Metal Mouth Message Board

You can shorten the face skeletally via orthognathic surgery, but the soft tissue is where the limitations are. If you have a long upper lip, you'll only be able to impact the upper jaw enough to bring the incisor exposure within the normal range.

That said, there are other things that can be done to make the face "appear" shorter. Anything from other cosmetic treatments such as upper lip lifts, rhinoplasty, cheekbone augmentations, to something as simple as a different haircut.

I agree with the others, even the best orthognathic surgeons are trained to balance the face, and even though maxillofacial surgery can do a hell of a lot more than plastic surgery, there are still limitations and your expectations need to be realistic or you will be disappointed.

Combing the hair down so you have bangs really shortens the face. For guys, facial hair can do it, too. And both are free.

maxhammer wrote:Combing the hair down so you have bangs really shortens the face. For guys, facial hair can do it, too. And both are free.

It does depend where your face is long, though. If you have a long mid section (i.e. is out of proportion to the forehead and the chin area), then bangs won't help, etc.

Jaw surgery can shorten the face to some degree via a Le Fort I impaction, which would change the middle a bit. I'd imagine it's fairly subtle though?