If you’re unhappy with the way your features are balanced on your face, it may not be the size of your nose or your lips, it may be the size and shape of your chin. A well-defined chin helps to balance the face and plays a major part in your facial profile. So, whether you think your chin is too defined, or not defined enough a mentoplasty can help.
Mentoplasty, or a chin augmentation is the formal term for the surgical procedure to reshape the chin by either augmenting or reducing it. This form of cosmetic chin surgery adds to or reduces the definition to the jaw to enhance the profile or facial contours.
CHIN AUGMENTATION
A poorly defined chin can make the neck look fleshy and accentuate the size of a normal nose and make a large nose look even larger. A chin augmentation can help bring balance to your overall facial structure.
A chin augmentation is a chin enhancement surgery that can be accomplished through facial implants or injections for chin enlargement. Thanks to the widespread use of use of injectable fillers, patients can get instantaneous chin enhancement results. Although not permanent, they have the advantage of being adjusted if need be.
For someone who desires a more permanent correction, a surgical implant can be used. A Surgical Mentoplasty that enhances the chin takes approximately 45 minutes to an hour to perform. The patient will receive either local anesthesia with sedation or general anesthesia before the procedure begins. During the procedure, an incision is made inside the mouth, which eliminates visible scarring. A pocket is created for the implant, which is made of silicone . The implant is placed in position in the pocket. The implant is available in many shapes and sizes to complement the contours of your face, and it will look and feel natural. The patient is able to return home the same day.
CHIN REDUCTIONS
If you have an overly prominent chin and want to make it look more natural, a mentoplasty that reduces the chin is a great way to do so. Like a chin augmentation, this procedure also takes around one hour to perform with either local anesthesia with sedation or general anesthesia is administered to the patient. The procedure begins with the plastic surgeon making an incision inside the mouth or under the chin. Excess tissue is removed to create the shape of the chin that the patient wants. The patient is able to return home the same day.
RECOVERING FROM CHIN SURGERY
With mentoplasty, you don’t have to worry about scarring. If the incision was under your chin, the scar will be so small and light that virtually no one will notice it. And, if the incision was inside your mouth, it will remain hidden.
Once the operation has concluded, your plastic surgeon will apply a dressing to the affected area.
For a few days after this procedure, your jaw will be sensitive and sore. During this period, you’ll need to limit yourself to a soft food diet. You might even stick to liquids only. In addition, for the first week after the operation, you may feel a tightness around your chin and mouth.
Surgery, of course, fatigues the body. For that reason, you’ll probably want to take it easy and limit your movements for 10 days or so. Afterward, you can pretty much resume your normal schedule, though you shouldn’t do anything too strenuous for at least three weeks after the operation. Your doctor will give you more specific instructions.
It may take a few months before you’re able to see the complete results of your mentoplasty, but it will be worth the wait. Your chin might not be the first part of your face that people notice, but it has a drastic effect on your appearance. It’s even possible that a reshaped chin may help boost your self-esteem. Best of all, mentoplasty can provide you with that physical change in a manner that’s safe and relatively quick.
If you want to learn more about mentoplasty and other treatments that may improve your appearance, schedule a complimentary consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon at Cosmetic Surgery of New York.
