Chin Surgery

Chin Surgery (Mentoplasty)

Chin surgery or Mentoplasty is a type of surgery done to reconstruct or enhance the contours of the face. The chin contributes greatly to defining the character of the face and the person, as a whole. Long chins are associated with masculinity, strength and power, whereas a short chin portrays feminity and weakness. The chin can also be deformed when a person is involved in an accident, resulting to fractures of the chin bone, causing deformities of the shape of the chin.

Techniques of the Procedures:

Procedures used in achieving symmetry of the Chin area can be performed either through an incision inside the mouth or under the chin. These procedures can also be done at the same time as the face lift or neck lift, of which the incision will most likely be placed under the chin and also used as access for the neck rejuvenation.

1. Chin reduction or Chin contouring. This procedure is done to reconstruct congenital or acquired abnormalities to enhance facial symmetry. It is always done by removal of bone or re-shaping. The bones of the chin are re-shaped with removal of a horizontal wedge of bone from the lower part of the chin. It is then moved forward and fixed into a new position. The procedures may be a combination of bony osteotomies or osseous genioplasty, alloplastic augmentation, skin resurfacing or re-draping, and or soft tissue filling.
2. Chin reduction or Chin contouring. This procedure is done to reconstruct congenital or acquired abnormalities to enhance facial symmetry. It is always done by removal of bone or re-shaping. The bones of the chin are re-shaped with removal of a horizontal wedge of bone from the lower part of the chin. It is then moved forward and fixed into a new position. The procedures may be a combination of bony osteotomies or osseous genioplasty, alloplastic augmentation, skin resurfacing or re-draping, and or soft tissue filling.
   
   

Chin surgery consultation- what to expect?

• Individuals whose facial bones have reached physical maturity, which generally occurs in late      adolescence
• Individuals who are bothered by a small chin, weak jaw or lack of facial contour
• Healthy individuals who have no major medical conditions
• Individuals with a positive outlook and specific goals in mind for their facial implant and/or Chin surgery.

The surgeon will complete a step by step physical examination that involves evaluation of the whole face, position of labiomental folds, upper and lower lip relationship, dental occlusion, chin pads, subcutaneous fat and laxity of skin, bone chin projection, and changes of facial appearance when smiling or pouting. He will assess your medical history for presence of active diseases or pre-existing medical conditions, health status including being mentally and emotionally stable to undergo a cosmetic procedure.

Goals and realistic expectations will be discussed taking into account what can be achieved from the current facial dimensions and natural face shape, so that an understanding can be reached with what can be realistically be achieved.

Preparation for your Chin surgery:

Preparation Chin surgery procedures at Phuket Aesthetic Center may include:

1. Laboratory testing or undergoing a pre-medical clearance for surgery.
2. Patients must discontinue all aspirin and similar drugs, vitamin E, anti-inflammatory drugs, herbal supplements, 2 weeks prior to surgery

Chin surgery - day of operation

1. Patients must not eat or drink after midnight the evening before surgery- this includes water, in preparation for general anesthesia or IV sedation.
2. Scrub your face thoroughly with anti-bacterial soap before the surgery.
   
   

After a Chin surgery – what to expect?

Please be a Patient Patient!

If your surgery was done under a general anesthetic, you will need to arrange for an adult to accompany you home and stay with you through the first night.

1. Your surgeon will restart antibiotic coverage. Take all antibiotics as directed until it is all gone. If you do not feel like eating, eat only a little to fill your stomach.
2. Keep an icepack on your cheek or chin area for 12-24 hours after surgery. The ward nurse will show you exactly how to do this. This will help keep swelling, bruising and oozing of tissue fluids to a minimum. If you do it yourself, pad the ice pack with gauze or small towel if it gets too cold.
3. It is important to rest and sleep with your head propped up 30 to 45 ° in a reclining chair or with 3 pillows for 3-5 days. This also helps reduce swelling, bruising and oozing.
4. Chin implants are done through a small incision through the mouth. A small amount of oozing is expected to drain through the dressing is expected.
5. Diet is restricted to a soft diet with little or no chewing required for approximately 10 days after surgery, to help prevent the displacement or shifting of the chin implant, and help wounds to heal properly. Chewing can also break the suture lines and lead to infection.
6. Rinse mouth thoroughly with an antiseptic mouthwash 4 times a day and after every meal. Use a soft toothbrush and brush teeth very carefully in the area near the sutures.
7. For the first ten days after surgery, avoid straining and bending over to lift things. This helps to prevent swelling, bruising and bleeding.
8. Do not lift anything heavier than 10 kilos for about 10 days after the surgery- this helps to prevent bleeding.
9. Swelling is to be expected for the first seven to ten days. This swelling will reduce more quickly if you use a chin-neck elastic garment.
10. You should plan on taking two weeks away from work to allow your bruises to clear and your chin to settle sufficiently so you are comfortable with it.

