Contact & assessment

If the change is new, or on one side only

Do not book a cosmetic consultation first. A fold that has appeared over weeks, a one-sided change in a face that was symmetrical, weakness on one side of the mouth, numbness in the cheek, lip or chin, drooling, or a mouth that no longer closes properly needs medical assessment. A lump in the fold that is hard, fixed or growing, or a sore that has not healed, is also seen for its own sake rather than as a cosmetic question.

Arranging an ordinary assessment

Where the fold has been present for years and both sides are broadly the same, appointments are made through the hospital outpatient line or through the appointment service described on the appointments page. Say that you are asking about the lines beside the mouth so that the right clinic time is booked. If you are travelling from outside Chongqing, say so when you book, because the assessment can sometimes be arranged alongside any tests in fewer visits.

What to bring

Bring a list of your current medicines and allergies, the names of any conditions you are being treated for, and any previous treatment records for the face, including injections and filler and when they were last given, because the timing changes how the muscles and the cheek are assessed. Mention recent weight change and any dental treatment. Old photographs are more useful than you would expect, because they show whether a difference between the two sides is new or has always been there.

What happens at the consultation

Expect an examination rather than a presentation. The fold is looked at in repose with light directed across the cheek, then mid-smile and held; the position of the cheek pad and the resting position of the mouth corner are recorded; the height the corner reaches on smiling is noted; and the history covers sun exposure, smoking, weight change, dental treatment and previous treatment. You should leave knowing how much of the fold is movement, how much is volume and how much is descent, and what each option would and would not change.

Questions without booking

Questions about the content of this site, including any correction you believe should be made to it, are welcome through the hospital administration line. Clinical questions about your own case are best answered in person, and we will say so rather than guess.