- Botox®Cosmetic
- Fat Injection
- Restylane® and JuvédermTM
- Laser Skin Resurfacing
- Laser Facial Hair Removal
- Laser Vein Treatment
- Eyelid Rejuvenation
- Ideal NoseTM
- Submental Liposuction
- Ear Cosmetic Surgery
- Removal of Facial Moles
- Chin and Jawline Enhancement
- Introduction
- How It Is Done
- Patient Photographs
- What to Expect After Surgery
- Complications
- Care After Surgery
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Laser Treatment of Birthmark
- Microdermabrasion
Chin and Jawline Enhancement - Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is the implant made of?
- It is made of a hard form of silicone, an inert material that has been used in the human body for decades. This solid form of silicone is unlike the gel form that is used in breast implants. There is no risk of rupture or leak of silicone into the tissues.
Q. What holds the implant in place?
- A pocket is made under the lining of the bone of the mandible. The implant is placed in this pocket. Scar tissue forms around the implant, holding it in place. Once this scar tissue has formed, the implant does not move. It adheres securely to the mandible. Therefore, screws are not required. There is a period of about two weeks after surgery when it is important not to bump the implant to avoid displacement.
Q. How long do I have to wear a strap around my head?
- Just overnight. However, you can wear it longer if you like for comfort and to reduce swelling, particularly at home.
Q. Does it hurt?
- A chin augmentation hurts more than a submental lipectomy alone, probably because the lining of the bone ("periosteum") is lifted up, which is not done in a submental lipectomy. Even so, a chin augmentation causes only a moderate level of discomfort that is typically well controlled with pain medication taken the first few days after surgery. Chin augmentation and submental lipectomy are typically done together to maximize jawline definition.
Q. I don't want to have a chin like Jay Leno. How can I be sure it's not going to be too big?
- Like other plastic surgical procedures, overtreatment is best avoided. It is better to "under-do" a chin augmentation than overdo it. I have treated a subset of male patients who desire an accentuated "superhero" chin, with a square-shaped chin implant, but these patients are in the minority.
Q. Another doctor told me the bone may get absorbed under the implant.
- Bony resorption under implants has been described. However, this does not seem to present a problem for patients. Many patients have had their implants for a decade or more with no noticeable loss of projection. Any bone absorption under an implant is unlikely to be significant enough to require additional surgery. I have yet to replace an implant because of bony resorption.
Q. I don't like the idea of an artificial material in my body. Are there alternatives?
- In general, North American surgeons prefer to use the patient's own tissue rather than an artificial material. The obvious exception is breast implants. However, the chin is a place where an artificial material makes sense too. Surgery to move the jaw forward is unnecessary in most cosmetic cases and much more traumatic to the tissues. Complications can be significant. For example, bony surgery has a high incidence of nerve injury (the inferior alveolar nerve that runs in the body of the mandible) that can cause permanent numbness of the chin. Another advantage of an implant is that it can be removed easily if there is a problem. Despite its safety, there are patients who simply don't want an implant and that's okay. In these patients, I recommend fat injection to augment the chin and jawline. This can sometimes mimic the result of an augmentation using an implant, but there will be some degree of fat absorption, so the result is not quite as predictable.
Q. What if I don't like it?
- This is one of the few procedures in plastic surgery that is truly reversible. The implant can be easily removed under local anesthetic or a very short intravenous sedation.
