Is It Normal to Have the Skin in Front of the Ears to Be Hard and a Discolored (But Not Very Swollen ) 3 Days Aftert a Facelift?

 

Hardness, swelling and or bruising are all normal responses of the body at an incision site. Be sure to follow your post op instructions carefully and watch for any change in colour or size of the area.

 

My patients are all provided with a fact sheet of post op instructions and what to expect after surgery. It is important to be just as prepared for the healing time as you were for the actual surgical procedure. Should anything unusual occur, or if you are just unsure, call your surgeon’s office for advice and/or an appointment.

 

    This may be a normal variant, but you should be examined to determine if blood flow is compromised or if there is a hematoma.  Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

Depending on the technique, what you described can be perfectly normal following a facelift 3 days ago. Most important is to have regular check-ups with your plastic surgeon to make sure you are on course with the expected healing from your procedure.

You need to be examined. This is most likely postoperative edema and nothing to be concerned about but I'm sure your surgeon would much rather have you come in for an exam than worry about you until your next scheduled visit. If you have a small hematoma or are starting to have an infection it's best to start treatment right away.

It sounds normal what you describe. If one side should be noticeably more swollen or painful than the other I side, I would recommend that you contact you surgeon right away just to make sure that you do not have a hematoma.

Things sound like they are going okay. You should check with your doctor to make sure that everything is okay. I would rule out blood collection and also skin blood flow issues. Each of those things require some additional treatments but early detection is key.

The swelling is normal however, I assume that you have seen your plastic surgeon to make sure it is not a hematoma (blood collection). If it is not, then the tissue will soften over time.

It is typical to have some mild bruising early after a facelift, and the skin numb just in front of the ears. If the skin is quite firm, discolored or has superficial blisters there can be tissue and healing problems which deserve the attention of your surgeon. Smokers beware.

What you are describing sounds normal. It is normal to have bruising and swelling following a facelift. Bruising will usually resolve within about 7-10 days. Swelling can last up to a couple of months however most of the visible swelling will resolve within the first 14 days. What is not normal is to have a dark purple to black discoloration in front of the ear. This would be an indication that you are experiencing skin necrosis (death) and should be evaluated immediately. I would follow up with your surgeon to ensure that you are healing normally.

sounds ok to me...this is related to the work done under the skin and sounds perfectly normal