Incision Under Chin Not Healing After Necklift?

Question

I had a lower face/necklift 5 weeks ago. There has been a lot of swelling, thickness and lumpiness in the area under my chin and jaw in general which I understand can be normal. However the incision under my chin has not healed. Recently when I massage or put firm pressure under my chin (as instructed), fluid drains from the incision. All other incisions have healed nicely. Should I continue massage? There is no obvious sign of infection.

Farhan Taghizadeh, MD · Answer

Delayed seroma drainage can occur up to 6-8 weeks after a facelift, and areas where seromas lie can often feel lumpy. While the body may resorb most of this fluid, it can also  be compressed or needled out. The issue that often arises however is a more prolonged recovery process.While massage can help, in our office we deal with these issues using therapuetic ultrasound, similar to what physicial therapists use. In our practice we use the Mettler Sonicator 740 series. Again many physician herapists have devices like this. I usually treat in the 10-15 watt range for 5-7 minutes over the area of concern. I have found significant improvement in healing times doing these treatments routinely after our facelifts.

	 

	Besides following up with your surgeon to address your concerns, I sould suggest finding a physical therapist practice to have them do some ultrasound treatments for you. Good luck!

Jed H. Horowitz, MD, FACS · Answer

Throughout the #facelift #healing process you should be seen frequently by your doctor and one of their registered nurses to ensure you are following instructions properly and your recovery is going well. 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). 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.

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

Drainage from the chin and a nonhealing wound after 5 weeks after massage suggests seroma and should be evaluated by the plastic surgeon

Nima Shemirani, MD · Answer

Dear CPAmom,

	
		Hopefully it should be resolved by now, what did it end up being?
	
		It sounded like a seroma, unless the fluid looked milky and smelled funny


	Best regards,

	Nima Shemirani

Jacque P. LeBeau, MD · Answer

I would recommend you be seen by the physician who performed your surgery to obtain an evaluation of the non healing wound.  He/she will be best able to evaluate why there has not been appropriate progress with your healing and will be able to make the necessary recommendations to resolve the issue.

	Hope this was helpful.

	Best Regards,

	Jacque P. LeBeau, MD
	LeBeau Clinic

Incision Under Chin Not Healing After Necklift?

Answers (8)