3.5 months post-op. How would one know if their greater auricular nerve was cut/damaged during a facelift?

Thank you for your question. Nerve recovery can be exceptionally slow and take 12+ months. The improvement you have already seen is a good sign, but only time will tell. Hope this helps!

The greater auricular nerve is vulnerable to injury during facelifts, and can be injured by being cut, cauterized, caught in a suture, or just beat up.  The various types of injury do tend to heal, with the exception of a nerve that has been completely interrupted and not repaired.  Assuming this is not the case (most of us would repair the nerve ends if they were seen to be cut during surgery) then you should see continued recovery of sensation.  The rule of thumb is that nerves regenerate at 1 mm per day, though you might see continued improvement for 12-18 months post-procedure.  Discuss any residual questions you may have with your surgeon.

Dear jelllyb,Thank you for your question. Based on your information it does seem as if your greater auricular nerve may have been affected. The fact that the numbness improving is a good sign, and you will need to monitor it over the next 8-10 months to see if the sensation returns fully and the pain goes away.Good luck,Nirmal R. Nathan, M.D.

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This nerve is certainly within the surgical field of a facelift. Your surgeon will have a good understanding if the nerve was injured during the procedure. The greater auricular nerve is commonly seen intra-op when it travels over the large muscle behind the ear (sterno-cleido-mastoid muscle). The nerve is protected by a thin fascia and it should be quite evident during the facelift procedure, if this layer has been entered inadvertently. Although your symptoms indicate a possible nerve injury, you experienced already quite a bit of improvement. This should give us hope that the process of nerve recovery will continue. 

Hi,The great auricular nerve is the most commonly injured/cut nerve during facelift surgery. You are experiencing symptoms associated with great auricular nerve injury. The most definitive way to know if the nerve was cut is surgical exploration; but that is unnecessary. In many cases, sensation returns to an acceptable level but it can take many months. I recommend close follow up with your surgeon.Best,

Hello,Based on your information you provided, it does seem as if your greater auricular nerve may have been affected and the numbness improving is a sign of it, and you will need to monitor it over the next 6-7  months to see if the sensation returns fully and the pain goes away. You need to be followed up by your surgeon.