Scars after a facelift are visible but inconspicuous, and generally not noticeable unless examined closely. The facelift procedure scar starts at the sideburn and follows the contour of the ear, extending along the front of the ear and continuing under the earlobe and behind the ear, into the hairline.
For facelift patients specifically, it is understandable to worry about scarring on one of the most visible parts of your body. However, you may be surprised to learn that facelift scars are rarely visible when the surgery is performed by a skilled plastic surgeon, and the patient practices appropriate aftercare.
Facelift incisions typically start at the bottom of the sideburns, curving down in front of the ear, and moving back behind the ear into the hairline. This incision placement allows for the incisions to be largely camouflaged by the hair. These incisions also give Dr.
In general, it takes about six months for facelift incisions to heal and fade from red and pink to a lighter hue.
Healing from a facelift
Fortunately, facelift scars will fade over time until they are almost invisible. The skill of the surgeon will have an impact on how well the patient recovers from the procedure and on how well the scars heal. This is why it's essential to choose a surgeon who specializes in facelifts.
Scars from a mini facelift are typically located in natural creases of the skin or areas that are not prominently noticeable, so they are even less detectable to others.
In reality, a facelift can be everything from extremely obvious to incredibly subtle. The results are often dependant on the talent and skill of the plastic surgeon that you choose.
Facelift recovery time
You should look and feel normal after 2 – 4 weeks. Keep in mind that facelift surgery cannot stop natural aging, so we encourage patients to continue to take care of their skin and make healthy lifestyle choices.
Pulled-down earlobes may happen at the time of the original procedure, or can develop with time. The most dramatic distortion has been called “the pixie ear.” Natural contour can usually be restored, but this is often difficult. The earlobe is often not distorted, but simply pulled forward — a tip-off to a facelift.
Neck lift scars, in most cases, are made behind the ears and under the chin. Neck lift surgery incisions are small, and once the procedure is complete, Dr. Myint will carefully close them to optimize the healing process. Most patients find their scars are barely noticeable.
Facelift scars are carefully placed to hide any scars that do occur. A traditional incision begins along the hairline and move around the ear. Some patients will need an incision under the chin as well. The hairline transition hides scars well, unless there is balding or thinning hair.
Mini facelift scars are minimal
Traditionally, an incision is made in the hairline near the temples on each side. The incision goes in front of the ear, down the front of and hugging the earlobe area, then back to the lower scalp behind the ears.
Sun exposure can cause skin discoloration and make mini facelift scars more visible. Don't pick, scratch, or pull at your scar tissue. This can increase your risk of infection, cause uneven healing, or even end in more noticeable scarring.
While no non-surgical procedure can match the skin tightening ability of the facelift, they do provide something that facelift surgery cannot: improve skin tone and texture. And as most people know, skin irregularities go far beyond lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin.
Generally, a ponytail lift involves incisions made high up on the face – above the front of the ear or beyond the hairline. The facial cosmetic surgeon then pulls the ligaments below the skin to adjust and reduce sagging.
Facelift fails are most likely to occur when a surgeon doesn't have the level of training and experience required to do a good job with the procedure you want. This is why you should be sure to look for a facial plastic surgeon for any facial surgery, not simply a plastic surgeon.
Patients do complain of a feeling of fullness in the ears or pain in the ears for the first few days after surgery. This is caused by swelling, and improves fairly quickly. Most of my patients take prescription pain medication for the first couple of days before transitioning to Motrin or Tylenol.
The staples within the hair and the sutures behind the ear are removed 9-12 days after facelift surgery.
In most cases, a facelift works best for people in their 40s, 50s, and 60s when signs of aging begin to become prevalent. Deep lines, wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging skin are the result of the aging process and can be best corrected through surgical techniques rather than non-surgical ones.
There is usually very little actual pain following a facelift, but you may experience a deep bruised sensation as a result of the swelling, and your face may seem heavy. The bandage you will wear the first night may seem quite snug under your chin. Rather than make you feel restricted, we hope it makes you feel secure.
While facelift results can be different for every patient, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons found that, on average, patients felt they looked about 12 years younger after their facelift surgeries.
You may end up with hair loss in the area of the facelift incisions. This can lead to large hairless areas and/or an irregular hairline. In some cases, it might result in a complete loss of your sideburns.
Injectable treatments will reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, but they will not remove excess skin, improve skin laxity, or eliminate skin sagging. The only way to effectively treat these issues is through surgery. A facelift will provide much more long-lasting results than non-surgical options.
A face-lift can give your face and neck a more youthful appearance. Face-lift results are not permanent. With age, the facial skin may begin to droop again. In general, a face-lift can be expected to last 10 years.