Is numbness normal after a facelift?
Key takeaways
- Some numbness after a facelift is expected, not a complication.
- It's usually felt in front of and behind the ear, wherever the skin was lifted.
- The ear itself can be numb for a while when a nearby nerve is irritated during the lift.
- Feeling usually comes back gradually over about a year.
- In very cold weather, protect numb areas, because you may not feel frostbite.
An expectation, not a complication
Many people worry that numbness after a facelift means something went wrong. Dr. Thomas Buonassisi, MD, FRCSC, a facial plastic surgeon with over 25 years of experience, explains why he sees it as something to expect instead. Wherever the skin has been lifted, some numbness in front of and behind the ear is normal.
Why the ear can feel numb
A nerve called the great auricular nerve runs over a muscle in the side of the neck and gives feeling to the ear. When the platysma muscle is lifted off it during surgery, that nerve can be irritated, and the ear may feel numb for a while.
How long it lasts
Feeling usually comes back gradually, over a period of about a year. While areas are still numb, take care in very cold weather: you can get frostbite without noticing.
Ask about it in your consultation
Recovery, including what you are likely to feel and for how long, is part of what Dr. Buonassisi goes through with you before surgery. Read more about the deep plane facelift and neck lift at 8 West Clinic in Vancouver and North Vancouver.
