Post FL - face feeling "hard" or "stiff". What causes this?

There are often some areas that feel firm for a while after a faceluft.  This is particularly true for the area under the chin.  It takes several weeks for these areas to soften.  However, you should also make sure that you bring such concerned to the attention of your surgeon to make sure there are no problems.

First of all, you need to be examined by your plastic surgeon to rule out any hematoma. If that is ruled out, then mild swelling and firmness in the face after a facelift are normal. The "hardness" is typically a result of scar tissue which develops under the skin. This feels firm and tight, but over the next 6 - 8 weeks completely softens. Numbness may last several weeks or even months. That is normal.

There could be several causes of face feeling hard after surgery including the normal postoperative healing process, small blood collections that are being cleared up by the circulatory system, and/or sutures deep to the skin. Depending on the timing, warm compresses and massaging may help soften and resolve these issues faster. Please check with your plastic surgeon to make sure that no other major issue is at hand.

Swelling after a facelift can persist for several weeks and feel like hardness.  This will resolve with time, which can take weeks or months.  Scars can also create a feeling of hardness but this would be a less common cause and would be suspected if the hardness is present many months after your facelift

There are several reasons for this and all are normal.Day 1-7 inflammation in the skin flap from surgical trauma, and a tightened SMAS layerDay 1-20 inflammation and bruising and lymphaticsDay 1- 18 months Under flap Scarringby 4 weeks all should be settled. It can take up to 12 weeks and very rarely a little longer for lumps and bumps to even out. 

One should expect to feel swollen and tight for several weeks after a facelift.The tissues below the skin will have a hard feeling as they go through the healing process-and all of this is normal. Over the first few months, however, this will gradually dissipate as the tissues return to normal. Your surgeon may have you massage an area if it becomes thickened or overly firm. Rarely a steroid injection will be used to soften an overly thick area. It is important to have close follow up with your surgeon to confirm things are progressing as expected and no intervention is required. That said, expect firmness and know that it is part of the normal healing process.

Swelling naturally causes the tissues to be somewhat firm for a few days after facelift. If there is a party area it should be examined by your plastic surgeon however.

It's difficult to say in your particular situation why you have "hardness" of the face. That only initially at facelift surgery and during the healing process you do have firmness and stiffness of the tissues due to swelling. As the swelling resolve the tissues regain their's suppleness and feel more natural.  If there still firmness 6 months 

For a while after a facelift you will have some swelling.  This will make the face feel harder.  Also the nerves will be affected and the face will feel numb.  This will also make the face feel harder.  It will eventually feel normal again.   

There is a lot of swelling that occurs after face lifting surgery.  Some of it you can see and some is deep. This is what causes the stiffening.  It will soften up after several weeks.  By three months it should be much softer. There's also significant pull from the facelift itself which can firm up the face for a short time.