Facial asymmetry and palsy
Most people think of muscle balancing as a way to smooth wrinkles. It also rebalances facial muscles. If you have facial asymmetry, or asymmetry left after facial palsy including Bell's palsy, the aim is to help you move more comfortably and look more balanced.
What it treats
Understanding asymmetry and palsy
Facial asymmetry and palsy mainly involve the muscles and nerves. They can show up in different ways:
- One side of the face pulling harder during a smile.
- One side dropping or feeling heavier, especially when tired.
- Excessive clenching on one side of the jaw.
After something like Bell's palsy, some facial muscles can stay weak while others work too hard to compensate. This can lead to an uneven smile, changes in how your eyes close, or pulling around your mouth and cheeks. To assess this properly, we watch how your face moves as you talk, smile and blink, rather than just looking at a photo.
How muscle balancing helps
Muscle balancing relaxes muscles that are working too hard, so they stop pulling against or overpowering the weaker side of your face.
- For facial palsy, we gently relax the side that is working too much. This helps your smile look more even, balances movement, and eases tightness.
- For general asymmetry, we relax muscles that pull or clench too much. This can help if one side of your jaw looks wider, your lip pulls higher on one side, or your eyebrows are uneven.
Muscle balancing can't repair damaged nerves or change bone structure, but it can balance how your muscles work. That can make a real difference to how comfortable you feel and how you look each day.
The treatment approach
Treating asymmetry needs a personalised, careful approach.
- Custom doses: we use different amounts on each side of your face, targeting specific muscles to balance your features.
- Subtle adjustments: we usually start with a small dose to avoid over-relaxing, then fine-tune once we see the first results.
- Temporary and reviewable: effects usually last 3 to 4 months, so we can see how your muscles respond and adjust your next treatment.
Before & after
Real Harmony Medical patients, shared with consent. Individual results vary.
Questions, answered
No. Our focus is muscle balance, not removing all movement. Doses and injection points are tailored to your expressions and your asymmetry, often different on each side. We would rather you look softer and more rested than ‘done’, so you still look like you, just not pulled or clenched as hard on one side.
You will usually notice changes around day 3 to 5. The effect builds and often peaks around two weeks after treatment. That is why we like to review you at or after the two-week mark, when we can check the balance and make any adjustments for next time.
Brow heaviness can happen if too much product is placed in the wrong spot for your anatomy. To manage this:
- We check how your brows and forehead move naturally first, since some people use their forehead muscles more than others.
- We use lighter, more strategic dosing rather than flooding the whole forehead.
- We allow a little movement if it keeps your brows feeling natural to you.
Is the risk zero? No. Any forehead treatment carries some risk of heaviness. But with careful planning and small doses, the aim is to smooth your forehead, not weigh it down.
It varies, but as a guide:
- Most people repeat treatment every 3 to 4 months to keep the same balance and softness.
- Some muscles, especially strong jaws, may hold longer once they have been calmed a few times.
- We see how quickly your movement returns and agree a schedule that suits you. There is no pressure to stick to a strict timetable if your life or budget changes.
It can often help as part of a bigger plan, especially if clenching is causing:
- Jaw pain or tightness
- Headaches from over-working jaw muscles
- A heavier, squarer look on one side of the face
At Harmony in Halifax we assess both your face and your bite. If needed, we will recommend you also see your own dentist or a TMJ specialist, so we don’t miss tooth wear, joint issues or bite problems. So yes, muscle balancing can help with clenching or TMJ-type symptoms in Halifax, as long as it is part of a full medical and dental assessment, not just a ‘face slimming’ trend.