Facial Asymmetry Correction

Last updated date: 10-Jul-2023

Originally Written in English

Facial Asymmetry Correction

Overview

Naturally, there is nothing that is perfectly symmetrical, more so in the face. The fact is, every person’s face has a certain degree or extent of asymmetry. While some cases are minor and don’t affect the overall facial appearance, others are major and bothersome. At times, severe cases are an indication of a particular underlying condition. Facial asymmetry mostly occurs due to congenital abnormalities, initial treatment or surgery, or trauma.

The major forms of facial asymmetry include uneven lower jaw, eye displacement, cheek retrusion, nasal deviations, and brow bone and forehead protrusion. Sometimes, facial asymmetry can affect the form and the normal functionality of the nose, mouth, and eyes. In such cases, facial asymmetry correction is necessary to address the issue and restore the standard structure.

 

What is Facial Asymmetry Correction?

Facial Asymmetry Correction

Facial asymmetry correction is a procedure to reconstruct or reshape the face by correcting the defects. It generally aims at giving people with face asymmetry the appearance and facial structure they desire. Through this method, the altered facial functions of the nose, mouth, or eyes can be restored.

Management of significant facial asymmetry presents a challenge due to the geometric complexity of the bony and other facial structures. There are various potential surgical and non-surgical procedures to correct asymmetry in the face. However, the treatment approach usually depends on several factors such as:

  • The severity of asymmetry
  • The extent of muscle function
  • And patient’s age.

 

What are the causes of an asymmetrical face?

causes of an asymmetrical face

A symmetrical face is often seen to be more attractive than an asymmetrical one. While mild asymmetries are common, some people have significant variations on each side of their face. There are various reasons and contributing factors to facial asymmetry. They are as follows:

 

Genetics

Asymmetrical faces are sometimes the consequence of development and heredity. If you have prominent, asymmetrical lips, chances are you will have them as well.

Researchers attribute asymmetrical traits to hereditary health issues such as cleft lip and palate and vascular diseases.

 

Sun damage

UV radiation can cause spots, patches, and moles to form on your skin as you age. Sun damage is seldom dispersed uniformly across your entire face, especially if you spend a lot of time outside wearing a baseball cap, working outside, or driving a lot. Sun damage might affect only one side or part of your face.

 

Smoking

Because smoking exposes your face to pollutants, it's no surprise that smoking was linked to facial asymmetry in a 2014 research.

 

Dental work

Having a tooth removed might alter the appearance of your facial muscles. Dentures or dental veneers can also alter the features of your face. The outcome is not necessarily symmetrical. More facial asymmetry was connected to having had dental extraction in a 2014 study of 147 pairs of identical twins.

 

Aging

Facial asymmetry worsens as you become older. This is a normal aspect of the aging process. Although your bones stop developing when you reach adolescence, your cartilage continues to expand as you get older. As a result, your ears and nose will grow and vary as you mature, perhaps resulting in asymmetry.

 

Lifestyle habits

Some individuals feel that sleeping on your stomach or with your face on a pillow, sitting for long periods of time with your legs crossed in the same direction, bad posture, and resting your face against your palm can all lead to facial asymmetry. A 2014 study discovered a link between stomach sleeping and facial asymmetry.

 

Injury

Asymmetry can be caused by trauma or injury to your face as a youngster or as an adult. A broken nose or a serious cut to the face might cause your face to seem asymmetrical.

 

Bell’s palsy

A sudden asymmetry of the face is an indication of a more severe problem. Bell's palsy is a facial nerve paralysis that causes new or abrupt weakness in the muscles on one side of your face. Bell's palsy is a transient condition that can arise after pregnancy or a viral illness. Bell's palsy causes facial asymmetry when the muscles on one side of your face are less competent or unable to move.

 

Stroke

Stroke symptoms include facial drooping. If your grin becomes abruptly lopsided or you have numbness on one side of your face, get quick medical attention. Other stroke symptoms include arm numbness or weakness, as well as difficulties speaking.

