Question: Does chin augmentation have to be performed in a hospital?

Answer: No, chin augmentation surgery does not need to be performed in a hospital and, in fact, over the past almost 10 years I have been performing chin augmentation surgery in my office using strictly local anesthetic.

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Question: Are intraoral incisions for facial implants risky because of the possibility of infection?

Answer: There certainly is a very small risk of an infection while placing an implant through the mouth, but we do tend to take as many precautions as we can to prevent this.  For chin implants I actually do prefer an incision under the chin since it is easily hidden and then provides for a completely sterile procedure.  The malar implants, however, are typically inserted through the mouth simply because it is the easiest access point to the cheek that will not leave any sort of significant scar.  I typically soak the implant in antibiotic solution and frequently will even irrigate up into the pocket with antibiotic solution prior to closing the incision and this significant minimizes the risk of infection and makes them extremely unlikely. 

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Question: I recently had a chin implant that I feel is too large for my face. Can I have this removed and replaced with a smaller one, and how long do I have to wait before I can do this?

Answer: If you have recently had the chin implant placed then I would recommend observation since you most likely have a small amount of swelling remaining and once the swelling subsides hopefully you will appreciate the size of the implant that was inserted.  If more than two months have gone by and you still feel the implant is too large then more than likely you will appreciate a revision since by that time the far majority of swelling has resolved and that really is the appearance that will be there long term.  If that is the case then after two months you may want to discuss this with your surgeon and see if a smaller implant can be traded for the one you currently have. 

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Question: I am a 25-year-old man with what I consider to be a very weak facial profile. I am considering a chin implant procedure, but I would like to know what the chin implant is composed of, and how likely is it that my body will reject the implant?

Answer: The chin implants that I currently use are made of firm or hard silicone.  They are quite flexible and will contour against the bone of the chin and, due to the fact that they are silicone, there is literally no chance that your body would reject the implant.

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Question: I have virtually no chin and would like a chin implant. About how long is the recovery time after surgery?

Answer: Recovery from a chin implant is extremely minimal and, in fact, many patients will go to work the next day as long as they do not mind a small amount of swelling in the chin, the possibility of some mild bruising, and a suture underneath the chin.  The suture is removed in about a week and all of the swelling subsides within the few couple of months.  The chin never looks so swollen as to appear strange in the far majority of circumstances.

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