Question: How can surgeons hide the stitches from a Facelift?
Answer: All incisions should be closed meticulously and without tension. I always place temporal incisions with closure within the anterior temporal hairline. A number of surgeons place these incisions in front of the hairline (in front of the side burn); I disagree with this placement as I feel that it too often presents a conspicuous scar line. Despite my placing the incisions and performing a closure within this hair bearing skin region, I intentionally avoid raising the side burn hairline.
If the incision line is continued behind the tragus (cartilage in front of the ear) and then placed just where the earlobe meets the facial skin, the scar line is relatively inconspicuous. Carrying the incision line in the crease behind the ear and then high into the hairline behind the ear, lining up the hairline, the incision line is relatively inconspicuous.
For the five to seven days that the stitches are present, they may be noticeable on close inspection. However, they may be hidden with the use of judicious hair styling in women (as well as in men). The scar line just under the chin is relatively noticed but the stitches may be seen on close inspection. Keeping the ends of the suture short and the use of clear sutures may be helpful.