 

Torticollis

Torticollis, sometimes known as "twisted neck," is an abnormal posture of your neck muscles. Torticollis can occur while you are still in the womb, resulting in some facial asymmetry after you are born.

Eye problems might force you to tilt or twist your neck to see better, causing your muscles to become stronger on one side of your neck than the other. Many instances of torticollis are transitory, and the symptoms disappear. It is less likely to be permanent.

 

How to test if you have Asymmetrical facial features?

Asymmetrical facial features

You may determine if your face is symmetrical by assessing it at home. This is best accomplished with a printed photo of oneself. Mark the following points on your face picture. If you're using a mirror, use a marker that you can wash off later:

  • The top of your brow and the bottom of your chin (This is the only set of points you will check for vertical symmetry; the rest are horizontal.)
  • The crease on the far side of both of your eyes
  • The crease of where each of your eyes begins next to the bridge of your nose
  • The crease where your lips begin on both sides
  • The widest point of both sides of your face
  • The widest part of your nose on both nostrils

You can use a ruler to see whether you can draw a perfectly level, horizontal line between each pair of two points.

There are free applications available online that will examine a snapshot of your face and grade your facial symmetry. Take the results of these applications with caution.

A computer algorithm can assess your "attractiveness" based on a ratio, but it cannot account for how attractive your most noticeable, distinctive traits make you. A computer will never be able to appraise your stunning hair, deep-set eyes, or sparkling grin.

 

Who are the best candidates for Facial asymmetry correction?

Facial asymmetry correction candidate

You might be an ideal candidate to undergo facial asymmetry correction if you:

  • Are healthy and physically fit
  • Have realistic expectations
  • Not contented with the balance or proportion of your face
  • Understand the risks associated with the procedure
  • Experience functional problems caused by asymmetries

 

What are Facial Asymmetry Correction Options?

Facial Asymmetry Correction Options

Depending on the nature of facial asymmetry to correct, the plastic surgeon can either recommend surgical or non-surgical treatment options. The surgical procedure options permanently address facial asymmetry and the underlying syndrome. 

Some of the facial asymmetry surgery options include:

 

Rhinoplasty

Also known as a nose job, the rhinoplasty procedure aims at correcting the esthetic and structural defects on the nose. This can include deviated septum and crooked nose. Rhinoplasty is also suitable for people who are not happy with the size and shape of their noses. It helps contour and creates better symmetry in the facial inner appendage.

All procedures have some risk, such as infection, bleeding, or an adverse response to anesthetic. Rhinoplasty may also raise your chances of developing:

  • Breathing difficulties
  • Nosebleeds
  • A numb nose
  • An asymmetrical nose
  • Scars

Patients are occasionally dissatisfied with their procedure. If you wish to have a second operation, you must wait until your nose is completely healed before proceeding. This might take a year.

 

Forehead and brow lift

A brow lift is a cosmetic operation that repositions your brow, reduces wrinkles, and makes you seem younger. If time and gravity have made your brow seem serious, furious, or exhausted, you may want to consider a brow lift. Although a brow lift is a permanent operation, minor creases may resurface over time.

Plastic surgeons suggest these surgical procedures to address blemishes and wrinkles on either part of the eyebrows or face. By smoothing out the unpleasant lines, it forms a better facial symmetry.

Any sort of surgery, including a brow lift, has some risk. Possible side effects of brow lift surgery include:

  • Scarring.
  • Infection.
  • Limited movement of your eyebrows.
  • Intense scalp itchiness.
  • Allergic reaction to anesthesia.
  • Pain.
  • Hair follicle loss around the incisions.
  • Asymmetry.
  • Numbness.
  • Bleeding.

 

Orthognathic surgery

Also referred to as corrective jaw surgery, orthognathic surgery aims at correcting jaw and lower face defects. It involves repositioning the chin, maxilla, and mandible to improve the overall facial appearance.

Orthognathic surgery is not a one-time procedure. It is a procedure that involves orthodontic therapy to prepare your teeth for jaw surgery, surgery, recovery, and further orthodontic treatment for up to a year after surgery. Overall, the jaw surgery procedure might take two to three years.

