Will I have visible scars from a facelift?

The facelift procedure involves incisions that skirt the contour of the ears, using the anatomy of the ear to help conceal them. For a full facelift, the incision starts in the sideburn area, follows the contours of the junction of the ear with the face, curves behind the earlobe into the recess between the posterior ear and the neck/scalp, and then extends into the hairline posteriorly at the top of the ear. When I make these incisions, I design them so that, once fully healed, they may be difficult for even a hairdresser to detect. That goal can often be achieved, and it requires meticulous attention to every centimeter of the closure.Following surgery, many surgeons, myself included will offer complimentary V-Beam laser treatments to help speed healing and minimize scarring.  Most plastic surgeons also make  topical silicone gel treatments available to help minimize scarring. Close monitoring following surgery is imperative. If scars start start to thicken, they can be treated with steroid injection. But early treatment is key.  You don't want to wait until a scar is a problem before you begin receiving treatment

Its unclear and unpredictable. If you develop bad scars, there are solutions. Keloid management must follow a protocol approach. Our office uses a
combination of Vbeam laser, Kenalog IIT, scar modulation, scar serum
therapy, and enucleation. 
Best, 
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Generally speaking, facelift scars are very well camouflaged in natural facial lines and in the hairline.  Sometimes, particularly in individuals with compromised wound healing, the scars can be more noticeable.  Nevertheless, with time, most scars heal in a very inconspicuous manner, and certainly scars can be treated to gain some improvement with time if need be.  Check out my video for more information on scarring following a facelift. 

Thank you for your question. In most healthy people without a history of healing irregularities, the surgical scars resulting from a well-performed facelift are rarely an issue. Incisions are designed to result in scars that are concealed within natural curvatures in around the ear and at or within the hairline. Most patients consider those scars to be acceptable with makeup within 1-2 weeks. Scars mature naturally over months. Once mature, most scars are imperceptible in normal social interactions, although not invisible upon closer scrutiny. Ultimately, the vast majority of patients consider the results of the facelift and appearance of facial rejuvenation to be a very acceptable trade-off for typically inconspicuous scars.

Thank you for your question. While scars will always be present, much
can be done to make them as subtle as possible. Facelift incisions can be
managed using a multimodal approach:
1) Scar massage - starting as soon as the surgical dressings come off and the incisions are sealed
2) Silicone sheets or scar gels for about six months to year
3) Fractionated lasers to help blend the scar into the background -
done as a series, starting about 4 weeks after surgery and repeated
every four weeks for six months.
4) Sunscreen to prevent the scars from darkeningYour incisions
should be very subtle based on the placement of the incisions, but may
need a full 6 months to 1 year or more to fade.

The scars from a facelift are in front of and behind the ears. They all fade nicely and are barely visible after one year post op.

Anytime a surgical incision is made, scarring is an inevitable consequence. Plastic surgeons use meticulous surgical techniques and attempt to place incisions where they will be well-hidden, but even these maneuvers don't always make them disappear.
Facelift incisions are placed in front of the ear, behind the ear, underneath the chin, and in areas of hair growth. These areas are chosen because scars are minimally visible in these locations. Furthermore, hair growth, make-up, and jewelry can also help to make scars less noticeable in these locations.
Wound-healing is also important and varies from patient to patient. Patients with lighter skin coloration tend to have less noticeable scar formation than patients with darker skin tone. This genetic variation accounts for many of the differences we see in how wounds heal.
Wound healing goes on for a year following facelift surgery and during this period, gradual improvements can be expected. Scars will tend to flatten and lose their redness as time passes.
It's important to remember that scarring occurs in all facelifts. Scar revision may be necessary in rare cases if scarring is noticeable. In most facelifts, scarring is minimal and patients report high satisfaction rates.

Whenever a cut is made a scar will result. This is a basic tenet in Cosmetic Surgery.  However, every effort is made to have a precise cut without tension and to have adequate sutures without excess. These efforts will help to provide the best healed scar possible.

Whenever the dermis is compromised in an adult, there will be a scar.  Plastic surgeons are taught how to hide these scars so that they are less obvious.  In terms of a facelift, there are key techniques an experienced plastic surgeon can perform to provide you with the best scars.  For example, making the incision behind the tragus, and cutting at 90 degrees to the hair follicles are maneuvers that help hide a facelift scar.  Genetics also have a key role.  If you tend to form hypertrophic scars or keloids, then you may develop these types of scars with a facelift.  Let your surgeon know if you are predisposed to such scarring issues.

 

After your surgery, your surgeon should recommend a scar management protocol to improve your scar appearance.  I suggest you avoid Vitamin E for at least 6 weeks after your surgery.  It can weaken your scar and result in scar widening.  I generally recommend any plain unscented moisturizer.  The key is intense massage of the scars.  The moisturizer is just a medium to allow for the massage.  Don't waste money on expensive creams that cost hundreds of dollars.  Silicone based ointments/gels work well.

 

Warmest Regards,

Asif Pirani, MD, FRCS(C)

All surgical procedures produce permanent scars and Facelifts are no exception. Although facelift scars are probably  visible to the patient and surgeon who know exactly where to look and do so close up, they are generally not noticeable by everyone else and are also easily camouflaged by light makeup if they are. The likelihood of exceptionally hidden or non visible scars often relates to the experience of a skilled board certified  plastic surgeon. Through their years of training they understand how to  place these scars in areas which are well-hidden by using existing anatomy, creases and technical skills such as prevention of tension. Further in the unlikely event  the scars become hypertrophic (ropy) during the early period they are skilled in how to make them fade away. The good news is that it's  uncommon in my experience for my facelift patients to complain about a visible scars. 

By and large, facelift incisions are visually concealed or hidden in natural creases or are done in a curvilinear fashion so that over time it is almost imperceptible in front or hidden inside the ear or hairline. These can often be blended so that in the first month they are perceptible only within your comfort zone. Then, after 6 weeks they are almost imperceptible if placed correctly.