Chances of permanent damage to the marginal mandibular nerve with jowl liposuction?

The risk is very small and majority of the times it is temporary weakness. Make sure your surgeon is comfortable doing it.
Regards
Dr J

Nerve fibers are pretty strong and I never transacted or cut from liposuction. Instead Liposuction causes temporary nerve injuries primarily from the fatty coding around nerves called the Myelin sheath being stripped. Did degree to nerve damage is typically judged by how long it takes for a nerve function to come back. And it’s mildest farms neurapraxia takes hours to a few days to recover and more severe cases requires for nerve regeneration which can take many months. still, it is pretty much unheard of for someone to have permanent complete nerve injury that does not completely or very close to completely heal.

As long as Liposuction is done below the edge of the mandible the nerve is deep and should not be involved at all. when liposuction is done above the edge of the mandible in the true jowls patients are at risk for developing nerve injury. The more aggressive the liposuction the more likely if the chance of nerve injury.

This is simply a calculated risk the provider and patients need to understand and agree upon. Some plastic surgeons are willing to do liposuction in the “zone of danger” and some are not.

The most common outcome (which is in fact fairly uncommon ) is an uneven smile for a few weeks after the procedure.

This should never happen if the surgeon stays below the edge of the mandible.

Please discuss with your provider.

He or she is responsible for doing the procedure and I’m guessing has already talk to you about the subject.

Best,

Mats Hagstrom MD