Jaw surgery involves a number of dangers. Some hazards are typical in surgery, such as anesthetic risks, bleeding risk, or infection risk. Other dangers are exclusive to jaw surgery. These dangers include:

  • Your teeth are damaged.
  • Your bones don’t heal as they should.
  • You have problems with your jaw joint.
  • You can’t open your mouth as wide as you’d like.
  • Your cheeks and lower lip remain numb after surgery.
  • You might need additional surgery to fix problems your first surgery didn’t solve.
  • Your original bite problem — the reason you had jaw surgery — might come back.
  • You might have scars.

 

Cheek augmentation

Plastic surgeons perform this procedure to correct facial asymmetries by lifting or adding volume to the cheeks. The common options for improving the cheeks include cheek implants and fat grafting.

Your cosmetic surgeon and/or staff will thoroughly describe the risks of cheek augmentation, which may include:

  • Anesthesia risks
  • Asymmetry
  • Bleeding
  • Cheek implant displacement
  • Deep vein thrombosis, cardiac and pulmonary complications
  • Fatty cysts
  • Fatty tissue found deep in the skin might die (fat necrosis)
  • Fluid accumulation (seroma)
  • Hematoma
  • Infection
  • Lumpiness
  • Numbness or other changes in skin sensation
  • Persistent pain
  • Poor aesthetic result of donor site for fat transfer
  • Possibility of revisional surgery
  • Skin discoloration and/or prolonged swelling
  • Thick scar tissue around cheek implant (capsular contracture)

 

Face and neck lift

This procedure can do a lot to the face. First, it helps get rid of excess fat cells. This enables the surgeon to contour the different features of the face and improve sagging skin and tired eyes. Moreover, regular facelifts give the face a youthful look by eliminating the dead skin cells. Eventually, it uncovers the new vibrant underneath the skin.

Facelift surgery, like any other operation, might result in problems. Some issues can be addressed with proper care, drugs, and surgical treatment. Other long-term or permanent consequences, although uncommon, might alter your look.

Here are some of the risks associated with facelift surgery:

  • Anesthesia risks
  • Bleeding or hematoma. A hematoma is a collection of blood under the skin that causes swelling, pressure, and pain.
  • Nerve injury. It is a rare complication, yet it can permanently or temporarily affect sensory nerves or nerves that supply face muscles.
  • Blood clots. 
  • Pain or scarring. Rarely, the incision might be raised and red. Corticosteroid injections will help with this situation. 
  • Skin loss. If facelifts interrupted the blood supply of the skin, there will be skin loss and sloughing off the dead skin. 
  • Infection. 
  • Cardiac problems. 
  • Problems with wound healing. 
  • Hair loss. You might find some areas of hair loss at the incision site; it may be permanent or temporary.
  • Prolonged swelling. 

 

Facial implants

If the cause of facial asymmetry is the skeletal structure, then the use of implants can be helpful. Plastic surgeons often recommend this form of treatment to address cheek and chin imbalances. Usually, the implants are permanent and mostly made of gels, silicone, plastics, metals, or proteins.

Facial implants have some disadvantages that include:

  • There are chances of infection which could lead to implant removal.
  • Risk of postoperative minimal bleeding, infection or swelling.
  • Contouring abnormalities may occur due to uneven resorption or implant displacement.

 

Facelift and blepharoplasty 

The facelift procedure aims at reducing the appearance of sagging and loose skin to give you a younger look. On the other hand, blepharoplasty helps eliminate fatty deposits and loose skin in the eye region. It can also remove hanging and loose eyelids to give you an asymmetrical look on the face.

All surgical procedures entail the risk of bleeding, bruising, and infection. Other risks and problems associated with blepharoplasty include:

  • Blurry vision
  • Damage from excessive sun exposure
  • Dry eyes
  • Itchiness around the eye area
  • Inability to close your eyes
  • Muscle damage
  • Scars

It is critical to discuss these risks with your doctor ahead of time. Also notify your surgeon if you have had any previous difficulties with any form of surgery.

