How to Tell if Full Sensation Has Been Restored to Numb Areas After Mini Lower Facelift?

Your concerns about numbness along with your description indicate that you have already experienced a partial return to function and sensation. At 3 months, this should continue to improve over the course of a few more months to a year or so. With regard to tightness, this almost always resolves with tincture of time. Massage may be useful as well, if your plastic surgeon is OK with that option. Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA more

Sorry to hear about the issues you are experiencing following surgery. 11 weeks is still soon after your procedure, and it is not abnormal to be experiencing side effects at this time. Numbness can be the result of nerve damage. In general, most temporary nerve damage that occurs from a facelift will last anywhere from 6 months to a year. It may take longer for a complete recovery, but it depends on the patient and the circumstances of the issue. Tightness is another potential side effect of... more

It is not uncommon to experience tightness and numbness around the ears and surrounding skin at 3 months after surgery. I always tell my patients that it can take up to 6 to 12 months for the these sensations to fully resolve. In a rare patient, the numbness may not resolve completely. The tightness is likely from swelling which can cause pressure on the sensory nerves and contribute to numbness. The fact that you have sensation to heat and cold and sharp objects is a sign that certain... more