Root causes of facial asymmetry
Facial asymmetry can have a pathological and physiological origin, and in prof.
In relation, it is of interest to neurologists, plastic surgery, maxillofacial surgery, anthropology, psychology, dentistry, forensic medicine, and cosmetology. What are the causes of facial asymmetry? What to do if there is strong asymmetry?
A certain number of people turn to plastic surgeons and cosmetologists about an asymmetrical face, or rather elements. But much more often, the disproportion is determined by a specialist when examining other defects or by a plastic surgeon who must perform a volumetric plastic surgery.
The symmetry and shape of all points mainly depends on the structure of the cartilage and bones of the skull (facial), as well as on the tone and volume of the masticatory and facial muscles that pass to the vessels and nerves, the degree of development, the thickness and volume of subcutaneous fatty tissue.
Of the large number of manifestations of the facial skull, which also includes osteochondral structures, the nose is considered the most important aesthetic and cosmetic formation. Its sizes and shapes not only determine this aesthetics, but are also considered to be the main ones in the formation of asymmetry. Of course, if you look very carefully, differences and unevenness in the contours of the eyebrows, the depth of the nasolabial folds, as well as in the different shapes of the corners of the mouth, the position of the wings of the nose, in different shapes and sizes of the ears, and so on can be expressed.
Correction of facial asymmetry is not considered necessary.
The absence of ideal asymmetry not only in the face, but also in other parts of the body and skeleton is mainly determined by personal morphological and anatomical features of development, both for various reasons that manifest themselves throughout the entire life course, and of a congenital nature.
Externally, a violation of facial asymmetry is almost invisible, and occurs in absolutely all people. Deviations in proportions that range from three to five degrees or from two to three millimeters are the physiological norm.
The approach to deciding whether facial asymmetry needs to be eliminated is greatly influenced by the diagnosis of the causes.
How to “read” a face
For greater convenience, the face is conventionally divided into 3 zones: upper, middle and lower.
The top is the frontal area; it reflects the life path of a person at the age of 15-30 years, as well as in old age. The owner of a smooth, high forehead, on which folds and wrinkles are not particularly visible, has good health and a harmonious spirit. This is an optimist who positively assesses himself, his own life and everything that happens around him.
The middle zone of the face is the area from the eyebrow line to the tip of the nose. By looking at it, you can learn about the period of a person’s life from 30 to 50 years. Smooth, slightly arched eyebrows indicate a well-rounded personality. If there is a larger arc over one eye than over the other, then some trait predominates in temperament, for example, stubbornness or determination. The thicker and darker the eyebrows, the better health their owner can boast. When the hairs of the eyebrows stick out and rise up, it means that the person is very kind and generous, he is always ready to help. Eyebrow hairs point downwards in shy, modest and quiet people. Such individuals cannot be leaders, but they are excellent performers.
The condition of a person's eyebrows can change throughout life. Discoloration or active hair loss is a cause for concern. Ancient scientists were sure that this is how internal life energy leaves a person. In the modern understanding, this means a depressed and apathetic state of the individual.
It’s not for nothing that the eyes are poetically called the “mirror of the soul.” They can be used to determine the predominant character traits of a person. People with big eyes are considered daredevils, incapable of meanness. Deep-set, narrow eyes indicate duplicity and cunning. The smaller the eyes, the more smug and proud their owner is. True, this does not apply to representatives of eastern races, for whom narrow-eyedness is an ethnic feature. It must be said that the Japanese are especially skilled in classifying the eye zone. They identified 40 variants of the “mirror of the soul”, correlating them with different animals. Eyes like “boar”, “bear”, “monkey” and others indicate the similarity of the personality with the character of the animal. However, few people use this division today, since it is complex and not very convenient.
Neuroscience's relationship to asymmetry
If we talk about the disease from the neurological point of view, facial asymmetry is primarily revealed by a lack of symmetry in the cerebral hemispheres. Each of the large hemispheres carries out microregulation of sensations (that is, sensory), as well as motor skills of the corresponding halves of the body, in different ways. At the same moment, the acceptance by one person of the facial expressions of another also depends on the degree of reaction between the hemispheres of a particular person.
Neuroscience as a science considers the problem of facial asymmetry as a personal perception by the observer.
In other words, one person’s conclusion about asymmetry can be erroneous, while another person, due to the peculiarities of the interaction of the hemispheres, can come to the opposite conclusion.
That is why in neurology the following types of facial asymmetry are distinguished, which should also be accepted in plastic surgery and cosmetology when finalizing the issue of correcting facial asymmetry.
Morphological or static type
This type of asymmetry disorder is characterized by the presence of differences in the resting state by other elements in structure, proportions, shapes and sizes. The reasons for all these differences mainly lie in personal developmental properties, diseases of the facial and masticatory muscles, the consequences of the disease and traumatic injuries, and pathology of the bones of the facial skull.
