One side of the mouth is pulling down. My surgeon says it will return to normal, but one side is definitely very different from the other, and feels much more numb. It feels as if an elastic band had snapped on the inside. Will this return to normal, really? I have seen no improvement at all yet.
Answer: I am 6 weeks after face lift surgery. My smile is crooked. Hello. Thank you for your question. It appears that you have sustained injury to one or more of the facial nerve branches, which is causing some weakness of the muscles of facial expression on your left side. Injury to the branches of the facial nerve is certainly a risk of facelift surgery, but the incidence is very low. The risk is increased somewhat in deep plane facelift, compared to more conservative approaches, but it has the potential to happen in any case. Facial nerve injury from facelift will typically resolve completely over time in the vast majority of cases, but in rare cases it may be permanent. Most facial nerve injuries following facelift will resolve in the first 6 - 12 months, but it may take up to 2 years to fully recover. If there is any movement on the weak side, then that is promising that the weakness should resolve over time. I would encourage you to follow up with your primary surgeon and express your concerns. They will likely reassure you and recommend patience with the recovery process. I wish you the best in your recovery and in achieving your aesthetic goals.
Helpful 1 person found this helpful
Answer: I am 6 weeks after face lift surgery. My smile is crooked. Hello. Thank you for your question. It appears that you have sustained injury to one or more of the facial nerve branches, which is causing some weakness of the muscles of facial expression on your left side. Injury to the branches of the facial nerve is certainly a risk of facelift surgery, but the incidence is very low. The risk is increased somewhat in deep plane facelift, compared to more conservative approaches, but it has the potential to happen in any case. Facial nerve injury from facelift will typically resolve completely over time in the vast majority of cases, but in rare cases it may be permanent. Most facial nerve injuries following facelift will resolve in the first 6 - 12 months, but it may take up to 2 years to fully recover. If there is any movement on the weak side, then that is promising that the weakness should resolve over time. I would encourage you to follow up with your primary surgeon and express your concerns. They will likely reassure you and recommend patience with the recovery process. I wish you the best in your recovery and in achieving your aesthetic goals.
Helpful 1 person found this helpful
Answer: Crooked smile Thank you for your question and photograph. Your description and photograph indicate that you have some level of nerve injury which will likely resolve as healing progresses. Best of luck.
Helpful
Answer: Crooked smile Thank you for your question and photograph. Your description and photograph indicate that you have some level of nerve injury which will likely resolve as healing progresses. Best of luck.
Helpful
August 6, 2018
Answer: Crooked Smile Hello, I am sorry to hear you are experiencing this after your surgery. Based on your photos, it looks like you are experiencing a nerve injury that should correct itself with time. Unfortunately, these kinds of situations do take time to heal. I would continue to check in with your board certified surgeon every week to make sure that progress is happening and to discuss if injections to the other side of your mouth might help with symmetry until the nerve injury heals. Best of luck!
Helpful
August 6, 2018
Answer: Crooked Smile Hello, I am sorry to hear you are experiencing this after your surgery. Based on your photos, it looks like you are experiencing a nerve injury that should correct itself with time. Unfortunately, these kinds of situations do take time to heal. I would continue to check in with your board certified surgeon every week to make sure that progress is happening and to discuss if injections to the other side of your mouth might help with symmetry until the nerve injury heals. Best of luck!
Helpful
August 2, 2018
Answer: Nerve injury after facelift Dear Madame KeitaMany thanks for posting your photographs and question. As my colleagues have said, it appears that you have a degree of nerve injury. Most of the time this is a temporary issue, but it may take several months to resolve.One good option is to discuss muscle relaxing injections for the other side (particularly below the mouth) with your surgeon. This may improve the symmetry until the other side comes back, and there is some evidence in the literature that it may even speed up the recovery of the other side.I hope all goes well, and that this has been helpful.
Helpful
August 2, 2018
Answer: Nerve injury after facelift Dear Madame KeitaMany thanks for posting your photographs and question. As my colleagues have said, it appears that you have a degree of nerve injury. Most of the time this is a temporary issue, but it may take several months to resolve.One good option is to discuss muscle relaxing injections for the other side (particularly below the mouth) with your surgeon. This may improve the symmetry until the other side comes back, and there is some evidence in the literature that it may even speed up the recovery of the other side.I hope all goes well, and that this has been helpful.
Helpful
July 31, 2018
Answer: 6 weeks after facelift: smile is crooked It is difficult to say without an in person examination, but it appears likely that you have a nerve injury which because it is partial, should recover completely but it can take several months. I would continue to follow closely with your surgeon. Your problem is obviously upsetting, but the likelihood of full recovery is very high.
Helpful
July 31, 2018
Answer: 6 weeks after facelift: smile is crooked It is difficult to say without an in person examination, but it appears likely that you have a nerve injury which because it is partial, should recover completely but it can take several months. I would continue to follow closely with your surgeon. Your problem is obviously upsetting, but the likelihood of full recovery is very high.
Helpful
