What could have caused my facelift scars to move to my face and ear? 9 months post op (photo)

The photos show hypopigmented hypertrophic scars. This is usually associated with too much tension placed on the skin incisions, infection, or some other complication. Sometime a scar revision is possible, and sometimes the facelift has to be revised to address these issues.

You should wait at least one year after surgery, for scars to mature and skin to relax; revision by means of scar excision, placement behind tragus, stabilization of earlobe, would be next logical step. In person, second opinion consult with a plastic surgeon with known expertise in face lifts, is recommended. Good luck.

Based on your photo, I think the most likely explanation for the scar visibility and shifting forward onto your face is too much tension on the healing wounds. In other words, when your cheek and neck skin was lifted and moved back toward the incisions around your ear, and extra skin was removed, the skin might have been moved too far in an effort to tighten your face and neck as much as possible. This would create too much tension on the healing wounds, resulting in stretching/widening of the scars and migration onto the facial surface where they are more visible. After a several months and normal post op stretching, you could have the old scars removed and the wounds restitched into a less visible position.

It appears that you have lost pigmentation in the area of the incisions, which is making the scar more noticeable. Based on the photograph, it appears that the skin of your face and neck has significant sun damage, which is in contrast to the area that has lost pigmentation. You should confer with a surgeon who would consider doing a minor scar revision to make it less apparent.

There was excess tension on the skin placed during surgery. The skin is elastic and pulled down over time. It is difficult to know if problems with fluid contributed. The deeper layers (SMAS) need to be supported and lifted sufficiently that there is minimal tension on the skin. This will require a revisional procedure but is correctible.

Scars can widen naturally for a variety of reasons. Once of the most common reasons is tension on the scar. With any facelift, the goal is to place tension on the skin to tighten the face. This could cause the scars to widen over time, especially in skin that has lost some elasticity (which is typical in patients requiring a facelift). A small scar revision procedure should accomplish this which could possibly be done under local anesthesia or in the operating room. This should improve the appearance of the scars.

Hello @ravensgirl05, thank you for your question. In terms of how the scar will develop, there is no guarantee. The shape of the scar depends on specialist expertise and technique to obtain the best aesthetic result. The shape of the scar is not the only factor that determines the healing process. Scar healing depends on the postoperative care, genetics, and daily movements of the patient. For more information and recommendations, it is prudent to consult with one or several board certified plastic surgeons. Best wishes! Alan Gonzalez MD, FACS. American Society of Plastic Surgery Member (ASPS), International Federation for Adipose Therapeutics and Science” Member (IFATS), Colombian Society of Plastic Surgery member (SCCP)

I’m not sure the fluid accumulation had anything to do with your scar displacement. It’s a simple fix that can be done under local anesthesia

Thank you for your question. I am sorry you are having issues after your procedure. I am not sure why the scars are the way the are but in my experience too much tension on the skin will cause drift of the scars. You should consult with your board certified plastic surgeon to get more information.

Hi there! Sorry that you're experiencing trouble with your facelift incisions. This can be for a number of different reasons. Some of the most common are excessive tension on the wound at closure and improper placement of the incision. If the incisions opened after the procedure, this can lead to poor healing as well. Options at this time are CO2 laser resurfacing and IPL for any discoloration. Sometimes, the scars can be re-excised and attempts made to camouflage them better. But, I would wait past 12 months in order to make sure full healing has occurred. Hope this is useful to you!