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Lump Behind Ear That Oozed, then a Blue Thread Appeared

asked 1 year ago by hellofromteresa in Sacramento, CA
Latest answer by Rafael C. Cabrera, MD
Question viewed 3,999 times
Tags: female, revision, sutures

5 months after a revision facelift......a tender area behind my ear became a hard lump. A month later it began to just ooze a little bit. Now that the oozing stopped.....what I see is a thread that has migrated through my skin......My original facelift was an uneven mess, revision surgery was no better. You can see that there is a pull to the skin on my neck in that area. I can't afford to pay for another surgery. Will this be ok if I just leave it alone for now??? Thank you

7 answers to Lump Behind Ear That Oozed, then a Blue Thread Appeared

+1

Exposed Stitch after Facelift

The blue material is an exosed stitch which can be easily removed in the office. The drainage will stop and the inflammed skin will heal. If you're not satisfied with the final appearance of the scar, a minor revision can be done.
Richard W. Fleming, MD

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.bevhills.com

+1

Blue stitch behind ear, mountain or mole hill?

This is not a big deal. it is a suture sinus with the suture ready for plucking. go see your surgeon and it will take approximately 15 seconds to correct. I am pretty sure he will not charge you. do it today!
Rafael C. Cabrera, MD

Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon
+1

See Your Surgeon for the Stitch

The suture that eroded through the skin needs to be removed. See your facelift surgeon to have this done - it should be a straight-forward office procedure. Do not just wait - this could cause more trouble down the road if not addressed.
Frank P. Fechner, MD

Worcester Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.drfechner.com

+1

An exposed Neck Lift Stitch needs to be Removed

In the performance of a Face Lift, surgeons commonly suspend the sagging neck structures to the bony prominence behind the ear. From your photograph and description it appears the suspension suture(s) have been exposed. As a result, they are now colonized with germs and the wound will not heal until the stitch isremoved. This can be easily done in your surgeon's office with or without local anesthesia and should not be costly.
Peter A. Aldea, MD

Memphis Plastic Surgeon
+1

Suture Extrusion after Facelift

Hi, It looks like a prolene suture has extruded through the skin. This can easily be removed in the office. You should go back to your surgeon and ask him to remove it. Best, Dr. S.
Oleh Slupchynskyj, MD

New York Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.facechange.org

+1

You should consult your face lift surgeon as soon as possible for evaluation of your extruded suture.

You either developed an infection, or your body is rejecting a blue suture that was placed during your facelift operation. This stitch needs to be removed, and you need to be evaluated for possible infection. Removal of an extruded suture is typically performed with local anesthetic in the office. This should not affect your final result since your surgery was around 6 mos. ago. I hope this is helpful for you.
Eric M. Joseph, MD

West Orange Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

You need to have the suture (thread) removed.

Your surgery probably involved placement of a permanent suture to help support your neck. Not infrequently the suture or a portion of the knot will work through the skin. It is usually easily removed if you return to your surgeon. Fortunately it does not result in a long term problem and may improve the lumpy area of your neck.
Nathan Mayl, MD

Fort Lauderdale Plastic Surgeon

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