Precautions:

1. Try to avoid banging your chin after surgery. Beware of young children (1-3 years old), they are most likely to injure your chin by bumping into them or grabbing your nose.  The chin implants will take 4-5 weeks to become quite sturdy and 3 months or more to obtain their maximum healing into position. You must be careful, particularly during the first 4-6 weeks, not to dislodge the implant.
2. Walking and light exercise is permitted 48 hours after surgery. No strenuous exercise or workouts or straining are permitted for 2 weeks after surgery. No contact sports, water skiing, etc., are permitted for 2 months after surgery.
3. You are not to dislodge your chin or cheek implant with excess pressure on them, If your implant becomes dislodged or mal-positioned, it can often be shifted back into position with minimal effort, if it is done within 2 to 3 hours on the day of its displacement. If you have external sutures or bolus holding an implant in place, this will be removed on the 5th post-op day. Do not remove this yourself, as the sutures may become trapped under the skin.
4. Nothing will heal symmetrically. Bruises are rarely symmetrical. One eye, cheek, or side of your chin may swell worse than the other, or one side of your face may stay swollen longer. Be patient – this is all part of the healing process. Be sure to keep your post-operative appointments, since we can tell you what is normal and treat as needed.
5. Your cheek or chin will take up to one year following surgery to achieve its final appearance.
6. Your chin may be tender and stiff for one to four months following surgery. You may notice speech pattern changes following a chin implant, and this may persist for up to 4 months.

Surgical Site Wound Care

If you have steri-strips over the chin implant incision, no wound care is necessary with the exception of general washing with soap and water lightly over the tapes. The steri-strips will be removed in 5-7 days in the hospital. If you have tape on your skin around the chin, this tape will be removed during your follow-up visit, usually in 5-7 days.

Follow-Up Appointment

Keeping your appointments after surgery is very important to the final outcome of your chin or cheek implants. We need to follow your progress closely. If your implant becomes dislodged or mal-positioned, it can often be shifted back into position with minimal effort, if it is done within 2 to 3 hours on the day of its displacement. If you have external sutures or bolus holding an implant in place, this will be removed on the 5th post-op day. Do not remove this yourself, as the sutures may become trapped under the skin.

Conditions to Expect After Chin Implant Surgery

Please be a Patient Patient!

1. Chin implants cause swelling of the chin area. Most of the swelling will be gone in 2 weeks. Your cheek or chin will take up to one year following surgery to achieve its final appearance.
2. Your chin may be tender and stiff for one to four months following surgery. You may notice speech pattern changes following a chin implant, and this may persist for up to 4 months.
3. Nothing will heal symmetrically. Bruises are rarely symmetrical. One eye, cheek, or side of your chin may swell worse than the other, or one side of your face may stay swollen longer. Be patient – this is all part of the healing process. Be sure to keep your post-operative appointments, since we can tell you what is normal and treat as needed.
   
   

Package price programmes:

Phuket Aesthetic Center has individual package price programmes for the various chin surgeries, which includes 1 night stay as an out-patient or with in-patient admission at the hospital. Most patients, however, opts for multi-procedures and chin procedures are included in one surgical operation.

This procedure/s can be incorporated into your holiday program in Phuket, and you can go back to your home country, looking naturally younger and fresher.

Send us an email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for price quotations and more information, such as visa, immigration requirements, where to stay in Phuket and other details.

Aesthetic Center Bangkok Hospital Phuket, we can help you, change your looks, change your image and change your life.

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