Hate Your Square Jaw? Change It With This Bone-Shaving Procedure

A growing number of people want new faces.  But, we're not talking about just a new nose or removing fat under that chin.  It's about chiseling, cutting, and shaving away bone.  The more invasive trend was recently studied in Asia.

Reconstructive surgery to create a more "feminine," more rounded face (less of a sqaure jaw line, etc.) is on the rise amongst men and women.  Asian countries such as China and Korea have seen a spike in these requests which prompted the study.  But, the U.S. is no stranger to the procedure.  Dr. Jeffrey Spiegel, Chief of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at Boston University School of Medicine, regularly performs up to 4 a week.

"What this is coming down to...is that beauty is not just skin deep," said Dr. Spiegel recently to Reuters Health.  "Changing bone -- which is the underlying surface on which the skin is resting -- is what allows you to really create good attractive changes."

According to the study, Chinese surgeons sawed off part of the jaw bone of 19 square-jawed men.  They used titanium plates and screws to narrow their chins. Fat was then removed from cheeks to make them protrude less.

The procedure typically takes an hour or two, and costs up to $10,000, Chinese surgeons said.  But, most of the requests in China are requested by women, said Dr. Xiaoping Chen of the Nanjing Medical Center.

Requests for "feminine" faces have popped up on RealSelf.  Reader n_attisha in Leesburg, VA says, "I feel like my face doesn't look very feminine. I'm not sure what I need done."

Doctors may suggest a less invasive procedure like rhinoplasty before chipping away bone.

"It is common to undergo rhinoplasty to feminize and refine the nose so that it balances with itself and facial features, " says Seattle facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon, Dr. William Portuese.

Yet,  if you are insistent on going the extra mile, you could still find a doctor that can do the work, regardless of reconstructive jaw surgery not being too common in the U.S. 

"More and more people are realizing that these changes that they may have thought are not attainable actually are," said Florida-based plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Ross Clevens.  He adds that changing the jawline is "probably the most significant way that we determine gender and attractiveness" in the face.

Hmmm...  If you're a man, why not rethink before you chisel that jaw.  Isn't having Robert Pattinson's chin a good thing?  Just a thought...

Would you consider shaving your bone to achieve a more "attractive" face?

Footnote:  Both Clevens and Spiegel were not involved with the new research.

Photo credit:  flickr by Supernatural2008; Dr. William Portuese