Facelift: Q&A

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Excessive Swelling And Pulling Down Around Earlobes After Facelift

I am a 46 year old male had a facelift on Dec. 22nd 2010. After three weeks time, most of the swelling had gone down except for some numbness around the check area to be expected. However, I have excessive swelling and pulling forward and downward of my earlobes which looks like my earlobes are attached to my cheek. Is this normal for this time period and for this area? When i move my jaw side to said the earlobe goes with it. Will it retract? and is this excessive swelling normal?

33 Doctor Answers | Asked by Fort Lauderdale9483 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
+2

Excessive Swelling And Pulling Down Around Earlobes After Facelift

Swelling soon after Facelift surgery is common and should resolve over time. Your ear lobes however should not be pulled down and this may require some minor surgical revision. Revisit your surgeon to discuss your concerns.
+2

What if earlobes are PULLED FUNNY after a facelift.

It is still early....but ...PULLED EARLOBES MAY BE A CONCERNING PROBLEM.   Go see your surgeon and talk to him or her.  This may be temporary but may not and you will need a revision at 6 months.  occasionally this can and does happen although it idelly should not.   The good news is that it is easy to correct when it occurs.  Hopefully as you heal this will resolve, I hope.  See your surgeon. Part of a surgeons job is to be supportive and solve complic more
+1

Excessive swelling and earlobe displacement

It is very difficult to answer your question without seeing your pictures or examining you - truly excessive swelling after a lift is something you should see your surgeon for.

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+1

Pulled earlobes after Face Lift.

The earlobes can be pulled forward or downward, after a face lift, depending on the amount and manner in which the skin is trimmed around the earlobe. This will not, IMHO retract and may even continue to move in the direction this pulls occurs. It's best for you to ask your face lift surgeon for advice on the matter. There is a localized touch up procedure that can correct this issue.
+1

Ear lobe pulled down after Facelift (Pixie Ear) will require revision most likely

Unfortunately ear pull down or Pixie Ear is best avoided during skin closure after a Facelift. Ear position is definitely distorted after every Facelift but by 6 weeks to 2 months final ear shape and ear lobe position should have returned. If the ear lobe is too low at 2 months revision will likely be required Pixie ear can be corrected by opening the Facelift incision and elevating the ear lobule with a suture suspended from the cartilage in the external ear canal, however the... more
+1

Earlobes can be the big tip-off of a facelift. But there is hope!

How the ear lobes are handled in a facelift are one of the most often overlooked or mis-managed nuances of this type of surgery.  It is a seemingly minor maneuver during the surgery.  But it can tell the whole story:  "I had a facelift!"  On the up side, we do ear lobe revisions all the time to correct this defect.  So you don't have to live this way or have an entire facelift revision to reverse the "attached" ear lobe look. more
+1

Facelift Results

It is not unusual for facelift patients to have swelling for several months following a procedure. However, it is unusual for the earlobes to be pulled down following a facelift. You should discuss these results with your surgeon,
+1

Swelling after Facelift

Three weeks after a Facelift, some degree of swelling is expected and is totally normal.  However, if too much tension was placed on the skin at the point of earlobe inset, an undesirable phenomenon known as a "pixie" ear can occur.  It is best to discuss your concerns with your Surgeon.  Unfortunately, if a "pixie" ear deformity has occurred, it cannot be corrected without further surgery.
+1

Pulled earlobes after facelift

Since it has only been three weeks since your surgery, some of the effect may be related to post-op swelling.  Time will tell.   If there is too much tension on the earlobes when they are inset during the tailoring phase of your facelift, a pulling effect can result long-term.  This is known in the trade as a "pixie ear".  This may require a surgical revision.  Speak with your surgeon about your concern.   All the best,
+1

Skin Retracrion From a Facelift

This comes from not anticipating the amount of skin retractrion.  That is why the earlobes appear more prominent after my facelifts.  It is a dead giveaway that the procedure perhaps was done by a mildly experinced surgeon.  For example, Paul Simon's earlobes have the similiar problem - unacceptable.
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These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.

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