Swelling After Mini Facelift with Fat Transfer

i am 7 weeks post op mini facelift with fat transfer to the cheeks. my incisions, though healed, throb all day. the pulling and pressure in front of my ears is relentless. feels like i have barbed wire sticking in them.

though the external swelling continues to improve, the internal swelling continues to rise and fall all day, with my cheeks feeling hot. it is so uncomfortable and unnerving. does this sound reasonable? i know the healing process can be a long one, but i'm wondering if there is something wrong.

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9 Doctor Answers | Asked by hunna123 in nj

Doctor Answers (9)
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Incisional healing after minilift

I agree it all sounds within normal expectations. The sensory nerve supply to the skin is temporarily separated with a minifacelift or facelift. The surgeon needs to lift a skin flap to get to the deeper structures of the face that serve as the primary focus of a lift. That is why the skin may be numb in front of, below, or behind the ear, as well as the ear itself. It takes time for those nerves to heal, regenerate,and find their way back to the skin. During that healing phase, the... more

Throb and discomfort after a mini facelift

Dear Mini Facelift Patient from New Jersey, Healing process varies person to person. As swelling subsides after any facelift surgery, sensory nerves begin to function. The throb you are describing is most likely reinervation of your sensory nerves. See your Surgeon; make sure there is no infection or fat necrosis. Good luck and good healing …..Dr. Sadati

Swelling after facelift

Swelling after a mini-facelift with cheek fat transfer may last anywhere form 6 weeks to several months. You should keep your head elevated at nights to minimize the swelling. However, you may want to make sure that you do not have an infection brewing within the transferred fat. Although unusual, it can happen rarely. If so, you will have symptoms of reddness, warmth and pain in the area.

Swelling after mini facelift

I would recommend seeing your plastic surgeon to make sure there is no evidence of infection. Otherwise it typically takes 12 weeks to completely resolve swelling.

Babak Azizzadeh, MD

4 reviews

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.facialplastics.info

Pain and redness and swelling

After a facelift you should not be experiencing alot of warmth or tenderness. If you are also expereincing swelling and redness, you may have an infection with the fat transfer. You should probably follow-up with your doctor.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Heat, redness and pain can indicate infection

I am concerned that the cheeks feel hot. Heat and redness are signs of infection, as is pain, you should have this checked out by your doctor as it is possible you have an infection around the transfer, that or possibly some deep sutures. This may be just part of your normal healing or you may need to have antibiotics. In all cases of heat, redness and pain, notify your doctor.

Miniface lift, fat transfer

The feeling of tightness in the face is normal with mini and full face lift. you also had a fat transfer and that will cause tightness, swelling. See your Board Certified PLastic Surgeon, make sure there is no other problem and the swelling will diappear if there is no infection.

Swelling after mini facelift and fat injections

Hi, Assuming you don't have an infections brewing, it sounds like normal wound healing. The sensations you are having can go on for several weeks to months but will all resolve with time. Best, Dr.S.

Unusual pain and swelling following a face lift

The proliferative phase (collagen building) of wound healing occurs for 6 weeks after surgery. This tends to be the maximal amount of tightness you will experience. Swelling in the morning is the most common part of the day for swelling due to laying your head down at night which can slow venous drainage. Over the next several weeks, you should experience general improvement in the sensations of tightness. Your description of a "hot" feeling in the cheeks is unusual. This could... more