Numbness and Swelling Post-chin Implant, Neck Lift, and Lower Facelift

I had chin implant with wings, a neck lift (platysmaplasty), and lower face lift over a year ago and my right lower lip and chin area is still numb and swollen. What caused this and what can be done to eliminate these problems?

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9 Doctor Answers | Asked by Puzzled in Detroit, Michigan

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Numbness After Chin Implant

Numbness of the lower lip area after a chin implant is very suggestive of inflammation of or injury to the mental nerve (the sensory nerve of the lower jaw and lip area). I would remove the implant with the purpose of allowing the nerve to recover. Sensory nerves are very resilient and recover with much greater predictability than motor nerves.

Numbness following neck, chin, face surgery

If you continue to have unilateral numbness 1 year after the procedure, you should discuss this with your surgeon. There are two major nerves that can be effected by chin augmentation and neck surgery. One is a motor nerve that is typically injured/bruised from the liposuction and typically accompanies chin augmentation; The other is a nerve coming directly out of the jaw bone, which provides feeling to the lower lip. There is one on both sides. Therefore, if you have relatively... more

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

33 reviews

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Mental nerve pressure

There are two types of nerves in your face - sensory nerves- gives your brain feedback on touch, temperature and pain. Motor nerves - tell the muscles to work. The motor nerves and sensory nerves come from different areas on your face. motor nerves do not recover well after an injury. sensory nerves can recover better, as long as the nerve is intact. The sensatio you dscribe comes from a nerve(mental nerve) that exits the lower jae bone just below the incisor. obviously... more

Numbness after chin implant and lower facelift

It sounds like the chin implant is either resting on or stretching the mental nerve. This is the nerve that provides sensation to your lower lip and chin area. The implant should be removed if the numbness does not improve within a few weeks. If the implant is sitting on the nerve, then your sensation should come back. If the nerve was injured during surgery, then it may be possible to repair the nerve or replace the injured segment with a nerve graft. Have... more

Numbness after a chin implant and neck lift

Experiencing some numbness is possible after a chin implant and neck lift. This may be due to some stretching or bruising of the nerves in this area. As the nerves begin to heal, you should expect to feel tingling or an electric sensation. Once the nerves heal completely, your sensation should return.

Numbness after chin implant

Numbness after a chin implant if it is early is often due to swelling. If you are experiencing this later say a few months after surgery, then the implant may be pushing on or irritating the sensory nerve to the area or the nerve may have been injured during surgery.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Numbness after Chin Implant

The numbness you are experiencing is likely related to the chin implant placed by you surgeon. Either the nerve was damaged at the time of the implant placement or the implant is resting on the the nerve. This is more likely if you had a large implant placed or if the implant was placed through the mouth as opposed to under the chin. My recommendation would be to have the implant removed to see if the nerve settles down. If it doesn't, then it means the nerve was disrupted at the time... more

Amir M. Karam, MD

63 reviews

San Diego Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.drkaram.com

Implant is pressing on nerve, or nerve was damaged during surgery

Lower lip and chin numbness is directly related to placement of the chin implant. The swelling may be an artifact of the nerve damage. There are two options: either the nerve was damaged when the implant sugery was performed or the implant itself is resting on the nerve and impinging on it. If the numbness is causing you distress, I suggest you have it removed to see if the problem resolves. If the implant was pressing on the nerve and you remove it, your sensation should come back... more

Placement of chin implant may be cause of numbness

The numbness in the chin is certainly due to the placement of the chin implant, which affected the mental nerve of the chin area. An implant can stretch the mental nerve making the lip numb on whichever side has been affected. The only option is to remove the chin implant to see if the numbness goes away, but there is no promise that the feeling will return since the area could have been damaged from the previous surgery.