I had a facelift a month ago. How long does it take for the hardness and sensitivity to ease around ears?

Thank you for the question. It is difficult to answer your question without examining you however it is not unusual to have swelling persist for 8-12 weeks. Massage or lymphatic drainage maybe helpful. It is best to discuss with your board certified plastic surgeon. Good luck.

Healing is a several week process. It can take 6-8 weeks for the skin around the ears to soften and the sensitivity to improve. Use warm compresses to help improve circulation, followed by gentle massage. Try vitamin E oil. Follow up with your plastic surgeon. Good luck!

Hello, what you are describing is not an out of the ordinary experience for post-op recovery from a facelift. I would speak to your board-certified surgeon on techniques you can use to help ease the process like moisturizing and massaging. There are also great, free resources available to help you understand your post-operative experience as well. Good luck!

Thank you for your question! What you are experiencing is not uncommon.  Many patients can take 3-4 months until things soften.  Be sure you are following up with your surgeon and keeping him/her informed on everything. He/she may have some suggestions on how to speed things up or assist with the healing process.  This can include Kenelog injections or massage.   Best of luck in your recovery! 

There are signs of inflammation, firmness, and other areas of healing that can persist for a few months.  You should begin to see a more rapid dissipation of swelling over the next 4-8 weeks.  Try to be patient!

It can take several weeks for swelling, firmness and/or tenderness start to resolve. I recommend following up with your surgeon about after care recommendations. Microdermabrasion can help improve firmness and scarring. Hope this helps.

Hello!
Hardness and sensitivity around the ears are common around the ears. It takes a couple of months for that to subside. However, if you are experiencing increasing discomfort, redness, or fevers you should contact your surgeon. it is always best to communicate your concerns to your plastic surgeon. Good luck with your recovery. 
Dr. Lee

Hi and thank you so much for your question. I am sorry to hear that you are still in pain following your facelift procedure. I would like to reassure you that some discomfort is normal; however, I urge you to see your surgeon if you are experiencing any symptoms of infection, such as increasing pain, emanating heat, redness or fever. Wishing you all the best!

Thank you for your question.  It is very normal to have tightness and numbness in the face after a Facelift.  These symptoms can continue up to a year.  We always tell our patients not to expect their full result for 6 months to a year after surgery.  We recommend drinking plenty of water and stay away from a high sodium diet...i.e. salt

Recovery after facelift is dependent on many factors including the extent of the facelift, type of facelift, level of anesthesia, and ease of bruising/swelling.  More extensive surgery means more swelling, sensitivity, and bruising.  Most patients are feeling good and looking good to be comfortable in public about 2 weeks after surgery.  The majority of swelling and bruising will be gone at 2 weeks although it is common for some swelling to linger around for a few more weeks up to a few months.  This is usually minimal and depends on the technique used.  The sensitivity around the ears can be longer lasting.  The stiffness and numbness should be getting slightly better at the 1 month mark but may last for months (although slowly improving).  When the surgeon lifts the skin behind the ear and around the ear, the instruments are working right on top of an important sensory nerve to the ear area.  This can irritate the nerve and cause sensitivity/numbness.  As the nerve heals, as the inflammation goes down, as the swelling goes down - the sensitivity gets better.I would keep close follow up with your surgeon and follow any instructions.  If you have changes or concerns, I would reach out to his/her office.