Facelift: Q&A
Ask a QuestionIs the Position of Earlobes Changed After Face and Neck Lift?
I had a face & neck lift in August 2010. The position of my earlobes has changed. I cannot wear my earrings because my right ear peirce is further away from my face than my left ear. The earrings do not hang right and look odd.
My right earlobe is very stretched and is attached to my neck, it is still sore after 8 months. My left ear is a little stretched. I have very little feeling in my face at the sides of my cheeks and around my earlobes. I have scars completely around my earlobes.
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29 Doctor Answers |
Asked by
July4
in USA
+4
Earlobe postion should not change after Facelift-fused ear lobe is called Pixie Ear
Unfortunately your ear lobe was sutured to far down on the cheek and the curve of the lobule or ear lobe was not properly reconstructed. This happens more often with mini lifts and inexperienced surgeons, and is called Pixie Ear or Spock Ear.
It can be repaired but the repair requires an experienced qualified technically good surgeon. Consult a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon who is experienced at Facelift.
+4
Ear lobe changes after facelift
Ear lobe position can change after a facelift. If re-piercing the lobe does not help with earring symmetry then a small in-office procedure can help reposition them.
Ear soreness and numbness after a facelift should gradually resolve during the first year.
Baltimore Facial Plastic Surgeon
+3
Pixie earlobes after facelifts
Unfortunately, you didn't have the best artwork done on your face as you have a mild pixie ear deformity. It would have been nice to see your preop photos to see what kind of earlobes you had. It is possible to fix this, but if done by an inexperienced surgeon and if you don't have some loose skin to work with, the problem can actually be made worse.
Your problem is far more common after branded mini facelifts than properly done full facelifts.
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+3
Earlobe deformity or problem after facelift surgery
Your ears show a mild pixie deformity and will require revision to look right.
You also demonstrate a pulled tragus.
These problems are typical and common with minilifts, especially branded minilifts.
Earring position can be precisely done once the earlobe is reconstructed.
Contrary to popular opinion, these problems are NOT easy to fix. They require extra tissue from the face to be mobilized and the tragus and earlobe to be artfully reconstructed. If there is not...
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+3
Earlobe position changed after facelift--there IS an easy fix!
With all due respect to my other colleagues posting here, I first encountered this problem over 20 years ago when seeing facelift patients of other plastic surgeons. The soft, mobile earlobe is a really poor place from which to suspend the facial tissues during facelift and necklift procedures. Unfortunately, many facelift surgeons do just that and end up with "pulled" earlobes, widened visible scars in front of the ears, or even regular "hanging" earlobes turned into...
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+2
Earlobes should not change, but can
In most facelift techniques, the earlobe remains at the same position it was at prior to surgery. Most Facial Plastic Surgeons will agree that the goal is to get the neck and cheek skin tightened and elevated, but to not leave that tightness pulling down on the ear lobe, thereby changing its position or appearance. However, if that principal is not kept in mind, the earlobe can be drawn into a different position when a patient heals from a facelift. This is commonly referred to as a...
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+2
"Facelift Ear", "Pixie Ear" - Complication of Facelift Surgery
The ear and the tissue just in front of it should NEVER be used to suspent the raised facial skin. In performing a facelift incision, extreme care must be used NOT to have the encision in fron of the ear lobule, the hanging round portion where earrings are placed. If this is done, the bottom of the ear will be pulled down and forward. Worse yet, if the incision is placed in front of the lobule, the lobule will end up being stitched to the side of the head, as in your case. This is...
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+2
Telltale signs of a facelift
Unfortunately, this is a common technical error in facelift surgery. It happens simply because the surgeon brings the incision in front of the ear too far down. As the healing process proceeds, and the inevitable "sag back" of the lifted skin occurs, the ear lobe is drawn downward and the resulting scar ends up at the lowest point and the ear lobe is pulled into a "pixie ear" look.
I can be corrected, but, of course the best plan is prevention. If a patient...
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+2
Ear lobe changes after facelift
Stretching of the earlobes can occur if the earlobes are not properly supported by the suspensions of a facelift. While I do not have the benefit of seeing the original shape of your ears, the pictures you show and the history your recount are that of a pixie ear. This can be repaired with appropriate suspension, but it can involve a more involved facelift revision. I would be happy to provide you a comprehensive evaluation.
+2
Ear lobe change after facelift
The earlobes dont' necessarily change position after facelift surgery, but they can if the healing process pulls them down. There are methods to avoid this at the time of surgery and it is possible to revise but more difficult if there isn't extra skin to use.
These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.
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