What potential complications can occur from facelift surgery?
Answer:
There is a risk of a complication with any surgical procedure, such as bleeding,infection, scarring or complication from anesthesia. Specific to facelift surgery, the most common complication is a hematoma, which is a blood clot. If recognized early, this complication can be easily remedied with opening up the incision, removing the blood clots and stopping the source of the bleeding. When early action is taken, this will usually heal without any permanent problems. Bruising is an expected following surgery, but can be worse after a hematoma and persist a little longer. Other complications include healing problems with the skin of the face, or even areas where the skin dies, if blood flow is compromised. The risk of this happening is low, but significantly increased in smokers, diabetics and patients with any collagen vascular disorders. These problems affect the small vessels that supply blood to the skin, interfering with the skins healingability. In addition, there is a small risk of injury to nerves that control movement of facial muscles and sensation to the ear and face. Numbness following surgery is normal, especiallyaround the ears and cheeks, but this usually resolves by three months.
-Dr. Jessica Kulak
