Why Are my Ears So Itchy After Facelift?

       Itching after facelift usually indicates nerve regeneration or healing, but you should always follow up with your surgeon who knows you best and has the benefit of an exam.                                                                                                                             Kenneth Hughes, MD                                                                                                                                       Los Angeles, CA

Typically as the sensory nerves regenerate in a particular area, pruritus which is the medical term for itching occurs. This is a normal response and can take up to a year to resolve. That being said sometimes dry skin can also be the cause and a moisturizer may help.

It takes time for recovery.  As the nerve regrow, the sensation recovers.  The sensation can be that of an itchiness or sometimes pins and needles.  Generally these sensations resolve.

If you mean the area of the incisions, this is a common symptom after the lift as the skin flaps undergo sensory reinnervation.  If your symptoms itchiness are in the ear itself, it could be related to contact dermatitis from the garments used postop.  If you are having numbness coupled with paresthesias (feeling of ants crawling), it may be related to dennervation secondary to greater auricular nerve or superficial temporal nerve injury.  This may take more time to resolve. Best wishes, Dr. T

The sensation of itchiness that you describe is not uncommon after a facelift. It is a result of regrowth of the small sensory nerves to the skin of the face that are transected when a facelift flap is elevated.

In most cases, this sensation of itchiness gradually abates with the passage of time. The most important thing is to be patient, as it may take many months for these symptoms to completely resolve.  In some cases, neurontin (gabapentin) may diminish your symptoms. It is a GABA analogue that can be effective  in relieving neuropathic pain.  However, the good news is that you will, most likely, get better. 

It is completely normal to have itching after surgery.  There is a healing period that can last for up to 3 months.  The itching may be from nerves that are repairing from the trauma.  Also, there are dissolvable stitches that have been placed under the skin and they will go through a "breaking down" process as well.

Dear Kelly,

Thank you for your post.  As your nerves heal, this causes an 'itchy' sensation.  This is quite common and goes away with time.

best wishes,

Pablo Prichard, MD

  It is likely that this means only that your nerves are regenerating normally after your recent surgery.  of course, it is always best to check with your doctor to make sjure that you are healing normally.

Itching is a normal response after any surgery.  It is caused by a release of histamine from mast cells.  This release triggers the body's healing response. Usually this response decreases by 2 months post op.  You can try to take a Benadryl at bed time to decrease the itching. 

All the patients who have facelift surgery will have some numbness and itcing issues for a while after your procedure.The tiny nerves that regenerate cause these symptoms. It is actually a good sign. Most of these probles go away after 3-4 months. All the best.