 

Non-surgical methods

On the other hand, non-surgical approaches aim at correcting slight and minor asymmetries. It involves the use of cosmetic injectables to enhance and restore the volume of the face. At the same time, it improves facial contours and associated asymmetries. However, in most cases, repeated treatment is necessary to achieve the desired results. 

Some of the non-surgical alternatives include; 

Botox injection: Plastic surgeons often use Botox injection to address the prominence of the jaw and raise an eyebrow that sits low. In other cases, the surgeons can use the injection to correct nasal asymmetries. 

Dermal fillers: Plastic surgeons can recommend tissue fillers, including Voluma, Sculptra, or Radiesse. This helps increase the volume of the impaired side of the cheek or jaw. Hence, it restores a better balance to the features.

 

What to Expect During the Procedure?

Procedure of Facial asymmetry

Before the treatment procedure, the surgeon or medical provider will first conduct a physical examination of the face. They will use the images and imaging to make a diagnosis and plan for the treatment. You and the doctor will also discuss and address in depth the advice and the recommended treatment procedure. 

Based on the issue to address, several surgeries might be necessary to achieve the desired outcome. The correction procedure can thus involve the following; 

  • Adding soft tissue
  • Alloplastic implant (addition of the facial implant)
  • Bone graft (insertion of the bone)
  • Osteotomy (moving bone)
  • Reducing bone, 
  • Reducing soft tissue via liposuction

All these treatment procedures aim at correcting facial defects and provide a more symmetrical appearance. In other cases, the surgeon can recommend fat grafting to help improve the soft tissue results. 

Generally, it’s vital to find a surgeon who is experienced in all treatment procedures. With this, you will be assured that process won’t be limited by a specific collection of equipment or techniques. Considering this is also essential since facial asymmetry correction involves the use of numerous instruments. Hence, you wouldn’t want to risk. 

In most cases, the surgeon works with different medical experts. This is to prepare and cautiously plan for the treatment, including before and after the operation. 

When performing the correction procedure, the surgeon will first administer anesthesia either orally or intravenously through the vein. The treatment process to conduct next will be based on the nature of the procedure to perform. It can thus include modifications in the following areas:

  • Cheeks
  • Chin
  • Ears
  • Eyebrows or brow bones
  • Eyelids
  • Forehead
  • Jaw
  • Lips
  • Neck
  • Nose

 

What to Expect During Recovery?

Facial asymmetry  Recovery

After the treatment procedure, you are likely to experience swelling and bruising. In most cases, the swelling and associated pain can peak after a few days following the operation. However, it will diminish within a few weeks. 

Depending on the severity or seriousness of the procedure, you can go home on that same day. However, if the condition is more intense, you may be required to remain in the hospital for at least one or more nights. 

Once the condition stabilizes, you can return home with prescribed medications to help with the healing process and prevent infections. The doctor will also give you instructions on how to nurse the wound and avoid causing any damage.

 

Facial asymmetry surgery cost

Facial asymmetry surgery cost

Because each facial asymmetry surgery is tailored to the individual, expenses vary depending on your specific requirements. When your insurance company deems that the operations are medically required to correct deformities or functional difficulties, insurance coverage may be available.

The cost of facial asymmetry surgery ranges between USD 5,000 and USD 10,000. Costs vary depending on the surgeon, geographic location, and complexity of the treatment.

 

Conclusion

Facial Asymmetry Correction

Facial asymmetry is a situation where one side of the face is different from the other. Minor facial asymmetries are usually common and include small minute irregularities that define a person’s face and are mostly unnoticeable. However, major asymmetries are often noticeable and highly affect the overall aesthetic appearance. In such a situation, facial asymmetry correction is necessary to correct the defect and give you a better look. 

For the best facial asymmetry treatment, you can always consider the CloudHospital medical platform. Here you will get an opportunity to receive treatment from renowned plastic surgeons and other medical experts. Their aim involves providing comprehensive treatment according to the patient’s needs and ultimate goals.