Chin Augmentation and Correction of early aging – Q&A – part 2

1. What is a chin implant made out of? 

Dr. D.: Most implants used in Canada are made of very soft pliable but solid medical-grade biocompatible silicone material (a material used in medicine for well over 50 years!), same silicone material used in pectoral, buttock, hip and calf implants.  Newer chin silicone implants also come textured for better tissue ingrowth and implant anchoring.

Another type of available chin implants involves e-PTFE (also called Goretex) which has heightened tissue ingrowth; the issue with the latter is two-fold for my patients: hard to removed should it need to be removed and the choice of implant models/shapes is much reduced so less options for my patients.

2.What is the upkeep like? Do they need to be replaced? 

Dr. D.: Unlike breast implants which will most likely need to be replaced over time (breast implants are gel-filled and are under constant gravity forces, not to mention the skin changes seen with pregnancies), most chin implants will remain forever unless patient decide to change the model/shape or size.  Infections are very rare and so is capsular contracture, a tightening of the soft tissues over the implants, something that would require a revision.

3.What determines whether someone should get a chin implant, rather than using filler in the area?

Dr. D.: Many factors are involved in choosing between fillers and implants.

Fillers:

1. Fillers are quick in-office procedure
2. Fillers do not involve surgery, incisions nor downtime – patients return immediately to work
3. Fillers are immediate results so patients can participate in the final look right away, by adding more fillers as needed, right on the chair.
4. Fillers are less expansive for the one treatment, yet more costly when considering receiving/replenishing such fillers every 15-24 months or so.
5. Fillers can go anywhere so they will not only fill up the chin and pre-jowl areas but also the upper part of the marionette lines
6. Many chose at least to do the fillers once as to see if they will like the effect and to guide me, the plastic surgeon, as to “which look” they are after. I find this also very informative for me when a patient is considering jaw angle augmentation, chin augmentation or augmentation rhinoplasty, for example.
7. “Convenient” as many patients are already doing Botox and also fillers in other parts of their faces such as cheeks, jawline, temples, peri-ocular area, lips, nose, earlobes, laugh lines, etc.

 

Chin implants:

1. Chin implants are permanent and cost-effective over time
2. Chin implant are firmer than fillers and will provide a stronger augmentation, more form-stable
3. Chin implants are carvable
4. Chin augmentation procedure will allow me to ALSO correct for bony asymmetry either by shaving the chin bone and/or carving the implants.
5. A chin implant represents many “millilitres” of hyaluroniuc acid, i.e. many vials of fillers in one single implant (again, cost-effective over time).
6. Someone already undergoing a neck lift and facelift: adding a chin implant to a neck lift and facelift improves our results and make the results last longer; it is then only an additional 20 minutes of surgery since we are already working on the neck with the same incision

 

4. How do you determine the shape of the chin implant? Are there specific measurements or angles a chin/jawline should be? Is it about creating symmetry in the face?

Symmetry and harmony. Facial harmony, gender harmony and nose-chin harmony (part of the science of Profiloplasty)

The anterior width of the chin implant, between the 2 “wings”, should match approximately the width of the mouth, from one commissure to the other one.

As for projection, males and females require different projection and the size and projection of their noses must be taken into consideration for balance and facial harmony; a line between the tip of nose to upper lip to lower lip to chin is another parameter; the 1,6 Golden ratio is also used commonly.

Oval and round implants are typically more for females and square and super square implants more for males.

Patients’ wishes are always taken into consideration. For eg. jaw angle augmentation was never considered for ladies 5-10 years ago yet now, it is an important part of my practice – the Angelina Jolie effect.

Here are many blogs I wrote about chin implants:

Why adding a chin implant during a facelift procedure

The POWER couple: nose and chin harmony 

The POWER in the chin for both Men and Women

Profiloplasty: a new approach in facial assessment

Dr. Marc DuPéré, aesthetic plastic surgeon, face & body