3 Months Post SMAS and have area of redness and broken capillaries. Any suggestions? (photos)

Question

I'm 3 months post op for SMAS lower facelift and Upper and Lower's eye surgery. I've healed nicely but have an area that is pink or flush all the time with several broken capillaries. This area is high on my cheekbone. It's much worse on 1 side. Is this from tension of sutures or poor circulation? I'd like to do V Beam or laser to correct but how long should I wait?

Marc DuPéré, MD · Answer

Thank for your question.Any skin healing involves new blood vessel forming so that nutrients, proteins, oxygen, etc. can be brought in for repair (healing). The new blood vessel formation is called "neovascularization". It does tend to disappear over time.That being said, it can be sped up with a mild light therapy with IPL or BBL (intense pulsed light or broad-based light). A few simple in-office treatments of those should be quite helpful.Let us know if this information was useful.

Best regards,

Dr. Marc DuPéré, Toronto aesthetic plastic surgeon and facialist

Best regards,

Dr. Marc DuPéré, Toronto aesthetic plastic surgeon and facialist

Martin Jugenburg, MD · Answer

A non-surgical treatment such as laser or IPL may be beneficial.  Speak to your plastic surgeon or if he/she doesen't offer lasers/IPL maybe you can be referred to someone who has them.

Manish H. Shah, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello Calbear,Thanks for your question.What you are seeing is some venous congestion as the facelift flap heals and rebuilds it's blood supply.  Over time it typically goes away.  In more thin skinned individuals, it can take longer to go away.  A light based therapy known as IPL can be used to reduce redness and reduce the tiny vessels.At 3 months post-op, it is probably safe to have this treatment.Your PS probably offers this treatment in his/her clinic.Good luck,Dr. Shah

Michael I. Echavez, MD · Answer

The redness on your cheek 3 months after your SMAS facelift is most likely not due to tension from sutures or poor circulation.  It is difficult to know what exactly it might be attributed to, but it is possible to develop some mild discoloration after a facelift.  The redness can be easily treated with a pulsed dye laser (V beam) and could be treated at any time.

John L. Burns Jr., MD · Answer

I agree that a Pulsed Dye Laser used with very conservative settings or perhaps and IPL would help a lot.  Either option should be fine at this point.  The PDL would by my first suggestion with a longer pulse width, low fluence, and epidermal cooling.

Mark T. Boschert, MD · Answer

I think that any laser from a broadband light to specific laser can help remove those capillaries. I would discuss this with your surgeon but I'm sure he will have some available treatments for you.Good luck!

Eugene L. Alford, MD · Answer

This area can be treated with pulse dye laser with low settings to allow the capillaries to be less visible. At 3 months after the procedure you can have the treatment today. Be sure your physician has experience in treating this type of problem.

Semira Bayati, MD, FACS · Answer

These types of discolorations are not uncommon after the swelling and bruising subsides.  A few treatments with IPL laser should correct the problem without long term issues.