Plastic surgeons use chin implants to add projection to the chin. This can offer patients many benefits including improved facial symmetry and balance, correction of a recessed chin, and elongation of the jawline. Patients young and old seek out these benefits because they can make a difference in overall facial appearance that can help promote more confidence in their appearance. Along with these benefits,
Most implants placed in the body for medical or aesthetic reasons are not usually meant to stay in the body forever. Typically, they need to be removed and replaced at some point. However, chin implants are somewhat of an exception. Due to the placement of chin implants—usually under the muscle and against the chin bone—common complications of bodily implants are unlikely. The implant is snuggly placed, so it is unlikely to shift.
With any surgery involving an implant, there is a risk that it will need to be removed at some point. However, with chin implants, these chances are fairly low and the implant is likely to last you decades, if not the rest of your life.
Qualified surgeons performing chin surgery Seattle can place a chin implant through an incision inside the mouth. This keeps scarring off the face and is not visible. The inside of the mouth also tends to heal well and is less likely to develop awful-looking scars, partially due to the lack of sun exposure.
Occasionally, an external incision under the chin is necessary. For most modern chin augmentation procedures, this is not needed. If a patient is having a particularly large implant placed or their anatomy dictates it, a plastic surgeon may opt for an external scar.
Any surgical procedure carries a small risk of infection. A chin implant surgery Seattle is no exception. As long as you follow your surgeon’s post-operative instructions, you are unlikely to develop an infection post-chin augmentation.
Chin implants are made of body-safe silicone that feels like natural bone. The implants are still pliable though, making them durable and lightweight. Several other types of implants in many different specialties use medical-grade silicone. It is widely considered safe, especially when produced specifically for medical use, which is held to higher standards than any other type of silicone product.
Chin implants come in many different sizes and shapes. To look natural, it needs to align with your natural bone structure. Your plastic surgeon will take measurements and review the results you want to help you pick the ideal chin implant for you.
In some patients, a chin implant surgery Seattle can contribute to a younger look. Sometimes age causes bone density loss, tissue loss, and less definition of the jawline. Placing a chin implant, possibly in combination with a facelift or other procedure, can help a patient look years younger and make up for age-related changes to the face.
Local anesthesia is becoming commonplace for many facial plastic surgeries such as facelifts and liposuction. However, sometimes, a plastic surgeon can perform a chin augmentation without the use of general anesthesia. A patient may take an oral sedative before surgery or they may be placed under “twilight anesthesia” which uses an IV, but does not involve full sedation.
Chin augmentation can be performed with other facial plastic surgeries and often can help improve the look of their results as well. For example, a chin augmentation with a facelift can completely transform the lower face.
It is not usually necessary to further augment the chin following surgery. Though, if a patient is considering it or experienced some sort of small complication, it is perfectly safe to add chin filler on top of an existing implant. This does not need to be done often, but it is possible.
While women make up the majority of plastic surgery patients generally, men seem to flock to chin implant surgery Seattle. This is likely because many men want to achieve a masculine, chiseled-looking chin. An implant can help create this and also enhance a man’s jawline.
A chin augmentation surgery with a chin implant is a plastic surgery that is quickly growing in popularity. Largely considered a safe and effective procedure, a chin implant surgery can help bring balance and symmetry to the face as well as address major changes due to aging or even injury.
Dr. Jonov is a cosmetic surgeon who specializes in plastic surgeries of the face, breast, and body at Seattle Plastic Surgery.