What is a Chin Implant and Am I a Candidate for the Procedure?

One of the common procedures I perform is chin augmentation using a chin implant.
 
The most common reason I perform chin augmentation is in conjunction with a rhinoplasty. The chin has a huge impact on the relative proportions of the nose to the face. A small chin – one that recedes or is not prominent enough – can make a nose look larger or more projected than it really is. The placement of a chin implant will restore balance between the mid and lower thirds of the face, allowing for more appropriate facial proportions to ensure a natural-looking profile. In addition, appropriately addressing the chin reduces the chances of overcorrecting the nose due to a weak chin. It’s critical to evaluate the nose-chin relationship pre-operatively because overcorrection of the nose has its own set of complications (and doesn’t lend itself to a natural looking result!).
 
Chin implants can also be used in conjunction with jaw or neck liposuction (ie, to get rid of that dang double chin) or even face lift procedures.
 
There are several different materials that are used for chin implants, with the 2 most common being silicone and ePTFE. Chin implants come in many different shapes and sizes. The exact material, design, and size of the implant depends on many factors. If I think a patient would benefit from a chin implant, I meticulously assess their anatomy in the context of their aesthetic goals to determine which implant I will use for them.
 
A chin implant can be placed through an external 2-3 cm incision hidden under the chin or through a similar sized incision in the mouth. In this particular patient, I performed a chin implant through a small external incision. I chose this approach for this patient because I was also doing neck and jawline liposuction, which already requires a small external incision in the same location. In general, a chin implant can be performed in less than 1 hour (and even sometimes under local anesthesia!)
 
Stay tuned for more information on different chin implant materials, the different approaches to placing a chin implant, and more about the procedure.