If your surgical procedure requires incisions, you may feel numbness around the incision sites due to mild nerve damage. You can expect the sensitivity to return a few months after the operation. However, this may vary from patient to patient. A facelift is a standard procedure for rejuvenating changes caused by facial aging, and there are a variety of facelifting techniques that can be performed depending on your individual needs.
The amount of swelling and numbness a person may experience after a facelift varies depending on the procedure involved. It's common to experience swelling, bruising, and numbness in some areas after the procedure. Most bruises that appear after a facelift take 10 to 14 days to go away. The swelling will improve steadily for about two weeks, and some areas will recover much longer.
faster than others. Certain areas may hold back swelling longer. Doctors Desai, Fallucco and Parks can discuss our personalized strategies to reduce swelling and accelerate recovery depending on the procedure that's best for you. In general, during a facelift procedure, the skin is partially lifted, allowing the underlying structures to be sculpted to define areas such as the jawline.
Small areas of numbness may result from the alteration of the small surface nerves of the face during the procedure. Most of the face will not lose any feeling. The numbness usually resolves within weeks or a few months. Nerves usually regenerate at a rate of 1 mm per day, so it's understandable that this is a slow process.
During the healing process, numbness can turn into a tingling sensation, which is a sign for early nerve recovery. If you're ready to talk about your goals for toning and firming your face, don't hesitate to call our board-certified plastic surgeons at Florida Plastic Surgery Group to develop a plan that fits your desires. Facelift patients may experience changes in sensitivity around the incision sites for up to 18 months. In general, nerve damage after a facelift is not permanent; however, on rare occasions, nerve fibers may not fully heal or grow back properly, causing lasting damage.
These credentials will ensure that your surgeon also takes steps to minimize potential injuries to the delicate facial nerves and achieve outstanding, natural-looking results. Restoring facial nerve damage after a facelift usually involves a multifaceted approach to re-establishing communication between the brain and facial nerves. There are several factors that can affect the speed of your recovery, including the type of surgery you're undergoing, as well as your overall health. Usually, when mild nerve damage is detected, your surgeon will likely recommend medications to reduce inflammation and pain associated with damage to facial nerves.
While the likelihood of this complication varies depending on the facelift technique used, in all cases the surgeon will manipulate tissues close to key facial nerves to reposition the skin and underlying muscles, remove unwanted fat and trim off excess skin. This is because, although rare, permanent nerve damage is more likely if a wound becomes infected or if there are other problems during the healing process. When the skin is injured in any way, such as in the case of a surgical incision, for example, the body's nerve network is disrupted. The body is made up of many nerves, all of which play a role in communicating sensations from the body to the brain.
Rarely, specialized surgery may be required to remove the damaged section and reconnect healthy nerve endings or replace the compromised nerve with a nerve graft. Nerve damage after a facelift is rare, and the risk of nerve damage varies depending on the patient's anatomy, environmental factors, and the type of facelift procedure performed. Increase your chances of avoiding nerve damage by choosing an experienced, board-certified facial cosmetic surgeon to perform your facelift. Generally speaking, nerve damage after a facelift should be considered an exception and not a rule; working with a highly experienced facial cosmetic or plastic surgeon will help you reduce the risk of this complication. In addition, since smoking increases the risk of nerve damage and other complications, it is essential to avoid smoking before and after the procedure.
When performed by a board-certified facial cosmetic surgeon, nerve damage after facelift surgery can be minimized or prevented.
