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Does Ear Lobe Numbness After Mini-lift Always Indicate Permanent Damage to Greater Auricular Nerve?

Both earlobes and surrounding skin are numb 10 weeks after mini-facelift. My board certified ps says sensation likely will return. Information on this site is conflicting as to whether ear lobe numbness indicates permanent damage or not. What is your opinion? Are there any definitive tests a neurologist can perform? Thanks so much for your time.

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7 Doctor Answers | Asked by Carol99 in San Francisco

Doctor Answers (7)
Community Comments (3)

Numbness of Earlobes 10 Weeks after Facelift

Numbness of earlobes is usually temporary and will resolve in a few months. Permanent numbness is more unusual. Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

Numbness and Nerve Injury

The thing to realize about the healing process from facial surgery is that the nerves of sensation are the SLOWEST to heal. Skin, muscle and blood vessels all heal fairly quickly (usually within 6 weeks), but all patients will continue to note numbness and differences in the sensation in the skin for much longer. The great news is that sensory nerves (the ones in charge of feeling on the skin) are almost always good at healing, eventually with time. Whether from a browlift, hair transplant,... more

Ear Lobe Numbness 10 Weeks after Mini Facelift

It is normal to have ear lobe numbness following facelift surgery and should resolve in the future. Permanent numbness is very rare. Be patient.

Richard W. Fleming, MD

10 reviews

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.bevhills.com

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Earlobe Numbness After a Facelift Almost Never Indicates Damage To The Greater Auricular Nerve

If it is primarily ear lobe and surrounding skin numbness that is the issue then you didn't have an injury to the greater auricular nerve. A greater auricular nerve injury causes a dense numbness to the entire ear and the skin surrounding it (cheek in front of the ear and the skin behind the ear). The incision made around the earlobe during a mini lift cuts through the tiny nerve fibers running through the skin causing the numbness you describe. This is normal and very common. The area of... more

Ear numbness after facelift

This is very common after a facelift and is usually due to the skin dissection and removal around the ear. As long as the numbness is improving, it will get better and can eke up to 6m to get 100% better.

Dilip D. Madnani, MD

12 reviews

New York Facial Plastic Surgeon

Ear Lobe numbness

It sounds very unlikely that both nerves, left and right sides, were damaged.I would also expect other symptoms besides numbness. I would wait and see if sensation starts getting better. Although you are 10 wks from surgery, your surgeon may consider prescribing an anti-inflammatory medication. Best,

Michel Siegel, MD

37 reviews

Houston Facial Plastic Surgeon

houstonfaces.com

Numb earlobes post facelift

Injury to the Great Auricular Nerve unfortunately is occasionally seen post facelift. This may be due to bruising or transection (cutting) of the nerve. If the nerve has been bruised, it may take several months to recover. If was cut, it may never recover. Occasionally, injury to the nerve may be followed by the development of a neuroma (abnormal proliferation of nerve /scar tissue in the area of the injury), and this may require additional treatment by your surgeon or neurologist if painful... more

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Comments (3)

Patient5555
17 Dec 2012

I would be interested in knowing if you have had improvement since your question. I am experiencing numbness in one ear 5 weeks post surgery. Thank you!

SallieSu2
17 Dec 2012

Yes, the ear lobe numbness went away somewhere around the 3rd month. I still have some residual numbness in front of ears, though. I understand it can easily take 1 year to 18 months for all numbness to clear. Good luck!

Patient5555
17 Dec 2012

Thank you so much for replying - it definitely makes me feel a bit better :)

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Facelift: Q&A

Does Ear Lobe Numbness After Mini-lift Always Indicate Permanent Damage to Greater Auricular Nerve?