eye cream is best. Look for one that targets a variety of aging concerns, such as dryness, crepiness, puffiness, lines, wrinkles, and dark circles. At our office, we recommend these two from Skinbetter Science.”

EltaMD UV Physical Broad-Spectrum SPF 41 ($41)

“In the immediate post-procedure period, we recommend a medical-grade sunblock such as EltaMD,” says Woodbury, NY ocuplastic surgeon David Schlessinger, MD. “If a bruised or lasered area is exposed to sun, the patient can develop post-inflammatory hyperpigmention, which is why sunblock is so important.”

Project GLAMMERS DEFEND Matte Tinted Sunscreen SPF 40 ($70) and DEFEND Melanin Emollient Sunscreen SPF 40 ($70)

“The most important product is sunscreen, especially in the initial period of healing and recovery,” says New York oculoplastic surgeon Irene Gladstein, MD. “From our own Project GLAMMERS skin-care line, we love our DEFEND and DEFEND Melanin, which is designed for patients with melanin-rich skin types.

It is also important to focus on the few active ingredients that will promote skin health and maintain a youthful appearance. That includes a gentle concentration of retinols designed specifically for under-eye applications, as the skin around the eyes is very sensitive and needs to be treated differently from the rest of the face. It also includes a combination of antioxidants and gentle glycolic acid.”

Alastin Restorative Eye Treatment ($99)

“Once the eyelid is healed, we continue to recommend medical-grade sunblock to avoid the aging effects of UV light,” says Dr. Schlessinger. “While no single eye cream can give surgical results, I recommend this one from Alastin. Alastin uses TriHex Technology to build collagen and elastin in the skin to maintain a youthful look.”