Where are facelift incisions placed?
Key takeaways
- Facelift incisions follow natural curves and edges: in front of the ear, around the earlobe, behind the ear and into the hairline.
- The part behind the ear is hidden; the part at the hairline is usually the most noticeable while it heals.
- Scars along hair edges can stay a little thicker and redder for longer; broadband light (BBL) can be used to reduce redness.
- A small incision near the temple may be added when skin at the top is lifted.
Where the incisions go
In this video, Dr. Thomas Buonassisi, MD, FRCSC, a facial plastic surgeon with over 25 years of experience, marks where the incisions for a facelift would go. The aim is to place them where they are hardest to see: tucked into the natural curves in front of the ear, around the earlobe, behind the ear and then into the hairline.
How the scars usually heal
The part of the scar behind the ear sits out of sight. The part at the hairline tends to be the most noticeable at first, and Dr. Buonassisi notes that scars along hair edges can stay a little thicker and redder than the rest. Broadband light (BBL) can be used afterwards to bring down redness. In his experience, the scar in front of the ear is usually hard to see after a couple of months.
The incision near the temple
When skin at the top of the face is lifted, a small incision can be placed near the temple, ideally where there is some hair, and a little skin is removed there. That scar sits along the edge of the hairline and, once healed, is usually difficult to see.
Planned for your face
Where the incisions go depends on your hairline, your skin and the lift you need, so it is decided in your consultation. Read more about the deep plane facelift at 8 West Clinic in Vancouver and North Vancouver.
