Is there always a scar in front of the ears after lower facelift? And how long does it takes for scars to fade?

Most facelift approaches do require some incision in front of the ear. Fortunately we can camouflage this by bringing it behind the tragus (cartilage flap in front  of the ear canal) and into the opening of the ear canal. In addition, this is an area that heals very well- even without make-up, this incision, when well placed and executed, is hard to detect.Healing will take a full year to see the final result. By two weeks, however, most patients should be able to camouflage all incisions with make up.

The incisions for a lower facelift are placed in the natural lines around the ears. For example, I place the initial incision in the hairline of the hair tuft intfront of the ear, then it follows the crease of the ear where it attaches to the cheek, then the incision travels behind the tip of the cartilage in front of the ear canal, then around the line of the earlobe and then behind the ear, where it attaches to the back of the head. So technically specking the incision does not get placed 'in front' of the ear; however, it is placed artfully in the natural creases of the ear. 

In order to be able to tighten the muscles in a lower facelift, an incision will have to be placed in front of the ear. The length of the incision can vary based on the type of lower facelift being done. At your consultation,  you should discuss the type of incision that your surgeon plans on using. They should be able to show you pictures of their patients' incisions at different stages of the healing process.  As they heal, incision lines will be permanent but should be barely noticeable. Every patient heals at their own pace.  The incisions will go through an inflammatory phase and then a remodeling phase. They can stay pink for a few months but should be easily concealed with cover up if needed. Patients tend to be happy with how their incisions as soon as 1 week after surgery.  It can take up to a year for the incision to completely heal. See the link below, 

A lower facelift can be done through a posterior ear incision in some cases. It maybe best to do an anterior incision to hide the scar, any bulging and for the SMAS which lifts the fascia nd muscle for a longer lasting result. See a board certified ASAPS plastic surgeon in consultation. Good luck...

Believe it or not, plastic surgeons have little control over your wound healing biology. It is important to close the wound with as little tension as possible, but other than that, your scar healing is largely determined by your genetics. Nevertheless, I am always impressed at how well most facelift incisions eventually heal. Although there is initially some redness to the incision while healing, in most people it is very will hidden.