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

Thank you for your question. I understand that it’s been about 13 weeks since your face lifting surgery, and you’re experiencing some persistent swelling, as well as difficulty chewing, and a pronounced roundness of your face which you did not have before. You also state that you just completed a Medrol dose pack, which is an anti-inflammatory in the steroid family, to reduce some swelling.As a little background, I'm a Board-certified cosmetic surgeon and Fellowship-trained oculofacial plastic surgeon, practicing in Manhattan and Long Island for over 20 years. Facelifts and neck lifts are a big part of what I do in my practice, so I can certainly give you some advice based on my experiences.When you talk about surgery, you have to consider the level of surgery and the amount of swelling that is appropriate for a certain level of surgery. When I was still training in facial plastic surgery, it was typical to keep patients overnight after surgery, and place multiple drains. It was also common for them to be swollen for up to a month after surgery.Now, we developed a very good track record of helping people recover better and faster. We no longer use drains and are able to send patients home after the surgery — and it’s all due to performing exactly the same type of surgery but with a different approach.In your case, in the absence of a physical examination, I wonder if there is a natural thickness of your skin, and if you have any history of rosacea, as this type of skin has a tendency towards redness and inflammation. People with these conditions also tend to swell a bit longer.Good post-surgery healing is all about proper management. Some of the things we’re usually concerned about immediately after surgery is hematoma, which doesn’t seem likely based on your photos. The other thing is seroma, wherein serosanguineous fluid, a straw-colored fluid, collects in this space and requires draining in order to allow the skin to heal. These are among the possibilities, but due to the absence of a proper physical exam, I can’t say these would be likely the cause. It’s possible that you're just having a bit of prolonged swelling.The bottom line is that a competent and experienced surgeon will know the basics of management of prolonged swelling after face lifting surgery, and if you initially trusted your surgeon and his skills to perform your facelift, there’s no reason you shouldn’t trust him with giving you proper post-surgery aftercare. At 13 weeks, depending on the type of surgery and the anesthesia used, as well as other factors, this may not be that unusual a situation for your surgeon.Ultimately, I think you should meet with your surgeon and ask whether there’s a possibility that you’re experiencing seroma or something called sialocele, which refers to trauma to the parotid gland — the gland that produces saliva — and causes saliva to collect in the cheek. If your surgeon says no, then it is likely they are correct because they know your face, they were there for your surgery, and they have been there for your follow up. If for any reason you don’t feel comfortable with your surgeon, or that they turn out not to be so connected to you, then of course you will need to see other doctors to clarify this. Hopefully the information I provided you was helpful and I wish you the best of luck!This personalized video answer to your question is posted on RealSelf and on YouTube. To provide you with a personal and expert response, we use the image(s) you submitted on RealSelf in the video, but with respect to your privacy, we only show the body feature in question so you are not personally identifiable. If you prefer not to have your video question visible on YouTube, please contact us.

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.