I find it easier to block out a character using boxes and then add loops/ adjust topology from there, I'd say that in this case and perhaps IMO it would seem there is too much detail too fast. Though It's all about finding your own work flow, experiment, If you get good results then why not.
just do it and learn from that. You seem to favour patch modeling thats fine - I use it often for character faces. The thing that suprises me is that you already have so many subdevisions even though you just started. I myself (I am not saying its the right way) usually would have far less polygons at such a state. Because…