I am 13 weeks post facelift. I have swollen areas in front of both my ears that extends below ear? (Photo)

Thank you for a great question and for sharing your experience and photos.  Typically swelling would be improving at this stage, but every patient is different and sometimes it lasts much longer than anticipated.   Try to be patient and follow up with your surgeon closely.  I hope you find this helpful. Best wishes!Consult with a Board Certified Fellowship Trained Facial Plastic Surgery Specialist."This answer has been solicited without seeing this patient and cannot be held as true medical advice, but only opinion. Seek in-person treatment with a trained medical professional for appropriate care."

Hello, Thank you for your question. It is common to experience swelling. Swelling is typically resolved at 6 months; however, may take up to 12 months.Should your swelling persist longer than 6 months, I'd recommend booking a follow-up appointment with your Board Certified Plastic Surgeon to discuss your concerns. Take care. 

Without preoperative photographs it's impossible to tell the magnitude of your swelling. Certainly a hematoma will exacerbate and prolonged swelling. Some patients seem to hang onto swelling more than others. This is common in patients that have rosacea. It's fortune however that swelling will eventually resolve although I understand your impatience with your own situation.

 From your photographs there appears to be significantly more swelling in the right aspect of your face then the left. If there was no response at all to the steroid dose pack, then persistent swelling may not be the underlying issue. It would be unusual for there to be a delayed hematoma this long after your initial procedure.  It is possible that there could be damage to the underlying parotid gland. Ultrasound could help evaluate this area.  Conservative treatments such as lymphatic massage, head elevation, and anti-inflammatories may help and have very few downsides. I would follow up closely with your plastic surgeon 

If your at 3 months post op I would consider a salivary cyst originating in the underlying parotid salivary gland.   This would require surgical management. Consider with your plastic surgeon.

Some patients will remain swollen for several months after a facelift.  You have a full face, and patients with this type of anatomy will often swell more than someone who has a very thin face with little to no fat.  I tell lmy patients to use warm compresses and take some ibuprofen for inflammation.  But check with  your surgeon.      

Sometimes swelling can persist for up to 3 months after a facelift even though the rest od the recovery seems to be moving along quickly in terms of pain relief.  There may be some sensitivity to suture material which can persist for a few months or longer depending on the type of suture used.  Consistent follow up with your surgeon is important to monitor the area and check on the progress.  Usually these things get better with time so I would expect in a few months things will improve significantly

 areas of swelling 3 months after a face lift are very common in my patients. Be sure to discuss with your own surgeon about how this applies to you, and whether they have any special concerns in your case.

The recovery will depend in part:on what type of #facelift, #necklift, you are having. additional procedurestype of anaesthesiaagetendency toward bruisingYou should expect to see some improvement in swelling over time. The other thing to consider is managing your fluids and avoiding salt in your diet to help minimize your fluid retention. It can take up to 6 months to see resolution in swelling. 

Thank you for your photo and question. Swelling can unfortunately sometimes be more intense and last longer than either patient or surgeon likes. It is difficult to determine exactly what is going on with out a physical examination. In general, all swelling gets better with time, and things like steroid packs, cold compresses, compression, and head elevation all help. I would continue to follow up with your surgeon for monitoring. Best wishes.