Face Lift 8 Weeks. Is This Lumpiness and Ridge Normal? (photo)

When undergoing a facelift, it's important to remember that bruising, swelling, and redness are all normal symptoms to experience in the first several months as you continue to heal. That being said, lumpiness can sometimes be resolved by gentle massaging depending on the cause. Other causes of lumpiness include infection or drainage. I'd recommend that you seek medical attention right away to ensure that you're healing correctly.

Thank you for your question. It is normal to have swelling, bruising, and lumpiness after your face lift surgery, this will go down within 2-3 months as you are still in the healing stage. I would still advise you to follow up with your surgeon.

A certain degree of lumpiness or ridges is unremarkable after neck lift or facelift surgery. Most of this irregularity will smooth and soften overtime as the swelling resolves. Small fluid collections can be present for weeks or months. Facial or neck massage helps some patients to reduce the lumpiness by improving lymphatic drainage, but only after consulting your plastic surgeon. Diet also play a role, so limit excess salt and processed foods. Only after a comprehensive evaluation can a plastic surgeon help determine appropriate options for you. Speak with your plastic surgeon. Best of luck. 

Dr. Chaboki

Thank you for the question and your picture. Though the initial healing phase, when all the incisions close and the bruising goes away after a facelift, is typically a couple weeks, some changes will take months. Subtle changes in contour, texture, and shape are common over the first year. With carefully directed massage, and sometimes small injections of a steroid, this is pretty easy to mange in my practice. It is also true that there are many definitions and techniques that fall under the umbrella of "facelift", and only your surgeon will know exactly what is happening. Please stay in close touch with your provider. Best of luck!

Typically lumpiness is not expected after the surgery but these areas may occur and usually take time to resolve. Tissue massage can be helpful.

 

Dr. ES

Some temporary contour imperfections are common in the early stages after facelift. By 6 weeks, they are usually close to gone. In rare situations, it takes a little longer.

After confirming with your surgeon, I would recommend gentle massage and watchful waiting. You should appreciate progress over the next week.

Although some contour irregularities exist after a facelift for several weeks almost always this is resolved by eight weeks. The persistence is probably due to small unrecognized hematoma. This will resolve with further observation.

     Your plastic surgeon would certainly be the best person to answer this as facelift redraping can be vastly different as can the methods of securing flaps, plicating tissue, etc.  Usually the lumpiness can be expected to improve with time.  Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

Hey @Boston1799, I'm sorry you're having an issue after your facelift. The modern facelift technique that many of us use relies on resuspension and tightening of deeper structures to improve your facial appearance and this avoid creating a tight skin-pulled, unnatural look. 
Sometimes, this can lead to contour irregularities, but these are usually addressed in the operating room at the time of the original surgery. If not, injection of a small amount of filler, or fat can smoothen and blend this transition. 
Talk to your plastic surgeon! I'm sure he wont give-up till you're satisfied.

At 2 months following a facelift, most of the swelling will have resolved.  Significant lumps or contour irregularities at this time are likely secondary to deep tissue folding or overlap.  Various options are available to improve the result such as selective steroid injection, micro-liposuction, dermal fillers or micro-fat grafting.  Of course, revision surgery is also possible.

Mario J. Imola, MD, DDS, FRCSC, FACS.