SMAS Facelift Q&A
33%
WORTH IT RATING
"Worth It Rating" shows the % of consumer reviewers that stated the procedure was "Worth It" or not. See more RealSelf Worth It Ratings or Add Your Review
5 Reviews
SMAS Faceliftbefore & after photos
View Before and Afters

Average SMAS Facelift Cost: $8,640

Learn about SMAS Facelift

48 people and 137 doctors are talking about SMAS Facelift

Get Free Email Updates

Intermittant Swelling 6 Months After SMAS Lift

asked 1 year ago by 4636anon in CT
Latest answer by Jeffrey E. Schreiber, MD
Question viewed 398 times

Normal for intermittant swelling around the ears 6 months p.operative? I have swelling in the area where the SMAS was lifted sometimes more than others. It has been 6 months and although no one els may notice I feel it.

8 answers to Intermittant Swelling 6 Months After SMAS Lift

+1

Swelling after a facelift is normal.

The swelling may take up to 12 months to totally resolve.  Just make sure you keep following up with you plastic surgeon to make sure there is no excess fluid collection or infection.
Jeffrey E. Schreiber, MD

Baltimore Plastic Surgeon
+1

Intermittenet swelling after SMAS

Certainly, you may have some swelling after a facelift depending upon your acitivity level that may persist even for a year or more.
Steven Wallach, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon
+1

Swelling after a facelift

It is usually the case that patients are very presentable at 2 weeks after surgery.  The complete healing process takes 4-6 months though as the nerves and lymph channels regenerate slowly to regain feeling and reduce subtle swelling.  Not infrequently patients may "feel" something nobody can see.  Time and gentle massage usually take care of that.  This is not a problem.
Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS

Seattle Plastic Surgeon
+1

Swelling 6 months after SMAS facelift

It is still possible to have some residual swelling and tightness after a SMAS facelift. The swelling could be due to several factors such as salt intake, hormones, and altitudes and air pressure changes and is just the normal healing process. Have your surgeon consider placing some dilute solutions with cortisone into that area that feels tight and swollen.
William Portuese, MD

Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Facelift healing, swelling

You could get swelling in different areas after any surgery until all the healing occurs which is usually one year or so after a procedure. This swelling can also be because of excess salt intake, menstrual cycle. A SMAS procedure does not by itself cause more swelling but it usually improves the results and helps with the scars. 
Edward J. Domanskis, MD

Orange County Plastic Surgeon
+1

SWELLING

I do believe a good exam by your surgeon is in order just to make sure all is OK. Most probably you are OK and need more time. You could have had a more aggressive face lift
Samir Shureih, MD

Baltimore Plastic Surgeon
+1

Swelling 6 months after facelift.

You should not have abnormal local swelling at this late date. See your surgeon to examine this and tell you if it is just a "feeling" or if there is swelling there.
Toby Mayer, MD

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Subtle swelling may persist for months after a facelift.

Like all operations, swelling may persist in subtle form for months.  Most of the time patients are completely presentable in about 2 weeks, but there will be changes gradually occurring over a longer period of time.
Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

Ask a question