Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD

1. My experience and guide

I decided to write this only 3 days after the surgery because i have everything fresh in my memory and time to kill till i catch my return flight.

Okay so first thing you want to do is get a CT scan of your skull. CT scan can be done anywhere in the world and will show how thick are your temporal muscles. Obviously you will have to ask the doctor about that or you can send a copy to Dr. Eppley for advice. The thicker it is, the narrower your head will look after that. i had a thick muscle but still i had low expectations(the key to not get disappointed). After lots of back and forths, i paid the money booked the tickets and flew over from Europe. Even if you are eligible for ESTA visa, make sure you have everything you need to prove why you are coming to the US because the immigrations officers gave me a hard time to let me through. That means bring a copy of the receipt of the money you paid to the doctor, hotel reservations receipts, return tickets reservations etc. i booked for my stay the Hyatt Place in Carmel, Docs office is 3min walking distance and where the surgery takes place is maybe 30'. After meeting with the doctor and the nurse on Monday, surgery was scheduled for the next day early morning. i went there a little bit nervous but i was determined to do it. i suppose the surgery started around 8am and i woke up from anesthesia probably an hour and half later. Naturally i was feeling sore above my ears where the incision was made and my head was wrapped with bandages but i felt i could stand and walk and do whatever. After arriving to hotel the effect of the painkillers faded and i started to feel pain above my ears where the stiches were. it was my descision not to take painkillers which proved to be wrong because i couldnt sleep for the next 2 nights. The next day, i walked to docs office and he took the bandages off, i had low expectations but the results were beyond satisfying. As im writing this its not even 4 days post op, the buldges on the sides of my head are gone, and my head looks narrower and more natural shape. Docs said its even gonna get better, im happy as it now!! He had warned me that 48 hours post opp, im gonna see a significant swelling on my head and face, for me i had some swelling right of my ears above the cheekbone but now only 3 days after its fading and i believe i can travel without drawing attention. As far as the jaw function, to be honest im taking it easy with food because its still too early i dont try to open my mouth super wide or chew anything chewy, its still too early. all in all, im very happy i went forth with this, Dr Eppley knows what he is doing when it comes to this surgery, i dont think there is anybody else doing this. plus he is cool and he will answer all your questions. i only wish i had done it earlier in my life. once again thanks very much for everything

Dr Eppley is absolutely amazing! I had always wanted to correct my chin and jaw, and had a collection of images for my vision board over the years. Came to find out, they were mostly Dr Eppley’s patients. He is so kind and and absolute genius of knowledge. His staff are amazing too. And now that I’ve had it for a few years, I could not be happier! My only regret is that I didn’t get it done sooner!

I had a chin revision surgery with Dr. Eppley. This was my second chin surgery; I had the first chin surgery done elsewhere. It is difficult to find reconstructive surgeons who can perform atypical chin surgeries besides chin implants. Everything about the process at Dr. Eppley's office, from the initial check-in to surgery scheduling to after care follow-up was very professional and went smoothly. The office staff, surgery staff, and Dr. Eppley were all very nice to me. The results of the chin surgery afterwards were very nice. My chin looked very pretty and I am pleased with the results. Afterwards when I was able to compare my 2 chin surgeries, then I was able to observe that my first chin surgery done elsewhere had actually been kind of a chop block job, with big gapes in the suture and big sloppy stitches. But the surgery done by Dr. Eppley had very careful tiny artistry type stitches, which healed quickly and with no defects in my suture. Dr. Eppley has a very keen eye for artistry and symmetry related to human anatomy. This was a good experience, and I have recommended Dr. Eppley to other prospective patients since then.

(PS - This treatment type is marked as Chin Filler, just because the drop-down options are limited. But I actually had more surgery than that done to my chin. Also I do not remember the date of surgery).

I have had surgery with Dr Eppley before on my forehead and also had porex subnasal cheek implants removed. I am in Carmel now having travelled from 2k miles away from the south. My procedure is this Tues. I will post pics of the FH implant he will remove. I will have side temporal implants placed in and no more FH implant in the front. For me, it was too thick and looked good in most lighting but some lighting was just to thick and not natural. I didnt hate it, and I never had pain or numbness or any complications, and Dr Eppley was very helpful following. He has a good bedside manner, and I really respect and adore him. We always get along great in discussions. This will be my very last procedure. Its just so exhausting and scary traveling for surgery. You cant sleep in your own bed, its expensive, you're anxious the whole way. So this is the end of the road for me. I know Im in good hands with him. I have not hard well anything from the staff concierge or liaison, except a text reminder Fri about my appt. I did call a couple weeks ago. It would be comforting when you're traveling for emotional support, its a big deal, I'm assuming they're busy. I hope the consult will go well tomorrow. I will update all info in the coming week or two and share a photo in the harsh lighting. And I do think his FH implants really do work for a lot of people. Truly. Im looking forward to the more flatter style. I will ask him about some minor lift/contouring I hope will be included, bc well you dont want to be sagging above your eyes for sure. I will follow up soon. Happy to answer any questions. The second photo is my natural FH.

