Facelift: Stories

I saw a show in "bad plastic surgery" the other day and a woman was on with a wound just like this. Thermage had caused it.

I'm sorry this happen to you. I agree with Sere said. Stay strong. You are beautiful despite the scar.

This all sounds peculiar, because there really isn't much detail about the surgery or the post-op recovery/procedures and the poster has not answered questions here or posted any follow-ups. It looks like it was an infected hematoma. Why would that not be treated immediately? Why would a board of plastic surgeons try to intimidate a patient?

I am very disappointed your surgeon has not explained what caused this as it must be very upsetting. In my opinion it certainly would be related to your surgery. It looks like skin necrosis or 'skin sloughing'. You've got to remember that when they do a facelift they separate (or 'undermine') the skin layer away from the underlying platysma/SMAS layer of the neck/face, so they can then pull each layer in different appropriate directions (vectors) and tensions. It takes a while for the layers to re-adhere in healing process, during which time there is a risk of fluid (seroma) or blood (hematoma) pooling in a pocket between the layers. The presence of this material may block blood supply to the overlying skin and also increase the risk of secondary infection adding increased swelling and possible pressure necrosis. These are reasons why it is important to make sure bleeding is under control before closing and to drain any hematoma/seroma that develops and treat with antibiotics. Did you have a pocket of swelling in the days after surgery in the area under the mandible edge about in line with the corner of your mouth? - I think the problem started here as looks deepest (full thickness) and oozed downward with gravity. A large blister? Lumpiness? Redness/heat? Prescribed antibiotics? Did you have drains in place? If you didn't have drains its likely that your surgeon used tissue sealant (possibly fibrin glue) to readhere the layers (many do & it can help to prevent such complications). If he did use sealant, then there is a possibility that if he used a non-aerosolised sealant or applied it too thickly in this area (and didn't spread it out evenly) that a clump of material caused the skin necrosis. Are you known to have an allergy to bovine material? Some sealants are derived from bovine products. Such allergy is extremely rare, but its the only other thing I can think of if none else of the above apply. Your surgeon, any surgeon, should be explaining these matters/complications to you so you can properly understand. I think you would benefit from scar revision surgery, though you may need a small skin flap taken from another part of your body for best result. Certainly there is room for improvement. Its a horrible thing thats happened to you, and I feel for you. Stay strong, you're still beautiful despite the scar.

Sorry, but this looks totally unrelated to a facelift. If this was done at the same time, and I cant imagine HOW, due to its position, then its amazing that there is absolutely NO swelling or bruising whatsoever anywhere. It looks like it's completely unrelated to the work the Doc did, IMO.

How soon did this happen? Was it right after surgery or did it creep up on you? I hope you sue him. You might be able to find someone down the road to help with that scar~ that Dr shouldn't get away with this. I think you have two years to sue. Good luck!

First, I am so sorry for what happened. It's awful and I feel so bad for you. To answer Gingerfleur- I don't think a cut was made there. I think It's possible that that area had no blood supply. When they lift the neck up off the muscles and put it back, it takes a while for the blood supply to come back. I had a facelift from an amazing Dr~ and I put frozen peas along the sides of my head (I had a cloth so the bag wasn't sitting right on my face). The next day I went in I had something on my neck, a blister. He said "that's weird, did you put something on your neck?" Then we figured I had accidently burned myself with the bag of peas.I was so scared! Then I came home and found this picture...my anxiety level went way up there. I put antibiotic ointment on it and it's pretty much healed-but that's kind of what it may have looked like had it gotten worse. Did you put any ice on your neck by any chance? Good luck to you and God bless~

Sorry to see that on your neck. Did your surgeon tell you why this had happened? Was there complications? The positon of cut seemed very strange for a facelift. I just had a mini facelift 4 weeks ago. Although I am not thrill with it I would say it did have improvement on my lower face.