Could I Have Ruined my Facelift From Neck Strain While Off-Roading? (photo)

It is unlikely that you have "ruined" your facelift. However, your post does offer a cautionary tale for prospective facelift patients. Having been limited in their level of activity in the immediate postoperative period, many patients burst out of the gate aggressively shortly thereafter in an effort "to make up for lost time."

Most of the patients who have behaved in this manner will tell you in retrospect that it is never worth it. Even if there is no permanent compromise of their surgical result, the anxiety that they might have done so makes them regret engaging in whatever strenuous activity in which they had performed. Far better, to take it easy, until your surgeon explicitly cuts you loose to resume your regular excercise or sporting activity, and, even then, only gradually advance your level of exertion over time.

In your particular case, it does not appear from the photographs that there has been a hematoma or compromise of your flaps in any way. Because the facelift inevitably disrupts the venous and lymphatic drainage of the face and neck, there is always a slower resolution of swelling than there is in the unoperated face.

It is normal for swelling to wax and wane in the weeks and months following a facelift, and that is what is happening here. Symptomatic treatment with elevation, NSAIDS, ice,rest, and the passage of time  should do the trick, but the object lesson you inadvertently provided should be helpful to future patients.

It is very unlikely that after 3 weeks you have 'ruined' anything.  You probably just have some swelling and tightness of your neck muscles.

i cant really see much on the photos.. if there is no discoloration , bleeding or hematoma is unlikely.

swelling not unheard of after increased activity..  ice elevation , celebrex can help syptoms.  obviously have your doctor examine you .

I doubt that you have harmed your facelift results permanently from your activity. In fact, our facelift patients have  routinely returned to their activities after 4 weeks. Fluctuating swelling though is normal and may be temporarily worse with exercise.

The result may look much better at 9 days after the surgery - especially if a "mini-lift" has been performed. if your neck and jawline continue to worsen over the next 3 months than it is most likely due to the conservatism of the lift itself.

Looking at your photos, it appears that you also underwent skin resurfacing of face and neck which can add to swelling associated with exercise, sweating etc.

Stay in close contact to your facelift surgeon.

You're probably going to be just fine.  Edema (swelling) will persist after the facelift for months, and will fluctuate depending on your activity level, position, application of compression garments, and perhaps salt and fluid intake, medications you are using, etc.  The general trend of this swelling is to slowly resolve.  Check with your plastic surgeon though if he/she wants to see you to check it out, or, if you're anxious about it, perhaps best to go in for check up.