Would There Be Any Sensation at All in & Around Ears if Greater Auricular Nerve Were Damaged in Mini-lift?

The area around both ears & ear lobes feel numb yet I can sense heat/cold, sharpness, touch etc in the area. Other than the lobes, no other part of the ear itself was ever numb. Does this sound like potential Greater Auricular Nerve injury? I'm 3 months post-op and there's been no real indication of nerves regenerating other than occasional sharp electric like pains shooting into ears. Thank you for your time.

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7 Doctor Answers | Asked by Carol99 in San Francisco

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3 Months after Facelift with numbness of earlobes

You may get the sensation back over the next year to 18 months. There is a great deal of overlap in some nerve territories.

Facelift and nerve injury

It doesn't sound to me like a greater auricular nerve injury, especially both sides. At three months the sensory nerves in the area are still healing and some numbness around the area is normal just frome surgery. You performed good nerve testing. However, if the electric pain persist at the six months mark there could be a nerve issue. Stay intouch with your plastic surgeon see video

Nerve damage following facelift

In general, nerve damage from a facelift can result in the following side effects: 1) Numbness of the face 2) Difficulty making certain facial expressions 3) Ear numbness 4) Drooping of facial features (mouth or cheek) Most temporary nerve damage that occurs from a facelift will be resolve in anywhere from 6 months to a year. It may take longer for a complete recovery, but it depends on the patient and the circumstances of the issue. At 3 months, you still have some... more

Ear numbness after face lift

The likely possibilities after a face lift are an injury to - the posterior branch of the greater auricular nerve a branch off the posterior branch of the greater auricular nerve swelling from surgery - less likely after 3 months. The posterior branch gives feeling to the lobe, the lower half of the ear front and back and the skin right behind the lobe. Ear lobe numbness may be the only symptom because of cross-over... more

Facelift sensation and nerves

From what you describe after your facelift, it is unlikely that your great auricular nerve was injured. The nerve has a large area of distribution of sensation for the ear, and one would expect a larger area of numbness if the nerve had been injured. It is more likely that the numbness is secondary to smaller cutaneous nerves in the region. I would be optimistic that the majority of the sensation would return to normal by the six month mark.

Nerve Injury After Mini-Facelift?

Yes it does sound like the Greater Auricular nerve has been injured. At this point observation (6 months) is the best medicine. Dr. ES

Would There Be Any Sensation at All in & Around Ears if Greater Auricular Nerve Were Damaged in Mini-lift?

It does not sound like Greater Auricular Neve damage to me. For 6 months to a year patients can have sensation issues from cutting through the small nerves that run within the skin that none of us can see. Most of the numbness will resolve with time. With Greater Auricular nerve damage I would expect you to have more complaints of numbness involving the area behind the ear and more of the ear, not just the lobes. You probably need to give this another 3 months or out to one year to really... more