Have you ever had a facelift patient get a seroma after surgery? (Photo)

Seromas are quite rare after facelift but if they do occur, the best treatment is to surgically drain it and excise the scar tissue that forms around it.

Hi there. While hematomas (pooling of blood) or seromas (pooling of fluid) are a rare complications of facelift surgery (~15%, but different studies present different ranges) its important to keep in mind that just because a certain complication has a low chance of occurring, it doesn't mean it can't happen to you or anyone who undergoes this surgery. When hematomas or seromas due occur, they are normally drained chairside (in the office) with a needle or catheter (this is called an aspiration) and a pressure dressing is applied to decrease the chances of re-occurrence. The reality, however, is that hematomas or seromas sometimes require multiple aspirations until they resolve. Fortunately, they are easily manageable my your surgeon if addressed in a timely manner. Hope this helps!

Seromas are not common, probably occurring in 1-2% of facelifts depending on the Surgeon. These are usually delayed, occurring 5-7 days after surgery, and usually require placement of a drain to prevent recollection. Whether or not this represents a seroma, or something else, cannot by determined based on the photo alone.