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When Should You Consider a Chin Implant?

Is your chin holding you back? Do you find yourself hiding behind scarves and turtlenecks because you’re self-conscious about your lower face? It may be time to explore a chin implant. This procedure can add definition to your jawline and give your face the attractive balance it has been missing. A chin implant is one of the many cosmetic procedures offered by Zormeier Cosmetic Surgery & Longevity Center in Noblesville, IN, Shelbyville, IN, Danville, IL, Healdsburg, CA, and Ukiah, CA.

When Should You Consider a Chin Implant?

Implants are ideal for patients who have chins that are naturally small or that have recessed enough that the other facial features are out of balance. Many patients have grappled with small, weak chins for years, but there are several signs that it may finally be time for you to consider an implant.

Your Self Esteem Is Taking a Hit

Low self-esteem because of the appearance of your chin is one of the clearest signs that it’s time to explore an implant. In an age of selfies and video conferencing, many patients can’t help but pay attention to their appearance. If you’re so embarrassed by your chin that you’re starting to lose your self-confidence, hide your lower face, or maybe even avoid social outings, it’s time to think about an implant. Restoring the definition of the chin with an implant can improve your profile and the contours of your face. It’s a procedure that can rebuild your confidence.

You Have a Double Chin

Patients who have small chins can sometimes develop a double chin when fat builds up between the chin and neck. The added projection that an implant offers can change the contours of the lower face and ease the appearance of a double chin. If you’ve always had a small chin, and you’ve recently developed a double chin, it could be time to consider an implant.

You Want to Smooth Over Deformities and Irregularities

For some patients, chin implants are used to smooth over deformities and irregularities that may have been present on the lower face since birth. In these cases, the impact on the patient’s self-esteem is also a factor in the decision to consider an implant. Many patients simply reach a point where they feel they’ve waited long enough to address a long-standing cosmetic irregularity on the chin.

Your Chin Has Undergone Trauma

Occasionally, this surgery is performed to repair a chin that has been damaged through trauma, such as a car accident or a fall. Patients in need of a reconstructive procedure for the lower face after a traumatic incident sometimes consider an implant as an option.

How Chin Implants Work

Once you’ve made the decision to pursue an implant, the procedure itself is fairly straightforward. Chin augmentation is a type of plastic surgery performed in our offices to give patients a stronger, more defined chin. Sometimes facial liposuction is also incorporated into the procedure to achieve the right proportions for the face. During the surgery, your physician will make an incision either under the chin or inside the mouth. An implant, which is generally made of silicon, will then be placed in front of the chin bone under the muscle in that area.

How Long Does It Take?

This surgical procedure, referred to in medical terms as Mentoplasty, is performed with the use of anesthesia and may take a few hours.

What’s the Recovery Like?

Most patients plan on taking a few days off to rest after this outpatient procedure. We’ll provide you with detailed post-treatment instructions when you leave our facility, but patients often find that using a cold compress off and on speeds their recovery. We also recommend that patients who have had this surgery sleep with on their backs with their heads elevated for a couple of weeks to protect the chin area as it heals. In addition, patients are sometimes encouraged to follow a modified diet immediately after surgery. Individuals are able to return to most daily activities in about a week.

How Soon Will I See Results?

You’ll notice an immediate improvement in the days right after your treatment, and your results will continue to improve over the next month or two as your body finishes the healing process.

Will My Results Be Permanent?

The results of your surgery will be permanent, and your chin implant will stay in place on its own indefinitely. The implant is solid, and you won’t need to worry about it leaking. In fact, you won’t have to worry about it ever again. Most patients are thrilled with their results, but if you wish to remove the implant for any reason down the road, another surgery can be performed to extract it.

How Much More Prominent Will My Chin Be?

Chin implants vary in size and shape. Before your surgery date, we’ll work with you to select an implant that will compliment the shape of your face and give you the amount of enhancement that you want.

Will My Chin Look or Feel Fake?

Once your chin has completely healed, it will feel normal to the touch and look completely natural. Your chin will also look a lot better because it will be in better proportion to the rest of your face and will have a better definition. This surgery can also have an impact on how your neck looks. By increasing the prominence of the chin, your neck will appear more youthful and angular in proportion.

Can It Be Combined With Other Cosmetic Treatments?

