Do internal facelift sutures remain palpable forever? I can feel a small hard lump on cheek in front of each ear in same place.

Thank you for your question.  Both absorbable and non-absorbable internal sutures can be used during a facelift to elevate and secure facial soft tissue.  Most absorbable sutures would be expected to go away within 3-4 month after the procedure.  If one year after a facelift you still feel palpable knots, it is likely that permanent sutures were used.  If these knots bother you, they can be easily removed.  It would require a small procedure under local anesthesia to cut and remove the stich.  Removing the stiches at this point would not affect your results.  If possible, I would recommend asking your original surgeon to do this, since he is in the best position to know the location and the type of sutures that were used during your procedure.Best wishes!Dr. Konstantin

If non-absorbable (permanent) sutures were used during your facelift it is likely that the lump you feel will not go away. The good news is that if the lump is caused by a surgical stitch it can be removed. Sometimes it is possible to use the same facelift scar to remove the lump when it is located close to the scar. 

You might want to just consider a revision.  I say this only because you mention a few other areas of dissatisfaction in addition to the palpable sutures.  Your surgeon should be willing to go into as much detail as needed for you to understand what was done at the time of the operation.I prefer long-lasting but dissolvable sutures.  They typically resorb after a period of 3-4 months or so.  This avoids long term issues related to the use of permanent sutures.  Once there has been adequate time for the tissues to heal in their new lifted and supported position, the need for a suture to remain there forever does not make much sense to me.

Assuming that what you are feeling is a permanent suture, those can be removed in the office using local anesthetic. However, considering you have other issues associated with your prior facelift, you may want to consider a revision lift. During that revision, the permanent knots can be removed and your other issues (jowls, tragus, earlobes) can be addressed. See someone with extensive experience with revision facelifts.Andrew Campbell, M.D.

Facial Rejuvenation Specialist

Quintessa Aesthetic Centers

A simple procedure under local anesthesia can open up the incisions in front of the ear and dissect to the knot and remove it.  This may also help to revise the scars that have distorted your tragus and earlobe. 

Some surgeons use permanent sutures and some use long lasting but dissolving sutures in their facelift procedure, usually to lift the deeper tissues and hold them in place during the healing.  The dissolving sutures may be palpable for several months but then will be gone.  The permanent sutures obviously will be there forever.  Removal of the bsutures can be done in the office with local anesthesia only.  The improvement of the jowls, correction of loss of the tragus and ear lobe distortion will require a revision of your facelift, but also could be done with local anesthesia.  If you don't want to return to your original surgeon, be sure to obtain your operative notes so whoever you choose will know what was done the first time.  Best wishes.

There are surgeons that use permanent sutures underneath the skin during a facelift.  If you have a palapable suture under the skin 1 year after a facelift, it could be easily removed in an in-office procedure.  Only your surgeon will know the exact cause of the bump.I hope this helps.  

Sorry you are having this issue. If the suture has not dissolved by now, chances are it is a permanent suture. If it is one, well defined knot on each side, it should be able to be removed in the office under local anesthesia. Ask your surgeon to take care of it. Good luck!

If it has been 1 year, then I agree with you that these presumptive suture knots are there to stay. If there present a real bother to you, they could be removed with a small in-office procedure. 

Yes, they can be removed if they are bothering your. The other defects you describe can also be addressed. This should all be able to be done under local anesthesia. 
Best of Luck
Dr. J
A. Dean Jabs, MD, PhD FACS