Facelift scars; how long does it take scars near ears to go away?
how long does it take scars near ears to go away ?
Doctor Answers 22
Scars never go away. They “mature” over time which means that they will lighten and soften over time. The scars in front of the ears usually are hardly visible by 6 months…and maybe even sooner! The scars behind the ears may take a little longer. It is important to stay away from sun exposure, not to smoke, and using scar therapy creams in order to provide the best environment for wound healing. If the procedure is performed correctly and there is minimal tension on the skin, the incisions should be hardly visible in a few months.
Learn more: http://www.drcutolo.com/plastic-surgery/face-lift.cfm
Thank you for your question. I understand you’d like to know how long it takes facelift-related scars near the ears to go away.
I can certainly help you with this concern. To give you a little information about myself — I’m a Board-certified cosmetic surgeon and a Fellowship-trained oculofacial plastic and reconstructive surgeon, practicing in Manhattan and Long Island for over 20 years. Performing facelifts makes up a large part of my practice and I have a lot of experience in helping patients heal in the best and quickest way.
It is important to understand that scars or incisions do not truly and completely go away. Doctors make incisions in such a way to maximize its camouflage, but ultimately, some type of scar will remain. There is also a difference in perspective when it comes to scars - for a patient, a scar is an undesirable thing; whereas for doctors, a scar is simply an area where healing occurred, which we usually refer to as an incision line and not necessarily a scar.
In our practice, what I aim to do is to place the incisional line in the natural creases of the ear, and then decide whether there is a benefit in going inside the opening of the ear, or to use a natural crease that is in front of the ear. It is important to keep in mind that the technical aspects of facelifting all contribute to the outcome of the incision line, so we try to make sure that we minimize the tension on the incision line. Most of the time, people who come to my practice for scar rehabilitation have incision lines that have widened or stretched out due to tension. I try to avoid this situation by performing the other elements of the procedure in a way that exerts very minimal tension on the incision line.
To facilitate improved and faster wound-healing, I also use platelet-rich plasma, which is a concentration derived from your own blood, and Acellular matrix. Essentially, I try to do as much as possible to avoid the risk of problematic scarring such as wide scars or thickened, hypertrophic scars. I also try to optimize the healing process so the resulting incision line blends very well with the surrounding skin. I always tell my patients that I perform the procedure in such a way that if a woman wants to pull her hair back, it won’t be a problem because the scarring is not obvious. For those who need scar revision, I’ll sometimes use laser to try blending the scars.
I think it is very important that the surgeon also follows up with the patient after surgery, and sees them through the healing process to manage any undesirable healing as soon as it manifests. When we take the stitches out after about a week, they can usually go back to work. I usually tell my female patients to wear their hair down for a bit, and I’ll tell my male patients to grow out their beard for the meantime, just to mask the area that is healing; so in a couple of weeks, they can shave their beard and pull back their hair without having anyone notice that they had some work and healing going on in that area. There is some individualized and customized strategy there.
When it comes to wound healing, incision lines will continue to heal over the course of a year, so it will look quite good in about 3-6 months, and will continue to blend and fade over the course of a year. There are, of course, some variables to take into consideration, such as ethnicity, skin type, sun damage, the quality of the skin, sun exposure, environmental issues, tissue elasticity and the like, but this is where the art of facelifting and strategizing a customized approach comes in.
I hope that was helpful and I wish you the best of luck!
I can certainly help you with this concern. To give you a little information about myself — I’m a Board-certified cosmetic surgeon and a Fellowship-trained oculofacial plastic and reconstructive surgeon, practicing in Manhattan and Long Island for over 20 years. Performing facelifts makes up a large part of my practice and I have a lot of experience in helping patients heal in the best and quickest way.
It is important to understand that scars or incisions do not truly and completely go away. Doctors make incisions in such a way to maximize its camouflage, but ultimately, some type of scar will remain. There is also a difference in perspective when it comes to scars - for a patient, a scar is an undesirable thing; whereas for doctors, a scar is simply an area where healing occurred, which we usually refer to as an incision line and not necessarily a scar.
