Who is a good candidate for a chin implant? A chin implant is a type of plastic surgery procedure designed to enhance the appearance of a chin that is considered to be flat or underwhelming. In addition, this type of procedure can be quite useful for restoring the appearance of a chin that has been damaged by surgery or accident.

However, not everyone who desires a chin implant is ultimately a good candidate for the operation. Discerning whether or not you yourself are one can save you time in the long run before you head to the surgeon’s office.

If you’re considering receiving a chin implant, take a look at this guide to learn whether or not you’re a good candidate.

What Is a Chin Implant?

A chin implant is somewhat similar to breast implants, only on a smaller scale. Most chin implants are composed of silicone, but some are composed of other materials, such as Medpor or Gore-tex.

Chin implants are surgically inserted under a patient’s normal chin to add definition and aesthetic appeal to individuals who feel that their natural chin is lacking something. Chin implants come in a variety of shapes and sizes, so there’s a solid chance that there’s some available for every taste.

This means that a chin implant procedure is a highly customizable experience. You should be able to create a comprehensive plan with your physician regarding the end aesthetic results of your experience. Overall, the chance of satisfyingly improving your appearance is quite high.

What Occurs During a Chin Implant Surgery?

In general, a patient can expect a chin implant procedure to be completed in about 30 minutes to an hour. A patient is typically given local anesthesia, though you may be placed under general anesthesia in special circumstances. For example, if the chin implant is paired with another plastic surgery procedure or the procedure is more involved.

After the patient is placed under anesthesia, the chin implant generally follows these general steps:

The surgeon creates a small incision under a patient’s chin or mouth, with the intention to create minimal scarring.
The surgeon stretches the skin to create a small pocket to place the implant in.
The surgeon places the implant inside the pocket, molding around the existing chin bone.
The implant is secured in place.
The small incision is then sutured closed, typically using dissolvable stitches.
After the incision is closed, the physician places some bandages and dressings on the former incision site, to be worn for about three days.

Depending on your personal medical profile, there’s some chance that there will be some variability to your own procedure and recovery period. The possibility of this can be discussed during your pre-surgical consultation.

Who Is a Good Candidate for a Chin Implant?

A chin implant is an invasive surgery that requires a patient to undergo local anesthesia. Therefore, any especially vulnerable individual who is disqualified from receiving these types of procedures will ultimately be disqualified from receiving a chin implant as well.

This means that many individuals with intense chronic health conditions like diabetes may encounter hurdles in their mission to receive a chin implant. However, you should be able to discuss with your physician whether or not you will qualify.

Beyond this, any healthy individual who wants to improve the appearance of their chin should find themselves approved for service by their physician. Prior to any surgical work being done, you’ll receive a medical examination and consultation with your physician to determine your physical fitness and medical profile.

Part of this will include ensuring that you aren’t allergic to any of the materials a chin implant is typically composed of. In addition, the shape of your face will be measured to determine what type of implant might serve you best.

What Are the Benefits of a Chin Implant?

There are several benefits to receiving a chin implant, most of them having to do with an overall improved sense of confidence and identity due to the aesthetic benefits of having an enhanced chin. Some of the primary benefits are outlined as such:

Enhancement of weak or undefined chins
Improve the overall definition of a jawline
Increase the overall size of an individual’s chin
Create a higher sense of facial harmony and balance
Reduce the presence of a double chin

A chin implant can be combined with other plastic surgery procedures to create a stunning set of aesthetic improvements to a patient. Some examples of synergistic surgeries include rhinoplasty and liposuction.

The Pros and Cons of a Chin Implant

Weighing your options is highly important when considering receiving intensive surgical work of any kind. Some of the primary pros of a chin implant include the following:

Chin implants are highly customizable.
Implants can bring a sense of balance to a patient’s appearance.
Chin implants leave very little scarring.
The results are for the most part permanent, yet the implant is easily removed if desired.
A chin implant can be completed using only local anesthetic, meaning that more patients should qualify for treatment.

There are some possible downsides or challenges that come paired with any intensive surgery. You should consider the following prior to committing to any serious chin implant procedure:

Some individuals experience high amounts of discomfort during their recovery period.
Discomfort in the recovery period has the potential to last for up to 3 weeks.
You may have to wait for several months to see your final results.

It is normal to experience some level of soreness and swelling following your procedure. However, this should complete itself within 4 to 5 days of your procedure being finished. If your soreness and swelling do not abate within this time period, contact your doctor for assistance.

What Surgeries Pair Well With a Chin Implant?

For those who are interested in receiving a more comprehensive update to their appearance, there are many different procedures that are considered copacetic with a chin implant. Many individuals choose to pair a chin implant with other plastic surgery procedures to experience a fuller update to their appearance. Some of the procedures that are commonly paired with a chin implant include:

Facelift
Liposuction
Neck lift
Injectable dermal fillers
Genioplasty
Jaw surgery
Rhinoplasty

You should discuss with your physician if you have other ideas about procedures you would like to pair with your chin implant. They may have some ideas about how to streamline your surgical experience to create stunning results.

What Happens During Chin Implant Recovery?

Generally speaking, you should expect to set aside at least a week following your procedure to fully recover from a chin implant procedure. In addition, as stated before, you may have to wait several months to see the final results from your procedure. The other elements of the recovery process may look something like this:

Expect to take it easy and not engage in any strenuous activity for the first week following your surgery
You may have pain medication prescribed to deal with any swelling or pain you experience
Many patients experience some level of tightness and discomfort in their jawline during this time period
You may want to eat only soft foods for the first few days following your procedure, as your jaw and mouth might be somewhat weak following your procedure
Most patients find that they are living a mostly normal existence at about 10 days after their procedure. Most will be able to engage in strenuous exercise for about two weeks following their procedure.
You should not engage in any contact sports that might involve your face being struck for at least a month following your procedure
Many patients can expect to see their full results after about 6 weeks, and practically all patients will be able to see their full results after about 3 months.

There is some variability to the recovery process, much of which has to do with a patient’s general medical profile and lifestyle. Your physician should be able to outline some of these variables in your discussion with them prior to surgery.

How Long Will My Results Last?

Chin implants, like other types of silicone implants, tend to last for a very long time barring any accident or injury. In general, a patient can expect their implants to last for a lifetime if taken care of correctly.

This makes a chin implant procedure a highly illustrious procedure, in addition to the fact that if you tire of your implants, it’s quite easy to remove them. That being said, the removal process has the potential to leave more significant scarring than the initial implant procedure.

The Best Surgeon in Beverly Hills

Gabbay Plastic Surgery is the best option available for receiving a high-quality chin plant that you’ll admire for years. If you are interested in discussing with our physician some of your options regarding surgery, contact us today to set up an appointment for plastic surgery in Beverly Hills.