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.