Hot Lump After a Face and Necklift

asked 1 year ago by jackie43 in scotland aberdeen
Latest answer by Philip Young, MD
Question viewed 720 times
Tags: infection, lumps

i have just had aace lift and necklift 2 weeks 5 days ago . i have started to swell more at one side of my neck, it is like a lump and the swelling has become hot. i went to doctor he says there is no infection and this is just part of the healing, this was my local doctor i had the surgery abroad. it has not got any bigger though its just the same. although a little uncomfortable, it looks bruised but not black and blue. is this normal . i know swelling can take months to go down was just a little worried as it seemed to be getting worse ater two weeks.

9 answers to Hot Lump After a Face and Necklift

Hot lump after facelift abroad.

You need to be monitored for infection over the next week. If there is no change it is normal healing. This is one of many reasons that surgery abroad can be dangerous since you have only your local doctor and not the surgeon available. It is probably normal healing.

Toby Mayer, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.bevhills.com

Hot lump 2 weeks after a foreign facelift

Obviously this is one of the reasons not to do medical tourism - you don't have follow up with the doctor who operated on you. Aside from an infection, what you might have is a liquified hematoma. At about where you are postop, a hematoma will turn from jelly like blood into liquid. As the cells break up, their salts are released and draw fluid to themselves making the area more swollen than when the fluid was in its jelly state. A needle aspiration of this area... more

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Risks of Surgery Abroad (Medical Tourism)

I agree with my colleagues comments. Although I have not seen any of your BEFORE pictures, it seems to me the incision along the hairline posteriorly is inordinately long and that you may have a small area of tissue compromise or death close to the top. All your stitches should have been removed a week ago and You should NOT have "hot areas" two weeks after Facelift surgery. As capable as your primary care NHS doctor may think he is, I would recommend you eat some... more

Peter A. Aldea, MD
Memphis Plastic Surgeon

Face lift swelling hot and worried in the neck

At 5 days you are just in the start of the healing process. At this point you likely have around 10% of your healing. We usually tell people that they will have 60% of their healing / recovery complete by 6 weeks, 80-90% by 6 months. 100% can take as long as 2 years. This is based on wound healing studies and tensile breaking strength of a heal wound. In regards to your neck swelling, there are areas that can be hot. The signs for infection are swelling, heat, tenderness,... more

Philip Young, MD
Bellevue Facial Plastic Surgeon

Neck swelling

If you are having redness or swelling or drainage from your neck, you should see a plastic surgeon ASAP. Good luck.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Hot lump after a face and necklift

Seek immediate plastic surgeon evaluation and monitoring before this can become a serious issue. Possible diagnosis are late hematoma/seroma which CAN become infected, folded SMAS suturing becoming more noticeable as swelling decreases, parotid gland issues, rare issue could be a gauze left in the skin flap (I doubt) but it could be a option. Also, I agree with Dr Aldea the placement of the occipital scar seems a bit unusual. Best of Luck from MIAMI Dr. B... more

Darryl J. Blinski, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

Hot Lump after Facelift

Find a facelift surgeon in your area to rule out a hematoma or an infection which should be treated ASAP. This is one of the possible problems patients can have when surgery is done out of the country.

Richard W. Fleming, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

Hot lump after face and necklift

Pain, bruising, and swelling are typically experienced two to three weeks after surgery. The symptoms should subside after that in most cases. However, every individual heals differently. It sounds like you may have an infection, considering you said the area is "hot". It would be best to visit your plastic surgeon just to make sure there is not a problem.Since you don't have contact with your plastic surgeon, you should contact a board certified plastic surgeon ASAP... more

Sam Speron, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

This needs to be watched closely.

You did not say if your local doctor was a surgeon or whatever. At two weeks a "hot" area that is new is very likely to be an infection. In addition, if you were done in a tropical country, it may be a very slow growing infection that needs special techniques to determine what is really going on. At the very least you need to be seen by a surgical specialist who is used to treating delayed wound infections. The lump can be aspirated with a needle to see if there... more