Hearing decrease and Ringing in left Ear after neck lift. What went wrong?

Thank you for your question.It is very rare to have permanent damage to hearing after a facelift and necklift, even with general anesthesia.That being said, a small amount of blood can sometimes drip into the ear canal and give you the feeling of 'blocked' ear for a few weeks post surgery (as when going up in altitude or deep into the ocean).  It usually subsides over a few weeks with full recovery.  Most of us do put little sterile earplugs during the surgery to minimize this incident.Now the fact you can restore your hearing with some breathing manoeuvers is encouraging.I would consult with an ENT for a full hearing examination (audiogram) as to rule out other causes.Best of luck,Best regards,Dr. Marc DuPéré, Toronto aesthetic plastic surgeon and facialist.

Thank you for the question. If your hearing is noticeably different on one side, you need a hearing test (audiogram). There are reports of hearing loss after anesthesia and it would be better to know for sure.

At this point, and in view of the normal exam from an ENT specialist, it is unlikely that the facelift had anything to do with your hearing loss.  Ringning and hearling loss can occur right after a lift due to occlusion of the ear canal by wax and blood.  In this case, the problem is solved by cleaning the ear canal.  You do not have this condition based upon your ENT examination.  I would suggest an audiogram and follow up with your ENT.  I believe that this is coincidental; however, it should be investigated.  One sided hearing loss has many etiologies which could be serious.