In our practice, what I aim to do is to place the incisional line in the natural creases of the ear, and then decide whether there is a benefit in going inside the opening of the ear, or to use a natural crease that is in front of the ear. It is important to keep in mind that the technical aspects of facelifting all contribute to the outcome of the incision line, so we try to make sure that we minimize the tension on the incision line. Most of the time, people who come to my practice for scar rehabilitation have incision lines that have widened or stretched out due to tension. I try to avoid this situation by performing the other elements of the procedure in a way that exerts very minimal tension on the incision line.
To facilitate improved and faster wound-healing, I also use platelet-rich plasma, which is a concentration derived from your own blood, and Acellular matrix. Essentially, I try to do as much as possible to avoid the risk of problematic scarring such as wide scars or thickened, hypertrophic scars. I also try to optimize the healing process so the resulting incision line blends very well with the surrounding skin. I always tell my patients that I perform the procedure in such a way that if a woman wants to pull her hair back, it won’t be a problem because the scarring is not obvious. For those who need scar revision, I’ll sometimes use laser to try blending the scars.
I think it is very important that the surgeon also follows up with the patient after surgery, and sees them through the healing process to manage any undesirable healing as soon as it manifests. When we take the stitches out after about a week, they can usually go back to work. I usually tell my female patients to wear their hair down for a bit, and I’ll tell my male patients to grow out their beard for the meantime, just to mask the area that is healing; so in a couple of weeks, they can shave their beard and pull back their hair without having anyone notice that they had some work and healing going on in that area. There is some individualized and customized strategy there.
When it comes to wound healing, incision lines will continue to heal over the course of a year, so it will look quite good in about 3-6 months, and will continue to blend and fade over the course of a year. There are, of course, some variables to take into consideration, such as ethnicity, skin type, sun damage, the quality of the skin, sun exposure, environmental issues, tissue elasticity and the like, but this is where the art of facelifting and strategizing a customized approach comes in.
I hope that was helpful and I wish you the best of luck!
Learn more: http://realfacelift.com
The
incisions are generally placed within the hairline and natural contours of the face and
around the ears, depending on the specifics of your procedure. The incisions should be mostly unnoticeable and hard to see within 10-12 weeks. As the months go by, the incisions will
gradually fade and eventually should be almost undetectable. It is important to protect the
incisions from the sun and use extra sunscreen on the scar.
#drrodrohrich#plasticsurgery#facelift
#drrodrohrich#plasticsurgery#facelift
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In my practice, I treat all the facelift incisions with the Fraxel restore resurfacing laser, after surgery. The Fraxel restore has been studied and has been found to improve the appearance of surgical scars after several treatments. My patients are very receptive to the treatments and have good reviews of the outcomes.
Everybody heals differently. However, it typically takes a full 6-12 months for scars to mature (soften and lighten) although they will always be visible to some extent. There are multiple silicone scar creams and/or tapes that can help to speed the process. I suggest you ask your surgeon a brand they recommend.
Facelifrt scars can be red to pink for 7 months normally. If your scars are painful or "itchy" see your surgeon to discuss treatment such as silicone sheets or gel or laser or IPL treatments.
Learn more: http://www.bostonplasticsurgeryspecialists.com/services/face/facelift/
Thank you for your questions. It will differ from patient to patient, some patients will take longer than others to heal. Facelift scars tend to become less red and sore after 4 weeks, however I will allow 6 months for scars to completely heal and fade to skin colour. To help improve scarring, I advice my patients to massage, breaking down any scar tissue. If you have any concerns, please make a follow up appointment with your plastic surgeon to discuss.
All the Best!!
All the Best!!
We perform incisions for facelifts around the ears so that we can more easily hide them. Once they are performed time will allow them to decrease in visibility. Besides the actual scars a facelift may be more easily detected if the scars distort the ear. These distortions usually occur around the earlobe and tragus (Skin elevation in front of ear canal). As surgeons we will place our incisions so there is little tension on these structures. The second area of concern include the hair junctions in front and behind the ears. When these natural borders are disrupted it may lead to a more visible incision. Surgical facelifts include incisions but when expertly performed they will lead to a more youthful appearance.
Facelift scars tend to fade to imperceptible 9n 6-12 months. It depends more upon your skin's healing process as well as the technical aspects of the surgery. Occasionally, scars that have excess tension will take longer to heal and leave scars that need extra attention, such as revision, steroid injections, or laser treatments. We treat all of our facelift scars with lasers to limit the time of scar visibility.
It can take several months for some scars to fade. Scars can become more acceptable even at 1 month post op.
These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.
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