Afterwards, the patient is pampered for as long as he or she wishes to stay. Patients take on average a week off work. Sutures are removed in two to four days. Fortunately, here the answer is relatively little and that which can go wrong more often than not gets better with time. The most catastrophic outcome is flap necrosis meaning a part of the skin can die.
Smokers are at increased risk as their skin has a less abundant blood supply.
I have never seen this and hope not to see a case. Another poor outcome is facial nerve or muscle paralysis . The most frequently injured nerve is the one providing sensation to behind the ear. Asymmetry is always possible and frequently pre-operatively visible. I will discuss with patients pre-operatively that this can be addressed during the operation, but absolute symmetry is impossible and unnatural.