Types of Facial Asymmetry | Cause of Facial Asymmetry | What is Facial Asymmetry

Types of Facial Asymmetry | Cause of Facial Asymmetry | What is Facial Asymmetry

What Is Facial Asymmetry?

It’s a condition found in most people to some degree. When facial asymmetry is more pronounced, it can affect your day-to-day life or be a sign of a more serious underlying condition. Facial asymmetry can affect your physical appearance and limit how your nose, mouth, and eyes function. It can look like:

1)Cheek retrusion
2)Eye displacement
3)Eyebrow lowering
4)Brown bone and forehead protrusion
5) Nasal deviations

If you think you have facial asymmetry, which is affecting your health or the functions of your face, you should reach out to a healthcare provider for a more detailed diagnosis. It might be visually obvious that you have facial asymmetry, but it could also be a sign of something more serious.

Subjective and objective tests coupled with quick, specific analysis of your genes can give your healthcare provider the information they need to help you decide on a plan for treatment.

Facial Asymmetry Causes

Age
A study on 200 people using 3D digital imaging technology found a strong correlation between age and facial asymmetry — here, the faces of older participants were much more asymmetrical than those of younger participants. Although any part of the face could become asymmetrical, researchers found that age-related changes in facial symmetry typically affected the bottom two-thirds of your face — from your eyebrows to your chin. These changes, however, did not have negative effects on the participants’ health.

Genetics
Sometimes an asymmetrical face is just the result of development and genetics. If prominent, asymmetrical lips run in your family, chances are that you might have them too.

Cleft lip and palate and vascular disorders are genetic health conditions that researchers point toTrusted Source as causes for asymmetrical features.

Sun damage
As you age, exposure to UV rays can cause spots, patches, and moles to develop on your skin. Sun damage is rarely distributed evenly over your whole face, especially if you spend time outside wearing a baseball hat, work outside, or spend a lot of time driving.

Sun damage can cause damage to one side or one area of your face.

Smoking
Because smoking exposes your face to toxins, it makes sense that smoking was directly correlatedTrusted Source to facial asymmetry in a 2014 study.

Dental work
Having a tooth extracted can change the way the muscles in your face appear. Using dentures or getting dental veneers can also change the contours of your face. The result isn’t always symmetrical. In a 2014 studyTrusted Source of 147 pairs of identical twins, more facial asymmetry was linked to having had dental extraction.

Lifestyle habits
Some people believe that sleeping on your belly or with your face against a pillow, sitting with your legs crossed in the same direction for long periods of time, having poor posture, and resting your face against your hand can all contribute to facial asymmetry.

Injury
Trauma or injury to your face during childhood or in adulthood can cause asymmetry. Injuries like a broken nose or a deep cut can cause your face to appear asymmetrical.

Stroke
Facial drooping is a sign of a stroke. If your smile is suddenly uneven or you experience numbness on one side of your face you should seek immediate medical care. Other symptoms of a stroke include arm numbness or weakness and difficulty speaking.

How to test if your features are symmetrical?

the peak of your forehead and the bottom of your chin (This is the only set of points you will check for vertical symmetry; the rest are horizontal.)
the crease on the far side of both of your eyes
the crease of where each of your eyes begins next to the bridge of your nose
the crease where your lips begin on both sides
the widest point of both sides of your face

How are asymmetrical features treated?
In most cases, an asymmetrical face doesn’t need any treatment or medical intervention. In many cases, asymmetrical faces are considered to have a unique charm and attraction. If you’re concerned about asymmetrical features on your face, there are some cosmetic surgery procedures you may consider.

Fillers
Inserting a “soft filler” into your face by way of an injection may correct the appearance of facial asymmetry. Use of Botox or a filler ingredient is a popular way to raise eyebrows that don’t appear even, or a forehead that wrinkles on only one side.

Fillers work well for asymmetry that results from tissue imbalance or muscle weakness. Fillers don’t last forever, and eventually their effects will fade.

Facial implants
If your face is asymmetrical because of your skeletal structure, you may consider implants. This treatment is popular for chin or cheek imbalances. Facial implants are meant to be permanent, and are made of:

silicone
metals
plastics
gels
proteins
Rhinoplasty