Facial Asymmetry Correction

Q: Dr. Eppley, I want to know more about surgery to correct facial asymmetry. The right side of my face is significantly higher than the left side. I’m from out of town so I can attach some pictures if that would help.

A: Thank you for sending your pictures. What you have is a right facial asymmetry that is complete and involves all facial structures from the eyebrow down to the chin. The right face is vertically shorter and every facial feature, albeit the actual eyeball, is pulled closer together which is why the right eyebrow is lower, there is ‘extra’ skin of the right upper eyelid, the cheek is smaller, the right nostril is less wide and shorter, the mouth corner is less wide with less vermilion and the right chin and jawline is shorter.

Like all facial asymmetry surgery the key is to  first make a list of the facial asymmetries from most important to least important and then devise a surgical plan accordingly. I always tell my facial asymmetry patients to pick three of them that is most bothersome and make them the top surgical priorities. I have my list of what I would choose but I prefer to hear what the patient has to say first.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana