What can I do about this big hematoma? It's very swollen behind my ear after a face lift (Photo)

Thank you for your question.  The hematoma could liquify so I would recommend seeing a plastic surgeon near you who could possible evacuate it or aspirate it.  By leaving it go, it could harden and not go away for a while. All the best,

Thank you for a great question and for sharing your experience. It appears you have a local fluid collection or clot.  Typically these will liquefy and you may be able to have it addressed with aspiration locally.  I would seek care locally or return to your surgeon.  I hope you find this helpful.Consult with a Board Certified Fellowship Trained Facial Plastic Surgery Specialist."This answer has been solicited without seeing this patient and cannot be held as true medical advice, but only opinion. Seek in-person treatment with a trained medical professional for appropriate care."

Thank you very much for your question.I recommend seeing a local plastic surgeon to follow you.  In general, for a hematoma in this area, if the hematoma isn't expanding, and the skin overtop the hematoma doesn't look "threatened" due to decreased blood supply, a patient can leave the hematoma alone.  Eventually the blood clot will start to break down and become more liquid, at which point a small needle can be placed into the hematoma and it can be sucked out into a syringe.  There may be some increased scar tissue in this area that will take a while to resolve, but you shouldn't have a "lump".Massaging the area won't make it go away any sooner, and it may actually cause more bleeding, so I don't recommend that.

You gave a small hematoma behind your ear.  The best way to resolve it is to have the blood drawn off with a needle and syringe.  This is very easy to have done, but complicated by the fact that you are not near your surgeon.  Your regular family doctor can easily do it if he or she is willing.  It probably will need to be done a few times to,completely resolve it.

Hematoma, a blood accumulation in the tissues after a surgical procedure requires certain management based on several criteria like timing (when does it happen in relation to the surgery), size, location, and tension of the skin above the hematoma . Small hematoma with NO-skin tension could be managed conservatively. Any hematoma that makes the skin above under severe tension should be drained urgently. Medium and large size hematoma that cause NO skin tension could be managed conservatively ( wait until the hematoma reabsorbs), drained surgically or aspirated. However, the drainage of a hematoma, could be associated with increased risk of  post hematoma drainage infection.Hematomas after facelift hat have been present for several days after the surgery, usually are associated with no skin tension, therefore, they may nor compromise skin surgical. They could be aOverseas patient with no tension hematoma in the retroauricular area after a facelift should ask for advice regarding management to their primary plastic surgeons. In my practice, patients could be managed conservatively (wait until the hematoma reabsorbs in several days/weeks) or could be aspirated or drained  by a college in the patient's area if the hematoma is starting to dissolve -it is liquid ( of course I will contact my colleague over the phone to explain how the surgery was made, to suggests how the drainage/aspiration should be performed, and to suggest the type of prophylactic antibiotic I would like the patient to take after the procedure). 

Hello Bridget1212,Sorry to hear about your problem.  The good news is the swelling is not worsening, meaning it is no longer bleeding.  I would recommend you follow up with a local plastic surgeon who can drain the fluid.  If you don't have it drained it will eventually improve on its own, but it leads to more inflammation, so you are swollen for longer, and can affect wound healing.  I hope this helps and good luck.  

Your question illustrates why it is important, if traveling for facelift surgery, to have a surgeon who will follow up with you in person and then or over the phone or internet. Postoperative visits are immensely important, as they guarantee that you are healing well. We surgeons want every one of our patients to sail through surgery without any complications.  That said, please see a plastic surgeon in your area to follow up with, even after the hematoma is resolved.  I wish you a speedy and easy healing process.

Untreated hematomas in the face can take a long time to resolve without intervention, and can lead to complications as well. I would recommend an evaluation by a board certified plastic surgeon. Best wishes!

Thank you for the question.  You will want to have a plastic surgeon where you live take a look.  At some point when the fluid becomes more of a serum your plastic surgeon can aspirate (draw out with a needle) the fluid.  Compression and massage can sometimes help.  In general, the fluid is not harmful and small hematomas can be left behind for your body to slowly disolve.All the best,Dr. Remus Repta

You do have more than the usual swelling and there does look to be a collection. If you have active bleeding you should have this looked at immediately. As you are now over 2 weeks down the line it is most likely that you have an organised collection and no active bleeding. The increased tension will have an effect on the healing of the skin and the scar behind the ear. Fortunately the facial skin looks like it will probably survive. If the skin vascularity remains intact and the wound edges do not come apart then if you left things then it will take quite some time for the swelling to settle - even with massage etc. It may be beneficial to open a small portion of the scar and wash this out but you really need to run this by your PS and have an examination ideally by him/her or someone he recommends.Swellings such as this can be left and do settle but the postop recovery always takes a lot longer than if the collection was removed.