Chins are in! From strengthening “weak” chins that have naturally receded to restoring volume to one of the first areas to show signs of aging, the pursuit of a more prominent chin is one that many women face. “A good candidate for chin augmentation is anyone with concerns about an under-projected chin or anterior jawline,” says Palo Alto facial plastic surgeon David M. Lieberman, MD. “A chin augmentation using a chin implant or fillers is often considered by younger patients who are just working on their neck and facial profile, and older patients who may have a chin augmentation while simultaneously undergoing facelift surgery.”
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The Chin-Plant
For patients with substantial volume loss and skin laxity, a silicone chin implant may be the best choice, and the procedure can take as little as one hour. “During the consultation, we take 3D photos with our Vectra system that allows us to see how the patient’s face would look with various size implants and choose a favorable size together,” says Wayne, NJ facial plastic surgeon Jeffrey B. Wise, MD. “We perform chin implants under local anesthesia with sedation. We make a tiny incision in the crease under the chin that is virtually invisible. We put tape around the chin for one to two days and stitches come at one week.”
Filler Up
For patients who want a more defined chin without surgery or downtime, dermal filler may help sculpt and contour the lower face. “Filler is a good option if you’re unsure that you want to commit to a chin implant or if you only need a small amount of augmentation,” says New York facial plastic surgeon Lee Ann M. Klausner, MD. Dr. Klausner also notes that many patients opt for filler because it’s “done in-office in 15 minutes with no time to recover from surgery.”
Palo Alto, CA facial plastic surgeon Sachin Parikh, MD says he uses Restylane Lyft and Juvéderm Voluma when injecting in the chin: “Chin filler is usually done with a hyaluronic acid filler. We use either a blunt cannula or a needle and the treatment involves lengthening the jawline, adding projection to the anterior chin and creating highlights in focal aspects of the face. Chin filler is a nice micro-optimization to enhance certain facial features.”
The Right Choice
Dr. Klausner says patients should consider the pros and cons to both treatments, but for many of her patients, a test run with fillers will usually come before choosing to go the implant route. “Swelling from filler is minimal and there is a very small risk of some bruising, but there is essentially no downtime. With filler, you can also add more to increase the effect. And because it’s not permanent, you can allow it to diminish over time by not having further injections.”
Dr. Parikh takes his patient’s lifestyle and time into consideration when giving his expert advice: “When considering a chin augmentation, we ask patients about their budget, downtime availability and aesthetic expectations. If they want to slowly add volume, then chin filler is a great option. If they want to make a permanent change, then a chin implant is a better one."
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