Lumps 12 months after facelift - can these be addressed during a revision surgery? (Photos)

Question

Hi, I had a facelift a year ago and still have lumps under my skin on both sides of my face. I’ve massaged and massaged with maybe some success, but they’re still highly visible. They’re sometimes hard to capture in photos depending on the lighting. My facelift was a combination of SMAS and deep plane. My surgeon keeps telling me to be patient, but I’ve lost my patience this far out from surgery. Can someone tell me what the lumps are and if they think they will resolve fully? I will be having a revision in a few months with a different surgeon. Can the lumps be addressed in this second surgery? Also, I’ve discoloration and small veining since the surgery. Is there a laser that could address both issues? Thank you!

Elie Ramly, MD · Answer

At 12 months after a facelift, swelling and scar remodeling should have already settled. While I can't determine the exact cause without a physical examination, just based on your photos, persistent lumps at this stage are often related to scar tissue, deeper sutures, or contour irregularities in the fat, skin, or SMAS layer depending on how the tissues were dissected, treated, and re-draped, and how those planes have eventually healed and scarred.
If the areas have remained unchanged for 12 months, I would not expect dramatic improvement from massage alone. The good news is that many of these issues can often be addressed during a revision facelift (+- fat grafting) procedure, depending on exactly what is causing them.
As for the discoloration and visible veins, vascular lasers such as pulsed dye (PDL) or Nd:YAG treatments may help, but the best option depends on whether the issue is redness, small blood vessels, pigmentation changes, or a combination of these.
An in-person evaluation with a qualified plastic surgeon who specializes in facelifts and revision facelifts should help determine exactly what these areas represent and what can realistically be improved during surgery.

Lumps 12 months after facelift - can these be addressed during a revision surgery? (Photos)

Answers (1)

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