One side of face has more volume than the other, what can I do? (photo)

Hi @babijenny. Thank you for sharing your photo--facial asymmetry is normal. I recommend trying hyaluronic acid dermal fillers.

Best of luck,

Dr. Nima

Almost everyone has some degree of asymmetry to their face. What side do you sleep on? What side do you chew more on? on questions to keep in mind when you go in for a consultation. As to the pictures you have provided us with, you can tell your right masseter is more pronounced then your left.  A combination of Jaw botox and filler in your cheek areas can balance everything. Best,Dr. Anil Shah, MD FACS 

First, if you examine anyone's face, you would likely find some degree of asymmetry, i.e. one side larger than the other, higher or lower than the other, etc. So, it is not always necessary to chase after creating an elusive symmetry. However, the degree of asymmetry noted in the photo provided does support treatment. Fortunately, the use of a volumizing filler, such as Voluma XC, which I would choose for this in my NY practice, can be helpful for augmenting the cheeks and posterior angle of the jaw, which should take no more than ten minutes to achieve and should go a long way to achieving greater balance between the right and left sides of your upper and lower cheek regions. In my Israel satellite facility, where a far greater number of regulatory agency approved volumizing fillers are available, I would choose Stylage XXL for the upper cheeks and Restylane Volyme for the posterior angle of the jaw area. Results may last up to two years in the upper cheeks and about a year plus in the more mobile region of the lower face. I personally stopped using fat injections many years ago, since the results of these did not prove to last significantly longer than off-the-shelf injectable fillers, was more expensive, involved two minimally invasive procedures--one to withdraw the fat from the buttocks, abdomen or hips and the other to reinject it via large bore cannulas into the face--and finally, since fat retains the properties of the region from which it is taken, the possibility exists that with aging the transplanted fat may "put on weight" the way those areas from which the fat was taken typically do with the passage of time. Make sure that you consult with a board certified aesthetic physician. Best of luck. 

Volumizing fillers that are are great for temporary treatment such as Volume, Restylane Lift, and Radiesse are good choices. If you want more long lasting results you can consider a fat transfer or a VampireFacelift.

One thing to consider is the use of fillers that can help voluminize areas with loss of volume. 

Facial symmetry is a desirable quality in most facial cosmetic procedures, however the majority of patients have underlying asymmetries.  These can be due to differences in the facial skeleton, muscle size, and/or amount of fat.  Tendencies to sleep on one side predisposes you to facial asymmetries as well. Your provider will be able to show you some baseline asymmetries before treatment. A thorough facial examination will help to reveal the cause of these differences (one or multiple factors).  Volumization is considered a youthful treatment. There are ways to help camouflage these asymmetries using fillers, however proper facial evaluation is key.  When similar filler techniques are performed on the left and right sides of the face, these asymmetries can be magnified.  You may discuss facial "balancing" with your provider and help to soften the differences across the left and right sides.  Often times, it is helpful to approach these issues in a gradual fashion, to avoid over-correction of the problem. There is only so much filler that should be used depending on your level of aging.  Rest assured, a qualified treatment provider will be able to guide you regarding the appropriate amount of filler.  For example, you may choose to only treat the less full, flatter side first.  

This is a fairly common problem and I can see that your left side is much smaller than your right. Often fillers can be used to help even this out but don't expect perfection. The problem lies in soft tissue and bone, and there is only so much which can be done with fillers. 

First off, most people have some degree of facial asymmetry. Second, putting filler (less commonly fat which is far less predictable in its results) in the smaller/flatter side would like be helpful. At the same time, if the fuller side has masseter hypertrophy, then Botox can be injected into it to bring it down in size.  Best to chat with and get properly assessed by a highly trained and experienced physician such as a dermatologist to optimize results and safety.

It is possible that the masseter muscle on your  right side could be reduced and then fillers put in mid-face to even things up. This can also be achieved with fillers only. What to use depends on what you would like final result to be. Do you use one side of face much more than other? Chewing? Gum? 

My first stage recommendation is for fillers rather than fat. This allows you to evaluate the result and determine optimal volume. Second, if you are thin, you may not have sufficient fat for harvesting to achieve your goals.  Best wishes.