When Australian photographer Lauren Schulz, known on TikTok and Instagram as @laurenschulzvisuals, shared a raw 24-hour update after her lower eyelid surgery—medically known as a lower blepharoplasty—the comments spiraled quickly. Viewers fixated on what appeared to be multiple marks below her eyes, jumping to the conclusion that the surgery had gone wrong.
To many watching in real time, the visible stitches resembled poorly placed incisions or early scarring. Some labeled it a botched procedure. Others warned followers never to get the surgery. But according to plastic surgeons, what people are reacting to may not be incisions at all.
Read on for what surgeons say viewers may be missing.
Featured Experts
- David Schlessinger, MD is a board-certified oculoplastic surgeon in New York
- Anthony Youn, MD is a board-certified plastic surgeon in Troy, MI
Why Some Techniques Don’t Always Look ‘Clean’ at First
Lower eyelid blepharoplasty can be performed in more than one way, and technique matters. “Typically, a lower eyelid blepharoplasty incision is either made internally through the conjunctiva—meaning it’s not visible externally—or just beneath the eyelashes,” explains New York oculoplastic surgeon David Schlessinger, MD. “Those lash-line incisions are usually very subtle and tend to fade over several weeks.”
Internal, or transconjunctival, approaches are often preferred in younger patients or when the goal is to address under-eye fat bags without removing skin. When excess skin is present, an external incision just below the lashes may be used instead. What raised alarm in this case, however, appears to be something else entirely.
‘Incisions’ or Temporary Sutures? What You’re Really Seeing
Dr. Schlessinger explains that in certain lower blepharoplasty procedures, surgeons don’t remove fat at all—instead, they reposition it. “In a fat transposition, fat from the lower eyelid is moved into the hollow below the eye,” he says. “This doesn’t require a traditional skin incision. Sutures are placed from the inside and then brought out through the skin and tied externally.”
Those sutures can leave small, visible points on the skin during the early recovery period. They’re typically removed after several days and don’t usually result in lasting scars.
“It’s hard to tell from a video whether these are true incisions or fat transposition sutures,” he adds. “But based on what’s visible, it’s very possible they’re sutures rather than permanent incision lines.”
Why Recovery Videos Can Be Misleading
The reaction to Schulz’s video highlights a bigger issue surgeons see often: early recovery footage taken out of context. Swelling, bruising, crusting and even bleeding from the eye itself can be normal within the first 24 to 72 hours after eyelid surgery—though patients aren’t always prepared to see it. That said, surgeons emphasize that while many early recovery signs are normal, unexpected pain, worsening swelling or concerns about healing should always be discussed directly with a provider.
In her video, Schulz shared that she didn’t expect stitches or visible bleeding, which added to the shock factor for viewers. But surgeons stress that early recovery visuals don’t reflect final outcomes.
Troy, MI–based plastic surgeon Anthony Youn, MD, echoed this point in his own TikTok response, explaining that the marks viewers were panicking over are consistent with an established surgical technique—not a sign of poor work. “So, I’m guessing that these are not actual incisions, but there’s some crustiness of blood where these sutures are coming out from the skin,” he said. “Those sutures are usually removed after a few days, and my guess is she’s probably going to look really good.”
The Takeaway
As blepharoplasty continues to show up more frequently on social media, it also comes under increased scrutiny—often far too early in the healing process. Swelling, bruising and visible sutures in the first few days are part of recovery, not the final result. What looks alarming at 24 to 48 hours is usually just a snapshot of early healing, not an indication of how the surgery will ultimately settle.
This example is a reminder that recovery videos on social media rarely tell the full story—and that questions about healing are always best addressed by a qualified medical professional, not the internet.
