If you’re not happy with the shape or contour of your chin, you have options. A plastic surgeon can perform liposuction and may be able to manipulate the bones in your chin to create a new chin outline. These methods, however, are usually reserved for people who feel their chin is too large or is misshapen. If your chin is extremely weak, a chin implant may be the best solution for you.
Available in a wide array of sizes and shapes, plastic surgeons insert chin implants through a discreet incision in the natural crease beneath your chin or in the inside of your mouth where your bottom lip and gum meet. The scars from an incision made beneath your chin are hard to see but aren’t invisible. An incision made inside your mouth, however, will leave behind no visible scarring.
Who Qualifies for Chin Implants?
Chin implants are best for patients whose chins lacks projection. They work well for people whose chin is flat or so recessed that their face seems to slant inward beneath their lower jaw. An implant can give the chin a more defined shape and make the chin stick out a bit further. Some patients feel that their weak chin gives them the appearance of a double chin as the chin sits directly in front of the neck rather than extending outward.
Sometimes surgeons performing extensive nose jobs (rhinoplasty) also recommend a chin implant or other procedure if they feel the changes to the nose will be drastic enough to alter the proportions between the chin and the nose after surgery. Chin implant surgery is also sometimes performed along with liposuction of the neck when the chin is weak but the neck full.
In order to qualify for a chin implant, you must have reached skeletal maturity. You can’t get an implant if your bones are still growing and shifting. You will also need to be free of jawbone diseases and deformities. If you have an illness or deformity in your jaw, you may need more advanced medical interventions than a chin implant. Good chin implant candidates must also have realistic surgical goals and a good understanding of what implant surgery can and cannot achieve.
Types of Chin Implants
Chin implants are typically made of silicone and come in three general categories. The most basic is the central anatomic chin implant. The smallest of the three, the central implant simply extends the middle of the chin to create more projection. If you have a weak chin and a weak jaw line, you may benefit from an extended anatomic chin implant instead. This implant extends from the front of the chin back along the jaw line to create more definition along both the chin and the jawbone, resulting in a more desirable triangular shape.
If you’re looking for a very strong, masculine jawline, your surgeon may opt for a mild square jaw chin implant. This implant is shaped similarly to the extended anatomic chin implant but is beefier and thicker to create a more pronounced and masculine look.
Is a Chin Implant Better Than a Filler?
Chin implants aren’t the only way to add volume to your chin. You can also do that by having dermal fillers injected into your chin. To say that implants are better than fillers is probably unfair, since the two are quite different. Fillers are less invasive than implant surgery, which may be “better” for some people, but they’re also temporary. In order to maintain your look with fillers, you will need to have more filler injected every 6 to 24 months depending on the type of filler used. Fillers can cost anywhere from $600 to more than $1,000 per injection, so the cost can add up quickly and may ultimately exceed the cost of chin implant surgery.
Chin Implants Before and After: What to Expect
Chin implants are intended to create a more natural chin contour while balancing out your facial features. If you have a small nose and other facial features, a good plastic surgeon will keep your chin on the smaller side as well, even while adding some projection. You can expect a more defined jawline and anticipate that your chin will stick out further if that is your goal, but your surgeon will strive to keep your chin in proportion with the rest of your face for a natural look. Your chin should not look artificially square or boxy after your procedure.
Although a chin implant can sort of lift the chin off of the neck and make the neck appear a bit slimmer as a result, it won’t remove excess skin or fat from the neck area. Your surgeon will need to perform neck liposuction or a neck lift along with your chin surgery if you’re looking for a dramatic change in the appearance of your neck along with your chin.
As is true of the neck, a chin implant can change the appearance of your nose. Achieving a better balance of your facial features by enlarging your chin can make your nose appear smaller. Most patients are quite happy with the better facial balance that a chin augmentation provides, so think twice and thoroughly discuss the options with your surgeon before combining a chin implant and a nose job into one procedure.
What Does Chin Implant Recovery Look Like?
Chin implant surgery is usually an outpatient procedure, so you can go home the same day you have your surgery. You will need someone to drive you, however, as the procedure is performed under general anesthesia. You will notice some swelling and bruising around your chin, and this is perfectly normal. Some patients report a feeling of tightness in the chin as the skin gets used to being stretched around the implant, but this typically subsides in about a week and is not painful.
Your surgeon will likely place you on a liquid diet for the first 1 or 2 days after surgery and a soft food diet for 1 or 2 weeks. You may also be asked to rinse your mouth with salt water or a prescription mouthwash as any incisions within your mouth heal. For the first 1 to 2 weeks after surgery, you will also need to sleep on your back in an elevated position.
You will need to rest and avoid rigorous exercise for about a month, but most people can resume their normal activity level about 7 to 10 days after surgery.
How Painful is a Chin Implant?
Chin implant surgery does cause soreness and tenderness which may be exacerbated by chewing. Your doctor will keep you comfortable with prescription pain medication if needed, however, and you should need only over-the-counter analgesics, if any, after the first few days. Patients often complain more about feeling numbness than pain, but this numb feeling typically subsides with time.
How Long Do Chin Implants Last?
Chin implants are permanent medical devices. Although other parts of your face and appearance may change as you age, the contours of your chin should remain the same after chin implant surgery. The exception to this rule is, of course, trauma. Facial injuries involving your chin could alter the look and shape of your chin despite your implant.
How Much Do Chin Implants Cost?
Chin implant surgery at Mia Aesthetics starts at $2,500, but the average cost comes in at around $4,000 for most of our patients. The specific cost of each surgery varies based on the surgeon, location, and your individual needs. No two patients are the same, which means no two surgeries are identical. Some patients require more complex surgical interventions than others, and this impacts the final price.
Are There Chin Implant Specialists Near Me?
Mia Aesthetics is happy to offer chin implant surgery at our Austin, Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Miami, and New York City locations.