3 months ago, I had a facelift. Both sides of my face are hard. It feels firm and waxy to the touch. Is this normal?

Facelift surgery can be a big surgery and longer recovery depending on the technique. As surgeons, we like there to be initial tightness of the face as the skin is known to relax over time. The changes following this surgery can occur over 6 months though most patients look presentable in 2-3 weeks. I would expect your condition to improve with time. Be sure to commmunicate these concerns with your surgeon.

The firmness after a facelift 3 months following surgery represents deeper tissue still healing.Although the skin and incisions heal early on after facelifting, the underlying tissue plane continues to soften at its own rate.  Often weekly  lymphatic massage can facilitate softening of the tissue.If there are any other concerns with your postoperative course of healing, it is best to followup with your surgeon.

Thank you for your question.  Congratulations on having a facelift, it is a wonderful procedure! I would certainly discussed your concerns with your surgeon.  However, it sounds as if you are having normal postoperative swelling after your facelift.  This can give you the tissues under the skin a very firm texture.  With time this should resolve on its end.  It can take anywhere from 6 months to one year for all the swelling to resolve from this procedure.I hope that this helps!-David Gilpin

After a surgery, in the first days after, there is swelling and inflammation, later on about 2 to 3 weeks after the procedure, there is scar tissue formation and the scar tissue works as a glue, so all the tissues afected by the surgery get hard, like wood and that is a normal part of the healing. The scar tissue usually get softer within 3 to 6 months after the procedure. Also there are some numbness on the operated area, that makes the tissues feel waxy. It is a matter of time for the swelling and the scar tissue to get soft.

In general, lumps, bumps, and a firm texture are fairly common in the healing phases of a facelift. On average, I find that most of the visible signs of surgery have resolved in the first 1-2 weeks after surgery. This may vary based on patient medical issues, the type of facelift performed, and how well patients follow the pre and post-op instructions. The healing that takes place underneath the skin can take up to a year.  Most often, the firm texture is resolved around 3-4 months after surgery, but in some cases can take longer.  It's always best to follow up with your surgeon after your surgery with any questions or concerns. He or she will be able to guide you through your recovery based on what patients in their practice typically experience. 

At three months post face lift, your facial skin may be a little stiff and firm. This will continue to heal and soften over the next several months. Also it depends on what was actually done at the time of your surgery. There are different face lift techniques and ultimately you have to review this with you surgeon.

This is within the range of normalcy.  Although photos and an in person examination would provide definitive information, you can expect some degree of firmness for several months after a facelift, and a relative numb sensation for up to a year.  I would recommend that you discuss your issue with your Surgeon and even ask to speak to a few of his /her former facelift patients for reassurance if necessary. 

No this is not normal. You should speak with your treating doctor. If this is not helpful, you should seek a second opinion, sooner vs. later.Sincerely,

 

Michael Kulick MD

   Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, San Francisco,  CA
   Member of ASPS, ASAPS

   Clinical Editor of the Aesthetic Surgery Journal

   Recipient of the Klingbeil Award from ASAPS – Teaching Safe Techniques and Advanced Technologies

I would say that it is not normal for both sides of the face to feel hard 3 months after a facelift.  It can take 6 or more months for the healing process to take place though.  It is possible that there could be isolated areas of firmness, but this should be improving over time.  An examination of you would be helpful to give you the best advice.  If you have not already, I would recommend contacting your surgeon so that you can be examined in person to determine if there are any problems or not.  

Thank you for your question. It is normal to experience all sorts of symptoms and changes during the recovery process. It sounds like you may have some prolonged swelling. If this is the case, lymphatic massage may help to move the fluid out of the tissues. I recommend that you make an appointment with your surgoen. They will be able to assess exactly what is going on and help guide you throught the recovery process so you can achieve your desired result. Good luck!