Excessive Swelling And Pulling Down Around Earlobes After Facelift

How the ear lobes are handled in a facelift are one of the most often overlooked or mis-managed nuances of this type of surgery.  It is a seemingly minor maneuver during the surgery.  But it can tell the whole story:  "I had a facelift!"  On the up side, we do ear lobe revisions all the time to correct this defect.  So you don't have to live this way or have an entire facelift revision to reverse the "attached" ear lobe look.

The #healing process in general can take up to one month for the majority of swelling to subside, incisions to close, sutures to come out, and for bruising to completely go away. #Recovery time from a #facelift varies from person to person, but patients can generally expect to be presentable within three weeks from surgery. Patients should expect swelling, bruising, and discoloration of the skin during this phase of recovery (swelling normally goes down after 48 hours; most bruising will go away within two weeks). Some degree of firmness or #lumpiness under the skin is normal after surgery and will resolve with time. Local #massage will speed resolution of this problem, which normally takes 2-4 months to disappear completely.The marks from a facelift can easily hidden with “camouflage” make-up which you can learn how to apply.The scars from a facelift mature within six to twelve months from the surgery date. It is during this time that the rejuvenating effects of the facelift will become apparent and the real result will be seen. If you have certain concerns about the procedures and #healing process, it is recommended to call your board-certified surgeon or their medical staff and discuss those #concerns.

Generally speaking, it can take 6 to 12 months to completely heal after a facelift procedure. I would strongly recommend speaking with your surgeon or his/her clinical team to discuss your concerns further.

It is very difficult to answer your question without seeing your pictures or examining you - truly excessive swelling after a lift is something you should see your surgeon for.

Three weeks after a Facelift, some degree of swelling is expected and is totally normal.  However, if too much tension was placed on the skin at the point of earlobe inset, an undesirable phenomenon known as a "pixie" ear can occur.  It is best to discuss your concerns with your Surgeon.  Unfortunately, if a "pixie" ear deformity has occurred, it cannot be corrected without further surgery.

Since it has only been three weeks since your surgery, some of the effect may be related to post-op swelling.  Time will tell.  

If there is too much tension on the earlobes when they are inset during the tailoring phase of your facelift, a pulling effect can result long-term.  This is known in the trade as a "pixie ear".  This may require a surgical revision.  Speak with your surgeon about your concern.

 

All the best,

Pulled earlobes are an unfortunate complication of facelift surgery and often have nothing to do with the surgeon, but rather are due to the consequences of the healing process. I would discuss your concerns with your surgeon, massage the earlobes upward, and consider a minor surgical revision if the earlobes don't normalize over the next several months.

Andrew C. Campbell, M.D.

Board Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon
 

What you are describing appears to be a "Pixie Ear" deformity which is regularly seen after excess tension is placed on the earlobe during closure of facelift incisions.  During closure of a facelift, much attention is placed on the final conformation of the earlobe in order to prevent this abnormality.  Care should be taken to prevent excess skin tension from the facelift flap on the lobe.  You are currently early on in your recovery, and it is possible this may subside with resolution of your residual swelling and softening of the tissues.  If this does not resolve, revision procedures can be done to "reset" the position of the lobe.  Good Luck, Dr. Corrado.

The condition of your earlobes is known as "Pixie ears". Unfortunately, I would expect this not to improve over time. Rather, this may become worse as the skin along the jawline settles.

Pixie ears are difficult to correct early after facelift surgery as they result from lack of facial skin in this area and usually rquire a secondary lift.

The Satyr or Pixie ear occurs when the ear is attached to the taut cheek skin at the conclusion of the face lift. As the overcorrected cheek relaxes and then retracts, it pulls the ear lobe and creates a tethered look. If it does not subside, it may require a V-y advancement to release and advance the ear to a more natural position.