I Had a Facelift and my Smile Seems Asymmetrical; is This Temporary or a Mistake?

Hello, and sorry to hear about the issue you are experiencing. It is possible you may be experiencing some temporary nerve damage. The side effects of temporary nerve damage may include the following:

1) Numbness of the face
2) Difficulty making certain facial expressions
3) Ear numbness
4) Drooping of facial features (mouth or cheek)


In general, most temporary nerve damage that occurs from a facelift will be resolve in anywhere from 6 months to a year. It may take longer for a complete recovery, but it depends on the patient and the circumstances of the issue. I would recommend communicating any concerns to your surgeon, as they know the extent of your procedure and exactly what was performed. I hope this helps, and I wish you the best of luck.

Minor trauma to a motor nerve during the facelift might generate temporary asymmetric movement. This should be very uncommon but will resolve. Make certain however that the asymmetry was not present prior to the operation.

Some asymmetry with facial animation for the first few weeks following a facelift is generally not cause for concern.  There may be a small amount of traction on branches of the facial nerve while the tissues heal. This is expected to resolve over several weeks.