Face Lift - Risks

A large-scale face or forehead lift can result in the long-term presence of feelings of tension and/or numbness in either the front of the ears or in the forehead. Isolated cases may feature hair loss in the area around the temples; however, this hair grows back in the next few months. Otherwise, wound healing problems can lead to wound necrosis and conspicuous scar formation. These can be corrected in a second treatment should it be necessary. Further possible complications to be aware of are secondary bleeding and wound infections. Blood flow irregularities in the skin, which can lead to two-dimensional scar formation on the surface of the skin, primarily occur in smokers. Damage to facial nerves is very rare and generally recedes within 3-6 months. Remaining nerve injuries that would lead to a disturbance in the facial musculature are rare.^1,3,4

The doctor who is treating you should clarify these and further possible risks in greater detail.

Sources:
¹ German Society of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgeons
² IGÄM – International Society for Aesthetic Medicine e.V.
³ Society for Aesthetic Surgery, Germany e.V.
⁴ University of Leipzig Clinic for Oral, Mandibular, and Plastic Facial Surgery
^{5,6,7,8,9,10,11} German Society for Aesthetic-Plastic Surgery