Red Lines from Face Lift Sutures

I had a Face Lift 45 days ago. In the past week, I have been seeing thin red lines developing from the suture areas behind my ears and scalp incisions. What and why is this happening? Will they go away?

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red marks 6 weeks post-op

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13 Doctor Answers | Asked by NewMexico lady in Los Alamos, NM

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Cortisone injections can help

The red lines that may be occurring can be hypertrophic scars occurring on the actual incision sites. These, when they occur, need to be addressed immediately by placing cortisone injections into them to smooth and flatten them down. They will eventually settle down and go away, but the cortisone shots will start to make them shrink.

Pink scars are new scars

If the scars appear to be fine lined, flat, narrow but red-pink, the color is a consequence of their newness. All scars undergo a process of maturation and remodeling, which occurs until they are flat, narrow, white lines. Scar maturation also involves softening and flattening of the scars; it typically requires a minimum of 90 days, during which time the "inflammatory process" or pinkness will decrease, progressively. Since your surgery was only 45 days ago, it is likely... more

Lavinia Chong, MD

22 reviews

Orange County Plastic Surgeon

www.chongmd.com

Facelift Scarring

During wound maturation after surgery the incisions always look worse berfore they get better. The operative word (no pun intended) is you describe thin lines. If these red lines get raised, thicker, or tender see your surgeon because hypertrophic (enlarged) scars could be forming. Be observant, but don't panic. This is not likely and they would develop very slowly.

Richard W. Fleming, MD

9 reviews

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.bevhills.com

Red lines at face lift incision is normal and will go away

Red lines along the incision line is a normal process that happens after a procedure that creates an incision. The incision is the area that is exposed to the environment the most and ultimately is the area that undergoes the most inflammation. This obviously will lead to more of a reaction that creates more blood supply that leads to the redness in the area. There are many ways to improve this. After the incisions heal, any silicone gel based scar gel can be used on these incisions to... more

Philip Young, MD

6 reviews

Bellevue Facial Plastic Surgeon

Wound healing

The body heals incisions by increasing blood supply to the area.This brings oxygen nutrients and all the cells active in healing the surgical site. Generally speaking the incision itself may remain red for a few months until the process is resolved. Complete healing and remodeling continue up to 1 year. You are still in a very early stage of healing. When you mention red lines developing from the suture area behind the ear a few things come to mind. Sutures are considered foreign bodies and... more

Facelift - Red Lines from Face Lift Sutures

It could be fine but you should, of course, touch base with your plastic surgeon about this. In the absence of fever, chills, sweats, swelling, drainage, etc., it probably represents a normal part of the healing process, and may be due to tension, local swelling or irritation from the sutures. Your surgeon should be able to help sort this out. I hope that this helps and good luck, Dr. E

Red scars after a face lift

Two possibilities - both normal. tiny capillaries. They appear in young scars, usually fade in 6 months but can also be removed with a laser, such as ND YAG Thickening scar - from collagen protein. Treatment - time as excess protein is absorbed and occasionally steroid injections. How to tell which you have? If the tiny red lines are completely flat, a capillary is more likely. If it is a raised thick line you can feel, it's probably protein. Do they need... more

Redness Along Incisions

Scars undergo various changes until they are completely healed, one year after surgery. Early on, it is normal for a small amount of redness to appear. Ideally, your scars will convert to a thin white line which is difficult to see. see video

Redness at incisions

At about 7 weeks it is common for the incisions to appear a bit red as they heal. Usually this improves with time.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Redness after a facelift

The redness you are seeing can be caused by the bodies reaction against the sutures which is what causes them to dissolve. This is a normal reaction and should resolve shortly.