Symptoms
Generally the first sign is facial changes above the upper jaw or between the nose and upper corner of the lip. As the soft tissue and fat begin to shrink, the skin starts to sink in and distort the face. Over the next three to five years, the mouth, eyebrow, ear, and cheek on the affected side begin to change as well.
In addition to the facial changes, the person with Parry Romberg syndrome may also experience face pain, especially in the mouth, cheek, and nose (trigeminal neuralgia), as well as migraine headaches and seizures. The hair on the affected side of the head may turn white and the eyelashes and eyebrow on that side may fall out. The skin over the affected side may turn dark with light patches (vitiligo). The severity of the symptoms varies from person to person.
Treatment
There is as yet no cure for the disorder. It does, however, stop progressing after about five years in most cases. Treatment of symptoms helps, such as pain relief for migraines and antiseizure medicines. In severe cases of facial deformity, reconstructive surgery can be done.
Information for this article was taken from:
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Parry Romberg Information Page
