Can I safely have a facelift following parotid tumour removal?

Question

I had a benign tumour removed from my paratoid gland 18 months ago, I had temporary paralysis on that side of my face but it recovered after 3 months. Can I have a face and neck lift without damaging the nerves and causing paralysis to return?

Stephen Prendiville, MD · Answer

I am sorry to hear about the issues that you had after your surgery. In a nutshell, the answer is that you can have a facelift after parotid tumor removal.  Obviously, your Surgeon needs to be aware of this and make his/her surgical plan accordingly.  I have encountered this scenario a number of times in my career and as long as appropriate caution is utilized, there should be no issues.

Jill Hessler, MD · Answer

It is definitely possible to have facelift surgery after parotid surgery. I have performed facelifts on patients years after having partial removal of tumors or portions of their parotid gland. It is very important you see a facial plastic surgeon that has performed parotid surgery and is familiar with the anatomy. Nerve damage should be unlikely, but given that you had previous weakness/paralysis of the nerve after surgery you are at increased risk for having temporary weakness again after facelift surgery. Make sure to let your surgeon know this history and she can council you on the risks.

Jacob Tower, MD · Answer

Hello, hope you are well. Thanks for posting your questions. Whether a facelift can be done safely depends on the parotidectomy surgery that took place before it. In most cases, the answer will be 'yes,' but tumor characteristics and reconstruction that may or may not have taken place at the time of the prior surgery may increase the risk of facial nerve injury with a facelift.

Best,
Dr. Tower

Best,
Dr. Tower

Daniel A. Barker, MD · Answer

This is not a common procedure and the facial nerve will be more superficial because the superficial parotid has been removed. Sometimes even just the other side will be done as the operated side is already lifted somewhat from the parotidectomy. Your best bet is to find a surgeon comfortable with facial plastics and who feels comfortable with what essentially would be a revision facelift on that side.

Safa Manav, MD, FEBOPRAS · Answer

Yes, you can generally have a facelift after parotid tumor removal, but it's crucial to proceed with caution. Given your history of temporary facial paralysis, it’s essential to choose a highly experienced surgeon familiar with post-surgical anatomy and nerve preservation. Inform your surgeon about your previous surgery and nerve issues to ensure they take appropriate measures to avoid damaging the nerves and prevent any recurrence of paralysis. A thorough pre-operative evaluation and careful surgical planning will help minimize risks.

Zoran Potparic, MD · Answer

Yes, you can have a face lift after parotid surgery. You should discuss this issue with a board certified plastic surgeon with expertise in face and neck lifts. Good luck.

Ronald J. Edelson, MD · Answer

There is increased risk of nerve injury since after parotidectomy the nerves will be more superficial. In this case I would do very conservative skin lifting in from of your ear on that side

Jeffrey H. Spiegel, MD · Answer

You'll want to see a very experienced facial plastic surgeon. Many of us trained doing parotid surgeries so are quite familiar with these conditions.

Connie Hiers, MD, FACS · Answer

Since the facial nerve runs through the parotid gland and your surgeon will stay in the area superficial to your gland site, technically you should be OK. However, you are at some increased risk since scar tissue has formed where the gland was removed and anatomy has shifted a little.

William Portuese, MD · Answer

In our practice, we have done several facelifts after patients have had a  benign parotid tumor removal. We've also fixed gustatory sweating/ frey syndrome, and done so safely without any facial nerve paralysis. Choose your facelift surgeon very wisely based on experience for best results.