Edwin F. Williams, III, MD

The tragus is a part of the normal ear cartilage. A lot of facelift incisions come up near the tragus. The original cartilage framework is usually preserved and stays "hard" since it is a piece of cartilage.

Thank you for this question! A bump can be caused by a variety of conditions. Soon after surgery, it can just be asymmetric swelling. Over time, a bump can be caused by a ball of scar tissues. Like your surgeon suggested, massaging the bump is a great way to start treating it. If the bump is caused by scar tissues, sometimes I would offer patients a steroid injection directly into the scar tissue, which is intended to break up and soften scar tissues. Talk to your surgeon and ask him/her about different treatment options.

Thank you for this question! There are a few treatment options to help soften up the nasolabial fold. For a young patient like yourself, filler injections often work great as you mentioned. Fillers can be injected underneath the folds, or sometimes they can be injected into the piriform aperture to soften up the hollowing and sometimes even to the cheeks to provide a subtle lift. For an older patient, a facelift can also help soften the folds by stretching and lifting the face laterally.

Thank you for this question. The scar contraction can be very prominent on the nose after Mohs surgery. There are a variety of ways to address this issue. Some of the options include what is called a local flap, meaning that your surgeon can "borrow" or transfer nearby nasal skin to reconstruct the scarred areas. Consider making an appointment with a facial plastic surgeon to discuss your treatment options.

Thank you for this question! The healing process after rhinoplasty can take a long time. This is dependent on the type of rhinoplasty you had done, and how fast you heal from prior surgeries. In general, 6 months after surgery is well within the healing window. In our experience, healing can take up to 1 year to 18 months after rhinoplasty. If the bulbous-ness persists after that time frame, speak with your surgeon about any further recommended procedures to address it.

A platysmaplasty surgery can create temporary tightness in the front of your neck in the initial days to weeks after surgery. In some patients, this can feel like difficulty with breathing or difficulty swallowing. In your case, it should not cause any long-term shortness of breath 2 years after surgery. You may wish to consider making an appointment with your doctor to identify a reason for your shortness of breath.

Thank you for this question! Some sagging can remain after a neck lift. The extent of sagging greatly varies based on a lot of factors, such as your baseline neck contour, the type of surgery you had, your healing process, and how long it has been since surgery. Typically, the process of healing goes on for months to even 1 to 2 years after surgery. If this sagging is persistent a long time after surgery and is bothersome, it may need to be addressed by another procedure.

Thank you for your question. After a rhinoplasty procedure, the nose can change due to scar contracture and the way people heal. I do recommend seeing your surgeon and discussing your concerns. Best of luck!

Thank you for your question. You are young to need a facelift. You may instead benefit from a procedure like a buccal fat pad removal to decrease some of the volume in your cheek area. I recommend consultation with a board-certified facial plastic surgeon for an in-person examination, to discuss your goals, and to determine options going forward. Best of luck!

Thank you for your question. The most important thing you can do when considering a revision rhinoplasty is to find a board-certified facial plastic surgeon specializing in this procedure. Rhinoplasty is one of the most difficult operations performed by plastic surgeons and therefore you need to be seen by someone who performs the operation often. I recommend you consult with a board-certified facial plastic surgeon for an in-person examination and discussion of your goals and options going forward. Best of luck!