Chin implants can often be combined with other types of plastic surgery, including facelifts. In some patients, chin implants are combined with nasal surgery. If you’re interested in combining this type of surgery with other treatments, let us know during your consultation and we will review your options.

What Are the Advantages of an Implant?

Convenience

Most patients find this type of surgery to be easy and convenient. This outpatient surgery takes place in our practice and patients can go home the same day without the hassle of a hospital visit. The recovery time is also fairly modest.

Customized Treatment

Because various sizes and shapes of implants are available, no two treatments are exactly alike. The results can be tailored depending on each patient’s facial features and cosmetic goals. You’ll be able to work with your physician to select an implant that will best suit the contours of your face. You’ll also have various implant sizes to select from.

Am I a Good Candidate?

This type of surgery is ideal for men and women who are bothered by the size of their chin and who want to improve their jawline and better balance their facial proportions. There are several signs that you may be an especially good candidate:

Your Overall Health Is Good

The best candidates are non-smokers over the age of 18 who are in overall good health. This surgery is not recommended for individuals who have heart problems or who are taking anticoagulants.

You Have Realistic Expectations

As with any plastic surgery, it helps if candidates are realistic about the outcomes surgery offers and emotionally stable enough to handle a cosmetic change in the body.

Your Skin Is Fairly Elastic

It is common for the elasticity of a patient’s skin to decline over time and with age. The best patients still have some degree of elasticity, which will allow their skin to adapt and conform to the addition of an implant.

Are There Alternative Treatments I Should Consider?

For patients who need or want a mild-to-moderate improvement in the projection of their chin, implants are usually the most effective options. However, there are other treatment options that can be considered.

Dermal Fillers

Dermal fillers, another treatment offered by our practice, are injectable gels that plump up the skin. Dermal fillers are frequently used by patients who wish to add volume to areas of the face that have lost fat and begun to sag with age. Dermal fillers are frequently comprised of hyaluronic acid, a sugary substance that supports the skin, or calcium hydroxyapatite, a form of calcium. Very rarely, dermal fillers can also be used to plump up the chin or alter its shape. One of the disadvantages of using dermal fillers for a recessed chin is that the results are minimal and usually only last for a few months.

Sliding Genioplasty

Sliding Genioplasty is a type of surgery that may sometimes be considered for patients whose chins are receding more severely because of bone loss. Many of these patients have chins that are too small for implants. During this type of surgical procedure, the bone in the chin will be cut, and a portion of it will be moved forward and secured in place with a small metal plate.

Liposuction

Liposuction is another cosmetic treatment that can sometimes be used to help patients who have small or recessed chins. Liposuction, when it’s used in this way, removes fatty tissue to reshape the jawline. Although this type of liposuction boasts a slightly faster recovery time than implant surgery, it is equally invasive and offers results that are less pronounced.

Orthodontic Surgery

Orthodontics surgery is another option that is only occasionally used to help treat a recessed chin. During this type of surgery, alternations are made in the patient’s tooth structure with the goal of ultimately reshaping the jaw and chin. This approach to treatment can sometimes take several years to yield results.

Which Treatment Is Best for Me?

Implant surgery is often the most effective option, and the recovery time is modest enough that most patients can fit it into their schedules. However, the decision about which treatment to pursue, or whether or not to pursue treatment at all, is best made in consultation with a medical professional. If you’re interested in exploring treatment for a small or recessed chin, the best step to take is to schedule a consultation with our practice. We can review your medical history, the medications you are currently taking, and talk with you about the concerns you have. We can help determine the best treatment for you.

Who Will Oversee My Treatment?

Your treatment will be overseen by Dr. Michele Zormeier. Dr. Zormeier, a graduate of Wayne State University, is double-board certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. She is also a fellow of the American Academy of Anti-Aging.

Get Started Today!

If your chin is a source of constant embarrassment and you’re ready to take a step toward addressing it, we can help. Chin augmentation is a safe, effective surgical procedure that can immediately improve the look of your face and restore your confidence. Our practice can determine if this is the right step for you, and we can design a treatment plan that addresses your individual concerns. Call and schedule a chin implant consultation today with Zormeier Cosmetic Surgery & Longevity Center in Noblesville, IN, Shelbyville, IN, Danville, IL, Healdsburg, CA, and Ukiah, CA.

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