Can seroma be avoided after face and neck lift surgery?

Seromas can occur after a facelift or neck surgery, but don't very often.  One of the most common times to see a seroma is if you have had a hematoma - even a small one.  Once the hematoma is evacuated, it is not uncommon to have a seroma form.  It will then need to be drained, or a "seroma drain" can be put under the skin and used for a few days.  It is rare that there are any issues once the seroma is gone.   

Thank you for your question.  Seroma is a risk of surgery, but rarely occurs.  If this does happen you will just need this fluid drained.  It will need a close eye of this as may need draining serval times.   A Seroma should not be negative on your results.  All The Best 

Seromas are rare in facelift surgery.  Sometimes if they occur they may be related to a parotid fistula.  The use of serial aspirations usually resolves them.  Rarely drains may be needed if they do not resolve.   

Many thanks for posting this interesting question.A seroma refers to the build up of a collection of wound fluid at the site of surgery (similar to the fluid in a blister). It is possible that this can occur after any operation, including facelifts.As a rule, the more extensive the facelift, and the more extensive the skin elevation, the higher the chance of a seroma (which is still a low chance overall). If surgical drains are used, any fluid comes out of them, but a seroma can still occur in some people after drain removal.If a seroma occurs, it is usually simple to deal with in the office, with a short painless needle aspiration (sucking out of the fluid). This might need to be done on more than one occasion.In terms of reducing the risks, in my view, the less you do, the better in the first few days after surgery. If you overdo it, then you might increase the risks of seroma development.I hope this answers your question.

The  rate of hematoma/seroma  reported it the literature is relatively low for facelift and neck lift surgery. That being said it depends on the degree of hematoma/ seroma and the  accuracy of reporting data.   In full face and neck lift surgery some degree of hematoma and serum is often expected after surgery.  These common but  miner collections of blood or fluid can be dealt with by placing suction drains or reduced by use of tissue glue.  I typically use tissue glue in all facelifts to reduce dead space and fluid collection.   Small collections of fluid are often aspirated or expressed through small openings in the hair line incision behind the ear. 

A seroma is not very common after facelift surgery. When it does occur, it can take a few weeks to resolve, and there are different treatment options available from persistent drainage, to compression to application of botox to the area to decrease the production of the fluid.

In the hands of an experienced face lift surgeon hematoma/seroma happens in a range of 0.5-1.5 % based on published data. Placement of suction drain in neck for 24-48 h, good pre and postoperative control of blood pressure, postoperative activity and diet control will all contribute to decrease incidence of fluid collection in the face/neck after surgery. You should discuss this topic with your surgeon and correlate to his/her own experience. Good luck.

Seroma can happen after any surgery, though is not common after a facelift. More often, though still uncommon, is a hematoma, or collection of blood rather than serous fluid. Many surgeons use a temporary drain after surgery, though the drain alone does not prevent a seroma or hematoma. If a seroma is suspected, the next step is needle evacuation of the fluid, followed by gentle compression of the area.

Seroma is truly rare after facelift, and is likely dependent on the technique used. In my own practice, we use a generous amount of local anesthetic solution with adrenaline which allows for a more rapid surgery with truly minimal bleeding, resulting in minimal swelling or bruising. I have never seen a post-operative seroma in a facelift in my own practice in nearly thirty years of performing this procedure. Do your research. Please consult with an experienced board eligible or board certified plastic surgeon. Best of luck to you. 

Seromas are uncommon after facelift, but can occur for a number of reasons.  Obviously, meticulous hemostasis during surgery is a good start to minimize chances, but will not guarantee prevention.  Patient factors such as poorly controlled blood pressure and failure to minimize bending over, activity restrictions etc. definitely increase the possibility of seroma formation. Lastly, seromas can occur even with meticulous technique and patient compliance, falling into the "just because" category.  When seromas occur, they are best dealt with by placing a small drain for 72-96 hours with vacuum suction, because of the tendency to recollect with serial aspiration.  An even less common form of fluid collection is a salivary gland leak.  In addition to a small drain, the involved salivary gland is best addressed with Botox injections to minimize salivary flow. Make sure that you see an experienced Facial Plastic Surgeon who performs a lot of facelifts