“I had my jaw shaved in Korea”... Japanese TV personality reports numbness persisting for three months [Health Talk]

[Financial News] A well-known Japanese influencer who underwent double-jaw and facial contouring surgery in Korea says numbness around his mouth and jaw has persisted even three months after surgery, drawing attention to nerve damage as a side effect of highly complex maxillofacial plastic surgery.
According to foreign media reports on the 26th, influencer Tada, 33, who became known after appearing on Nippon Television Network Corporation (Nippon TV)’s variety show “Getsuyō kara Yofukashi,” recently shared an update on his recovery from surgery on social media.
Last July, he underwent double-jaw and facial-contouring bone-resection surgery in Korea. “The swelling has gone down, so I can manage daily life, but I still have no sensation around my mouth and jaw, and they remain numb,” he said, adding, “My mouth looks awkward when I smile, so it’s obvious I’ve had surgery.”

Numbness or tingling around the lips and jaw after double-jaw surgery (jaw-correction surgery) and facial contouring surgery is one of the relatively common postoperative complications observed in clinical practice.
Medically, the inferior alveolar nerve (a branch of the mandibular nerve), which is responsible for sensation in the lower lip, the skin at the tip of the chin and the gums, runs through the lower jawbone (mandible). Even if the nerve is not directly severed when the jawbone is cut and repositioned, it can be physically stretched by surgical instruments (traction), or temporary nerve palsy (neuropraxia) can occur due to swelling and compression of surrounding tissues.
According to specialists in oral and maxillofacial surgery and plastic surgery, recovery times vary considerably from person to person depending on the extent of nerve damage.
Sensory disturbances caused by simple swelling or mild nerve compression gradually improve within one to three months. But when nerve fibers are stretched or sustain minor damage, nerves regenerate very slowly, at around 1 mm per day. As a result, full sensory recovery typically requires follow-up and physical therapy for six months to a year, and in some cases close to two years. If a nerve is severely or permanently damaged during osteotomy, the risk of lasting numbness or abnormal sensation cannot be ruled out.
An awkward facial expression can also result from a combination of factors. When sensation around the lips is reduced, it becomes difficult to gauge muscle movement, making asymmetry more likely when smiling. In addition, fibrosis during recovery as muscles reattach following osteotomy and periosteal dissection, along with residual swelling, can cause unnatural expressions to persist for months.
Specialists stress, “Double-jaw and facial contouring surgeries are not simple cosmetic procedures to improve appearance, but highly complex bone surgeries involving chewing function and airway management, with the temporomandibular joint and major nerve networks densely packed in the area. Before surgery, it is essential to map the course of the nerves using 3D CT and other imaging. If sensory disturbances persist after surgery, warm compresses, medication (such as vitamin B preparations and other agents that promote nerve regeneration) and physical therapy should be used in combination, while closely monitoring the recovery of nerve function over the long term.”
[email protected] Moon Young-jin Reporter