Hi everyone. I had a conservative zygoma reduction 1 month ago. I went to a top reviewed clinic and the doctor seemed very competent and thorough. The doctor had to make incisions through the mouth and also on the sideburns. After the surgery my lips swelled up like crazy as well as my lower face. My swelling looked like what you see in double jaw recovery patients. It was a pretty rough recovery and unexpected to say the least. The swelling has since gone done a lot, however I am still quite swollen and I am not able to see any positive difference yet in the cheekbone reduction due to the swelling.
I am going to be patient with the cosmetic results, but the issue i have been struggling with is my upper lip being completely numb and I have lost the ability to smile.
The upper lip numbness affects my daily life, when I am eating or drinking I can't feel foods or temperatures of the upper lip. Things get quite messy.
The upper lip tightness is very devastating as I am unable to talk normally and when I smile I don't show any upper teeth. I am actually not able to smile at all. Try smiling and use your index finger to push down on your lips so that it covers your top teeth completely. That is what my smile looks like.
Needless to say, I am extremely nervous and scared. I of course mentioned this to the doctor and they are telling me it's "normal" but my research says otherwise. I have not been able to find a lot of other zygoma reduction patients who have struggled with the issues I am describing. Even people who have had full double jaw surgery only seem to complain about lower lip numbness and chin numbness. In my case I didn't have any kind of jaw surgery so I am actually really caught off guard that I am experiencing this complication.
I have a poll attached to this thread and would love to know if any of you have some words of encouragement, experience or advice.
I am going to be patient with the cosmetic results, but the issue i have been struggling with is my upper lip being completely numb and I have lost the ability to smile.
The upper lip numbness affects my daily life, when I am eating or drinking I can't feel foods or temperatures of the upper lip. Things get quite messy.
The upper lip tightness is very devastating as I am unable to talk normally and when I smile I don't show any upper teeth. I am actually not able to smile at all. Try smiling and use your index finger to push down on your lips so that it covers your top teeth completely. That is what my smile looks like.
Needless to say, I am extremely nervous and scared. I of course mentioned this to the doctor and they are telling me it's "normal" but my research says otherwise. I have not been able to find a lot of other zygoma reduction patients who have struggled with the issues I am describing. Even people who have had full double jaw surgery only seem to complain about lower lip numbness and chin numbness. In my case I didn't have any kind of jaw surgery so I am actually really caught off guard that I am experiencing this complication.
I have a poll attached to this thread and would love to know if any of you have some words of encouragement, experience or advice.