Asymmetrical face shape? (photo)

Question

My face is generally very asymettrical but my asymettical face shape bothers me. One side of my face (my right side) i think has a nice shape but the other side (left side) is less angular and I just dislike it, i think my jaw, chin and cheeks don't look as nice/sharp. What could I do to get my left side like my right side? The first picture is of my right side and the second picture is of my left.

Waldemar Merck, MD · Answer

I can’t see any significantly asymmetrical face shape in your photo. It would be good if you could post a photo showing your whole face which has been taken exactly from the middle of your face. In general, John Frodel MD was right when he gave you the following answer in January 7th, 2014: “Facial asymmetry is actually quite common”.One has to know that a slightly asymmetrical face makes the face appear more interesting to the observer, whereas a totally symmetrical face appears boring.Symmetry is a subject that often comes up in otoplasty, as patients with protruding ears always want to have their ears symmetrical – to the millimetre when possible. I have written the following comments to the question, "How can you achieve a position of the ears that is the same on both sides?" :"We have noted, that patients want to have their ears pinned as symmetrically as possible with the new modern minimally invasive stitch method of otoplasty. One should know, nevertheless, that normal non-protruding ears are rarely naturally symmetrical. Even the face is not symmetrical, and the ears are a part of the face. In a publicised study, hundreds of non-protruding ears were measured and the result was, that the average difference between both ears, when comparing ear-to-head distances, was 2 mm. Despite that, we pin the ears as symmetrically as possible and the patient can check this with a hand-held mirror. However, the ears can move outwards a few millimetres after the operation and this doesn’t always occur symmetrically. As long as this doesn’t result in protruding ears again, there is no sense in correcting them again, because it is well-known and proven by photo composition, that a slightly asymmetrical face looks more interesting to an observer than a totally symmetrical one.There are also surgeons that have written about the subject of symmetry : „ The aim of otoplasty is not to achieve a complete symmetrical conformity of both ears. That is unnatural, whereas an individual asymmetry is natural “.These comments on the significance of symmetry, or rather asymmetry, also apply to other regions and operations on the face and head.

John Frodel, MD · Answer

Facial asymmetry is actually quite common.  While major jaw surgery can straighten the face, a good compromise involves placing implants on the smaller side (your left), usually in the cheek and outer lower jaw region.  Sometimes, a genioplasty (moving the chin bone) can be done to place the chin in a more midline position.   I encourage you to be evaluated by a surgeon with experience in this type of surgery.

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