What is chin surgery?
Chin surgery gives you a more defined facial structure and may improve jaw function. During this procedure, your surgeon will make an incision under your chin or inside your mouth. Then, they’ll either alter your bone structure to reduce your chin size (sliding genioplasty) or place a chin implant (mentoplasty) to augment it.
If you feel your chin is too weak or too prominent, it can affect how you feel about your overall appearance, since chin shape plays a big part in facial balance. Additionally, a receding chin can cause sleep apnea, obstructed airways, or other functional problems.
If you want to learn more about chin surgery, or schedule a consultation with a plastic surgeon in the greater Lehigh Valley region who does chin surgery, contact St. Luke’s Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. Our team can provide you with the necessary guidance and expertise to achieve your aesthetic goals.
Overview
Chin surgery candidates typically include adults who have:
- Receding chin
- Short chin
- Chin misalignment
- Chewing problems
In addition to correcting form-related problems, chin surgery may address issues such as congenital disabilities, sleep apnea, or trauma-related damage. This comprehensive approach ensures that individuals having chin surgery can benefit in aesthetic and functional ways.
Schedule a consultation with a St. Luke’s chin surgeon in the greater Lehigh Valley region to determine if chin surgery is right for you.
Having chin surgery can positively impact your well-being and self-confidence. Here are several of the most commonly report benefits:
- Improved profile
- Balanced features
- Increased chin width or height
- Minimized double chin (double chin surgery or chin tuck surgery)
- Reduced chin size (chin reduction)
Chin surgery can dramatically improve your body image and give you a more youthful appearance. It can also be part of other treatments to enhance your features, providing a comprehensive solution that can truly transform your overall facial aesthetics.
As with all surgeries, chin surgery has risks, including:
- Allergic reaction to implants
- Infections
- Implant extrusion
- Mouth or lip numbness
- Pain or discomfort
- Swelling
Your surgeon will review a complete list of risks before getting your consent.
Before the procedure
In the time leading up to your chin surgery at St. Luke’s Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, you can take steps to make your procedure as safe as possible. These include discussing the following topics at your surgical consultation:
- Goals and expectations
- Surgical options
- Results
- Recovery
As part of your consultation, your surgeon will also do a complete evaluation, including:
- Ordering lab work
- Taking “before” photos
- Assessing medical conditions, allergies, and medical limitations
- Reviewing medications, supplements, alcohol, tobacco, or drug use
A week before the procedure, you can prepare at home by:
- Filling prescriptions
- Purchasing necessary medical supplies
- Coordinating transportation and meals
- Staying hydrated
You should arrive early on the day of your procedure to avoid travel delays.
During the procedure
Chin implant
In chin implant surgery, the surgeon will stretch the natural tissues to create space for a synthetic implant. This implant augments the facial contours, enhancing the chin’s prominence. While there are instances where your surgeon may use donor tissue, artificial implants are more common.Chin reduction
In chin reduction surgery, the surgeon will trim the bone to make your chin a more aesthetically pleasing size. They may also remove excess fat and skin, or reposition the bone (through a sliding genioplasty). If needed, the surgeon will secure your bone using titanium plates and screws. Note that this type of chin surgery doesn’t require breaking the jaw.After the procedure
You may not see the results right after chin reduction surgery because of swelling. But you’ll begin to see the final outcome as the swelling subsides. If the incision is under your chin, the scar is usually discreet.
While chin surgery is considered permanent, your body may reabsorb the chin implant over time. Depending on your desired outcome, you may need multiple procedures to achieve your goal. Alternatively, you can get injectable filler for touch-ups. This gives you a non-surgical option to maintain your results.
Your St. Luke’s plastic surgeon will customize your procedure based on your desired treatment results. As you progress through the recovery process, there are several key milestones to anticipate:
- Day of surgery: Immediately after the procedure, your surgeon will apply a temporary dressing. You may experience tenderness, but any discomfort can be treated with pain medication and cold compresses.
- 1 week after surgery: You may need time off work and should avoid vigorous activity. Most patients feel a tight sensation in their chin.
- 2 weeks after surgery: Your surgeon may recommend a diet of liquids or soft foods and advise you to sleep with your head elevated to reduce swelling.
- 1 month after surgery: While you may still have minor swelling, your pain should be minimal. At this point, your surgeon may permit more strenuous activity.
- 3 months after surgery: Your swelling and bruising should be completely gone, revealing the final results.
The recovery periods for different surgeries vary: sliding genioplasty is typically 6 to 8 weeks, while implant surgery is 2 to 4 weeks.