What Happens If the Muscles of the Cheek Were Cut from the Corner or the Mouth to the Jaw? (photo)

Question

My friend wants to get a very serious body modification done called a Glasgow Smile. The cheek would be cut from the corner of the mouth to the connecting jaw, literally extending their smile and left to heal "open" not letting the cheek heal back together. What would the effects be to facial expression? What risks would be involved? I have enclosed a picture of a fake Glasgow Smile to show what they wish to get. When it heals they want to get piercings to then hold the cheeks together.

David Shafer, MD, FACS · Answer

This would be a horrible mistake.  In addition to being terribly disfigured, you would loose function of your mouth and some of your face.  You would be cutting through muscles and nerves which are essential for facial animation and loose continence of your mouth when eating and drinking.  

	 

	Please do not go through with the procedure.

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD · Answer

The name comes from a gang style form of torture from Glasgow, Scotland. In 1947, Elizabeth Short (The Black Dahlia ) was found murdered in Los Angeles with this wound. Her cause of death was from blood loss from this laceration. There are important nerves and structures that would be permanently damages by making this cut. Use make up but please do not do this to yourself. Movies use special effects to create appearances. The actor in your photo was not actually cut in this fashion.

What Happens If the Muscles of the Cheek Were Cut from the Corner or the Mouth to the Jaw? (photo)

Answers (2)