Is it abnormal that I’m still feeling tight in my neck and ears?

Question

I look great six months after my neck/Lower facelift, very natural, etc. in fact, the results looked great pretty quickly. However, I’m still feeling tight in my neck and ears. Is it abnormal? I have (only very occasionally) had that “strangling feeling” in my neck. However, that’s uncommon, and again, the results look so good many people I don’t even know want to go to this doctor!

Joel B. Beck, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question!  Every surgeon performs facelifts and necklifts differently to some extent.  Patients will also respond differently to their surgery  as well.  So when you ask about if it's abnormal to feel tightness in the neck and ears, normally I would you may feel the tightness, but that it should resolve at some point.  Some people seem to have more inflammation after surgery and that may contribute to your symptoms.  I would go back to your surgeon and ask them this question and if there is anything they can assist you with.  If you have scarring that may be loosened with the use of an injectable steroid, this can help the symptoms.  I hope this helps!!

Timothy M. Greco, MD, FACS · Answer

No, this is not abnormal and may take up to a year to resolve. It occurs from numbness created after a lift as the sensation returnes. This is also a sign of healing as normal repaired neck tissue occurs.

Dean P. Kane, MD, FACS · Answer

Dear nuav, 
Congratulations with your successful facelift. The healing process is commonly described as a 1 year or more process as collagen (scar) matures, settles and softens. The loss of sensation can also contribute to this feeling and in most cases returns as well. Please re-consult with your Surgeon to evaluate your progress and provide any tips along your journey. All the best.

Jonathan R. Freed, MD · Answer

It can be common to have a tight feeling after lower facelift. Sometimes a small amount of scar will form causing this feeling. The most common place for this is under your chin/neck area. If this happens, we can inject a small amount of steroids to loosen the scar without loosening the skin and relieve that feeling. We can also teach you how to massage to break up scar tissue formation. Even if you did nothing, this feeling usually resolves without any intervention with time.

Is it abnormal that I’m still feeling tight in my neck and ears?

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