I had rib removal surgery with Dr Eppley and now marvel at my new waist! I am a trans woman and have wanted this surgery for a long time, but few surgeons are experienced at it. Dr Eppley is one of these and is a master at it. He also patiently explains his surgical plan and what you can realistically expect. What a caring practitioner! You can’t go wrong choosing Dr Eppley for rib removal surgery.

Having been in the modelling industry for 2 decades, I have very precise standards for my figure. After having 3 children I had a tummy tuck, however it failed to achieve the narrowness of the waist that I used to have. I have researched rib removal procedures and discovered that there are very few reliable providers. Dr. Eppley was a great choice, he is true master of his craft. He took his time explaining the procedure, risks and benefits. His staff was very kind and efficient. The surgery was a lot less painful than I expected and I’m very happy with the results. The scarring is very minimal and barely noticeable. The only thing is that Dr. Eppley is very busy and I had to wait 6 months when I needed to reschedule the procedure. Highly recommend if you want an impressive waist reduction! My waist is now narrower than before I had children. I don’t have a good before photo, however you could google me as I was a playboy playmate.

I am now 5 days PO from having a sliding genioplasty, submental lipo + fat transfer to multiple areas on face.
The Sliding Genioplasty was an 8mm forward advancement.
I still have quite a bit of swelling and bruising, but it is getting better each day. Recovery honestly has not been even half as bad as I thought it would be. I was relieved to be wrong from my worst-case imagination scenarios. I'm a workaholic, so this was almost like a relaxing vacay..haha! Almost.
I traveled alone to have this done, and was quite nervous since it was my first face work (besides botox ). I've done a couple of body things, but the face is harder to hide! Eating actual foods is still a bit challenging, as my lower teeth and areas of chin are still numb. I think I have probably lost a few pounds from my liquid diet of soups n smoothies -- no complaints here!
Dr. Eppley is absolutely amazing and hands down one of the most talented surgeons out there. He took his time to thoroughly explain options, and addressed all my concerns. He helped me select what was exactly the perfect amount of forward projection for my chin/face. The whole team (Rachel + Marcia) have been incredibly helpful, responsive and excellent to work with. If/when I decide to do more work in the future, I will definitely come back!
Even though I am still swollen and bruised, I am super happy with my results and can't believe that is actually MY side profile! I was very nervous for this surgery, especially as it grew nearer, but now I have absolutely zero regrets and would do it again in a heartbeat if I had to!

Updated on 5 Jan 2023:
I still have total numbness in my lower teeth, and they constantly ache. I had to have a root canal in one of the bottom teeth because the nerve had been compromised by the procedure or by a screw and my tooth turned gray. Glad it didn't fall out, but I am sure I will have more dental issues to come in the future.

I like the way my chin looks, but there is still some restricted movement from my bottom lip, that I doubt will ever return since it's been one year.

And the submental lipo was good at removing under-chin fat, but unfortunately now I am left with quite a bit of loose skin on my neck, which has aged me. I am 42 and now looking at a neck lift or lower facelift to address it.