Functional (dynamic) type
It mainly consists of asynchronous contractions of the facial muscles and those formed during facial expressions. For example, an asymmetry that was absent at rest or simply a slight disproportion at rest is formed or seriously intensified when the lips are stretched out with a tube or a smile. The dynamic form of facial asymmetry is associated with acquired or congenital pathology of the muscles of facial expression, residual effects of damage to the facial central nerve, or a peripheral one in the form of Bell's palsy. With all this, the severity of asymmetry depends on the degree of damage to the facial nerve.
How to deal with asymmetry?
Treatment for facial asymmetry in a newborn depends on what factor caused this manifestation.
For torticollis, the child is prescribed special medications, as well as regular massage sessions and electrophoresis. Proper positioning of the child gives a good result. In particular, the child should lie with his healthy side against the wall. The baby will want to look at what is happening in the room and will try to turn its head in the opposite direction, which will stretch the brevis muscle.
For torticollis, pediatricians recommend using a special donut instead of a pillow, which you can make yourself from sterile bandages and cotton wool. You can also place bags of cereal on both sides of the head. The child should be kept in this position for 2 hours every day.
Wearing a Shants collar, which is a foam rubber structure with a notch for the chin, helps correct torticollis.
Massage and physical therapy can help achieve excellent results for torticollis.
After the sternocleidomastoid muscle stretches, the asymmetry of the newborn’s face will also disappear. It is important to start treatment as early as possible, otherwise irreversible changes may occur in the facial muscles
For epilepsy and birth trauma, treatment is prescribed individually. As a rule, if a baby suffers from epileptic seizures, the asymmetry of his face is one of the least problems of parents. To relieve seizures, special medications are prescribed, and modern physiotherapy helps achieve good results. Birth injuries that lead to facial asymmetry can be corrected with regular massage of the baby's face. How to perform this massage? You will learn about this in the next section.
Correcting asymmetry
Therapy for this pathology is based on the causes, as well as establishing the degree and type of pathological condition and prescribing treatment for the corresponding pathology in combination with the use of neurotrophic methods.
Since the most common cause is neuropathy of the facial nerve, the main principles of treatment are:
In the use of appropriate neurological traditional drug therapy;- Use of stabilized hyaluronic acid fillers;
- Carrying out thread lifting, or surgical correction;
- Injections of botulinum toxin preparations on the affected or healthy side.
In addition, in almost all cases, special gymnastics exercises against facial asymmetry can be used, as well as electrical stimulation sessions, unless of course you have contraindications to its implementation.
Bolulotoxin injections
Various types of botulinum toxin preparations can be used for botulinum therapy:
- Dysport.
- Botox
- Lantox.
In case of paresis and paralysis, correction with these means is done on the healthy half of the face, because it is there that increased muscle tone is formed.
In the case of the presence of muscle contractures, synkinesis and hyperkinesis, injections are given to the dependent muscles. Often, such therapy can rehabilitate facial asymmetry without surgery within four to six months.
Dermal gels
At the next stage, soft tissue volumes are adjusted and contouring is performed using hyaluronic acid fillers.
All medications included in the comprehensive therapy can make it possible to achieve high aesthetic and functional results in patients with long-term and severe forms of paralysis of the facial muscles.
Preparations of stabilized hyaluronic acid can not only remove the disproportion of areas and rehabilitate the aesthetic condition, but also have an excellent effect by improving microcirculation and trophic processes in tissues.
Thread lifting and surgical treatment
In such cases, when facial asymmetry is characterized by serious severity in the amount of more than five centimeters, surgical correction is necessary, because conservative treatment methods will not help.
At the same time, in case of paresis, in the presence of certain concomitant diseases, local defects of the terminal sections or the 1st branch of the facial nerve, or the patient’s refusal of surgical intervention, correction is possible using minimally invasive thread lifting, that is, a tightening.
Basically, thread lifting is done in combination with botulinum therapy, and correction after surgery with stabilized hyaluronic acid fillers or during lipofilling surgery, that is, autologous fat.
The combination of all these methods can significantly improve the patient’s condition, significantly increase his quality of life and facilitate the so-called social adaptation.
Gymnastics for facial asymmetry
There are different exercises, here are the main ones:
Close your eyes very tightly, then quickly relax your eyelids;- Strongly stretch your lips folded forward and pronounce the letter I;
- Imitate the greatest inhalation, while pressing the wings of the nose with your fingers;
- Move your tongue in a circle in your mouth in front of your teeth;
- Slowly move the lower jaw to the left and right sides, while holding the position for two seconds;
- Smile alternately with the corners of your lips;
- Raise your eyebrows and at the same time your eyelids as high as possible;
- Frown your eyebrows very slowly and forcefully.
When performing gymnastics, we advise you to apply special loads to the problem part. The number of repetitions of each of the above exercises on the problematic side must be at least 20 times, and on the healthy side at least 10.
Lip asymmetry and treatment methods
Quite a few diseases can provoke facial defects or become a factor in actively accompanying the development of the disease.
