MACS Facelift Scar Healing Time?

I had a MACS Facelift done exactly a month ago. One side of my face seems to be healing well and the other seems like it may have not been stitched up properly. There are raised bumps and 2 tiny holes in my skin. Should I give it more time to heal or is this something I should worry about? How long does it usually take the scar to heal?

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33 Doctor Answers | Asked by Tammi79 in AZ

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Healing time for MACS face lift scars

The incision on this type of facelift is going to take three to four months to finally settle down and heal. It seems as though the incision site itself is red, swollen, inflamed, and may have ingrown hairs in the sideburn area. The scar also appears hypertrophic. Consideration for dilute cortisone shots into the scar in the sideburn area may be of some benefit.

Healing after Facelift

Proper healing takes time and is rarely symmetrical: one side almost always heals differently than the other. What you describe is not unusual, and may be a result of some ingrown hair or extruding sutures. Your patience will be rewarded.

Early scar from facelift

Scars look the worst one month after surgery, which is where you are now. Two weeks ago, it wasn't even a scar, just a "wound." This is an early scar--inflamed, red and lumpy. This is perfectly normal. Stiches inside have yet to dissolve completely and may cause lumps as the body is dissolving them. Irregularities and "pleating" are not unusual because there is a difference in actual length on each side of the scar. All this usually... more

This is not exceptional

Dear lady, I am one of the original authors of the MACS-lift technique. The problem you have experienced is not exceptional neither truly worrysome. The smal holes are either caused by hairs attempting to growh through the scar, which is actually the purpose in the MACS-lift sideburn incision, or they are due to a reaction to resorbable stitches which you have reacted to. In the latter case your surgeon will have to pick the small remnants of this stitch out, after which the wounds will... more

Healing after a MACS lift

The problem may either be hairs growing back through the incision (which will help conceal the scar in the long run) or a reaction to dissoluble sutures. It will get better with time.

Healing after MACS Lift

This is a great question. First, the body is asymmetric -- so healing may be asymmetric. One side of your face may heal a little faster, have a little less swelling, etc. in the first few months. Generally speaking, these things even out over time. Second, with a hairline incision, as is used in the MACS lift and some other techniques, the hairs have to grow back through the scar. This can result in small cysts or ingrown hairs. Lastly, in any facelift, there is a step where a thin skin flap... more

Uneven wound after a facelift.

First, you should discuss this with your surgeon. It probably has nothing to do with the actual MACS sutures. You may have some deep sutures used to close the wound that are about to "spit" out. This can happen. Talk to your surgeon.

MACS Facelift Scar Healing

There are a few possible explanations that are most common and should self correct over time. The smal holes are either caused by buried sutures about to extrude or if self absorbing then close to the skin or hairs attempting to grow through the scar, which is a good thing. Although it may be a sub-clinical infection or the beginning of a hypertrophic scar it is less likely. Regular followup with your Plastic Surgeon is suggested until this concern resolves. more

Scar healing after a MACS lift

It appears from your photos that you have some degree of suture or hair irritation in the hairline. If there are any deeper sutures that can be removed, they should be. That will allow the incision to heal but it might need a small revision done in the office under local anesthesia at some point. At times if the deeper sutures used to close an incision can become infected, or hair gets caught in the incision, that can happen and then the incision looks like yours does.

MACS lift healing concerns may be ingrown hairs along the scar.

I agree with my friend Dr. Verpaele, who is one of the developers of the MACS facelift, and who has co-authored an excellent textbook on his technique. By one month, most types of dissolving suture will have completely reabsorbed, but there are a few kinds of long-acting suture that may have been used to maintain tissue tension, incision integrity, and decrease scar widening. This could be one source of the tiny holes and incomplete healing. The bumps may be the knots below the... more