Do I now have pixie ears? 6 weeks post-op facelift. (Photos)

Question

I had attached lobes before surgery but they seem to be even longer now. Is this pixie ears? Do I need a revision? I posted his question before, but forgot to add before pics.

Ronald J. Edelson, MD · Answer

Your earlobes are slightly pixie ears but probably not bad enough to warrant correction. Pixie earlobes occur when the lobe isn’t rounded out snd detached. Actually easy to avoid and correct, but correction involves more than just dealing with the earlobe.

Paul Lanfranchi, DO, FAOCOO · Answer

Thanks for sharing your photos, for they do actually help in rendering an opinion.  With any facelift procedure, there is a chance of the earlobes changing to some degree.  Sometimes they can be stretched (ie pixie ear), while other times they can be rotated either too far forward or backward. This usually can be prevented by meticulous attention to this area during the closure of the lift on each side.I your case, it does seem that you had "attached" earlobes prior to the procedure.  Hence we should expect them to remain "attached" afterwards.  There may be a slight elongation to the lobes that you should just observe over the next half year to see if they elongate any more. On the bright side, all of the wrinkles in front of your ear have been eliminated, and the incisions seem to be healing well.  My guess is that all should heal well, but just give it time over the next year to settle in.Best,Doc L

Farhan Taghizadeh, MD · Answer

Hello, and thanks for your question.  It can be startling to see changes to parts of you that have been a certain way your whole life, so makes sense that you are concerned about the position of your lower ear after your facelift.  It is possible that the lower ear lobe was moved slightly forward during the surgery, however it doesn't look like "pixie" ears.  It appears that your surgeon did a nice job with the wrinkles, as the ones near your ear in the before picture are not there in the after picture.  The ear line is also very straight and beautiful.  Of course what matters is your opinion, however I would recommend that you wait at least a year to see how you feel about your result, and give it time to heal completely.Best wishes,

Philip Solomon, MD, FRCS · Answer

Your facelift incisions and earlobes  appear to be healing well post surgery.  Your left ear lobe may be slightly pulled.  Both lobes have a direct attachment to your cheek which they had preop.  In certain circumstances miner  surgery can be done to move  the ear lobe attachment superiorly.

Daniel Thomas, MD · Answer

As you mentioned, your natural earlobe attachment before surgery seems a little longer now. Overall, it is a subtle difference and since your incision lines appear to be healing very well, a revision isn't necessarily required. Allowing more time to heal is a good idea. If you are not comfortable with the final result, you can discuss a revision with your surgeon in the future. It seems more likely than not that this won't be necessary. Best regards.

Amir Nakhdjevani, MBBS, MRCS, FRCS(Plast) · Answer

Thank you for your question and pictures.  You do not have much of an earlobe to start with therefore not much of a change from pre-op to post-op pictures.  Please give the scars 6 months for everything to settle, then revision maybe feasible.  All The Best

Richard Wellington Swift, MD · Answer

Thank you for posting your photos with your interesting question. It appears that you have pixie like earlobes: however, as you noted, your earlobes were attached pre-operatively. After a few months of healing and you desire earlobes that dangle, you can have a revision, with no tension, on your earlobes. Best wishes, Richard Wellington Swift, M.D.

Ravi Dahiya, MD · Answer

I would not call these pixie ears in the true sense of the term. Usually this refers to a stretched out ear lobule after a facelift due to excessive tension (itself due to excess skin removal). In your case your ears look very similar to pre -op so they do not suggest excess tension but rather reflect your individual anatomy as there are many people who do not start with a curved ear lobule.

Babar Sultan, MD · Answer

I would allow for 6 months of complete healing and that point evaluate the result. Your ear lobes, especially the left one appears slightly pulled. Its a relatively minor in office procedure to correct this.

All the best!

All the best!

Michael E. Kelly, MD · Answer

too early to tell, give it  2-3 more months before you make any judgements or even consider revisional surgery. best of luck

Do I now have pixie ears? 6 weeks post-op facelift. (Photos)

Answers (14)

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