In general, here is a list of those diseases after which disturbances in facial contours, lip asymmetry and other deviations develop:
- Viral infections. As a rule, even harmless herpes can become a provoking factor. You should especially be wary of protracted illnesses that require complex treatment. They are the initial cause of facial asymmetry.
- Bacterial infections can negatively affect the facial nerve, thereby causing paralysis of a certain area or complete damage to the facial-gestural apparatus. Prominent representatives include: syphilis, diphtheria.
- Meningitis.
- Even diabetes can cause facial defects.
In general, any disease potentially poses a threat to the face of the sick person
It is very important to quickly eliminate aggravating factors that can cause further complications and provoke asymmetry.
Treatment
As a rule, doctors do not recommend treatment unless there is a pronounced difference in the proportions and shapes of the face. If, after diagnosis, lip asymmetry or any other type of facial defect has been identified, it is necessary to quickly proceed to treatment or correction of the problem.
If the problem is hidden in damage to the facial nerve, treatment is carried out in the neurological department of the hospital. To eliminate this problem, various acupressures, physiotherapy and much more are used. During treatment, a neurologist is obliged to examine the patient daily and, at the first improvements, change surgical methods of intervention to rehabilitation or correctional ones.
It is worth explaining what the peculiarity of the correction is. The correction is not intended to treat pathology, but only to eliminate visual defects. For example, smoothing the facial muscles and bringing them to their original position. Doctors advise men to grow a mustache or beard to visually hide the imperfections of chin or lip defects. Women – the right choice of makeup. In general terms, correction can be compared to plastic surgery without the direct intervention of a surgeon. The main task is to hide facial imperfections through natural intervention. Plastic surgery is used only if the patient’s speech is impaired or vision deteriorates.
There is also special muscle gymnastics for developing the jaw apparatus, improving the mobility of stagnant muscles and correcting the bite. The necessary treatment measures are prescribed by the doctor after diagnosing and determining the exact cause of the pathology.
The face is the mirror of a person. That is why impaired facial asymmetry can greatly ruin your life. Society does not always accept people who are different from others, and in some cases they begin to simply ignore pathologically ill people.
Of course, it is extremely difficult to muster the courage to visit a medical facility for treatment and correction of impaired facial asymmetry, because it requires considerable moral preparation. However, the longer the process of visiting a doctor is delayed, the more internal complexes develop, and the person rejects himself more and more. You shouldn’t delay this, but act decisively.
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Treatment of facial asymmetry
To diagnose facial asymmetry, it is enough to examine the patient. At the same time, the doctor should have a patient’s card with medical histories in his hands. There are special tools that allow you to accurately measure the proportions of a person’s face.
In order to accurately determine the extent of the disease and its possible consequences, it is necessary to undergo the following examination:
Examination and recommendations of doctors: neurologist, ophthalmologist, dentist, neurosurgeon; Diagnosis of the disease using neurological equipment; X-ray of the skull; If necessary, you will be prescribed an MRI.
Treatment for facial asymmetry resulting from serious pathology may vary. From regular massage to physiotherapy treatments and facial frames. However, it is worth remembering that self-medication in this case is unacceptable.
In order to correct minor changes in facial proportions, you can apply regular makeup. Women can easily do this with the help of cosmetics and hairstyles, and men can be advised to grow a beard or mustache.
In this case, you should resort to the help of plastic surgeons as a last resort.
Video: doctors about asymmetry
In the video, the doctor examines a case of asymmetry (eyes and ears of different sizes), explains why the pathology occurs and advises dealing with this problem using osteopathic treatment.
In the following video, the maxillofacial surgeon talks about pediatric and adult pathology and the causes of its occurrence. The doctor talks about possible ways to solve the problem of acquired and congenital asymmetry.
The development of asymmetry can be reduced or prevented. There are many options for treating and correcting the defect, you just need to choose the right one. An excellent preventive measure is maintaining a healthy lifestyle, giving up bad habits, and regular dental checkups.
Manifestation of facial asymmetry: congenital and acquired
How to eliminate it depends on what provoking factor causes facial asymmetry. Congenital asymmetry of a child's face may be a consequence of genetic predisposition or developmental disorders of the fetus in the womb. The causes of congenital asymmetry include the following:
Disorders associated with the formation of bone tissue; Pathologies of the formation of the joint that attaches the lower jaw to the upper jaw; Disturbances in the processes of formation of cartilage and joint tissues; Disruptions in the formation and growth of the lower jaw.
Acquired asymmetry can manifest itself in both children and adults. The reasons for this may be the following factors:
It is contraindicated to constantly place children in a crib on one side of the body. This can lead to a curvature of the neck and disruption of the symmetry of the facial bones; Strabismus contributes to the development of asymmetry; Furunculosis on the face causes pinched nerves, which, in turn, can contribute to the development of asymmetry; There are no teeth on one side of the oral cavity, which leads to a curvature of the bite and a misalignment of the lower jaw; Serious fractures that resulted in the formation of calluses and improperly fused bones; Features of human facial expressions. For example, constantly squinting one eye leads to the fact that over time this eye becomes narrower.