Intro
Throughout my childhood and young adulthood I had always felt insecure about my face. At first, I was so focused on my big nose that I feel like I literally couldn't even "see" what the rest of my face looked like. Finally, awhile after having my nose done in 2018, I realized I was much happier but still didn't feel like I was happy with my face but couldn't pinpoint "why".
After some reflection, research, and asking for feedback on Reddit and realself I realized I really did not like my chin. It was too "short". This made my face look too big and round and my chin look weak. My lips didn't have enough room to close really so when I did close my teeth they kind of smooshed together to make me look like I was frowning. I think my short chin also aided in people thinking I have an innocent or more submissive look, when that isn't really a match for my personality at all. I am a sweet person but matter-of-fact and not on to let people walk over me.
I also have spent a lot of investment on being good looking and for the most part I think I was before my genioplasty. I work out, run, eat healthy. But I always felt like something still was holding me back.
Pre-Op
In 2020 I had a virtual consultation with Dr Barry Eppley, who is out of Indiana. He explained to me that a chin implant would not be the best fit for my goals as I have good horizontal projection and was only lacking in my chin's vertical height. During the consult, Dr Eppley came across as extremely knowledgeable and informative. He answered all of my questions in a straightforward manner. Previously to talking it him, I consulted with another doctor who was more local to me and he was not as knowledgeable on genioplasty and did not even do the procedure, he only did chin implants and claimed that wolf work for my goals but after doing my own research I often found out that was unlikely. After talking to Eppley I knew he was the surgeon I wanted to go with.
Surgery Day
My boyfriend and I drove down to Indiana the day before my surgery and had my first in person visit with Eppley. He measured my teeth when I showed him about how far I wanted to move my chin down. It was about 7mm, he told me that I could do either 6mm or 8mm and needed to think about that and let him know what I wanted to go with. The next day I arrive at the surgical center. The nurses who checked me in were so sweet. Then Eppley came to talk to me and I told him I thought 8mm would be better and wouldn't be too long for me, since my face is so short and I am also a tall woman (5'9"). He agreed. He sat with me for a good amount of time and chatted with me about the surgery and then made some small talk with me. I really appreciate him taking the time to do that. I have had two other cosmetic surgeries with other doctors who were great doctors but neither had spent as much time sitting with me to make me feel comfortable before surgery. I knew everything was going to be fine. After Eppley left my waiting area the anesthesiologist did the same thing and answered any of my questions. Again, very pleasant experience that he did that. Very quickly after that they took me back for surgery, the anesthesiologist gave me some drugs before he put me under and I felt pretty good lol. Note that I ended up going with 8mm vertical lengthening, no forward/horizontal projection.
Post-Op
I woke up in very little pain. There was a nurse right there with me who sat with me and asked if I wanted to take a Percocet and I said yes, she said I had to eat a little applesauce first, so I wouldn't be nauseated. I did and took the Percocet and felt even better. My boyfriend came to get me and the nurse was so sweet and helped me to the car and talked to both of us about post-op. I went back to my hotel which is only a mile away and got in bed. My boyfriend immediately thought my chin looked really good, even though it was covered in a head wrap/bandage, you could still see the improvement. I slept on and off all day and watched tv and ate protein shakes, yogurt, applesauce, and ice cream and drank a lot of water. I was surprised how much it didn't hurt. There was some pain and soreness but honestly not bad. I had had my wisdom teeth extracted by a doctor in my area a couple months prior and that doctor did a terrible job with my pain management and it was excruciating, so before my genioplasty I was nervous about having that same kind of pain, but this experience and the wisdom tooth one were a completely opposite experience. I took my bandage off temporarily at night time just for maybe an hour and we were able to see my face. I absolutely love the difference so far. I think my face looks really pretty. It makes my lips prettier and gives them more space. My nose looks a bit smaller and makes my cheekbones look higher and cuter. My whole face looks almost "smaller" and more balanced. I finally feel beautiful and I hope I continue to heal well and like my results.

Updated on 15 Jun 2021:
Every day and throughout the day the swelling changes but I am still pretty swollen. Today is the best day yet, though now under my chin, under my jawline feels very sore today. I am impatient to see what I look like without the swelling but already feel like i can go out in public. Eating is mostly fine, though I am gentle and need to eat slowly/take small bites and only with my back teeth. My energy levels are mostly normal and I am back to work today.

Updated on 15 Jun 2021:


Updated on 15 Jun 2021:
It’s not letting me upload the update pics

Updated on 17 Jun 2021:
I can finally smile! Still difficult to smile with teeth.

Updated on 17 Jun 2021:
I made some side by side pics of the before and 7 days after result

Updated on 24 Jun 2021:
I feel like maybe all of the swelling at the very bottom of the “length” of my chin is gone, because when I touch my actual chin (the very bottom of my face from the front of it) I can feel the bone. I think I do maybe have some swelling under my chin, because it looks kind of “fat” under my chin. Just a little tiny bit but I hope that goes away. I also think I may have some swelling on the sides and horizontal front of my chin, just feels more puffy. I am glad the swelling seems to be gone length wise because I really like the look of how long my face is now and I dont want it to look any shorter. I feel more a lot confident and beautiful. When I smile with my teeth, I do think the remaining swelling is more apparent and makes my smile look just a touch weird or makes my chin look a little too big. I am sure that will go away. I feel great. I can eat anything, but I don’t eat really hard stuff like an apple or much at all with my front teeth. But I can use them to bite through something soft and I can eat pizza, more so by ripping it up and placing it on my mouth to avoid using my front teeth too much. I don’t like getting food near the stitches. The stitches are definitely still healing and the most annoying part. It also hurts my chin if I sneeze. Other than that I’m very comfy and in no pain.

Updated on 28 Sep 2021:
Still very happy.

Updated on 15 Nov 2022:
I still love it

I’ve met many plastic surgeons over the year because of my profession. Dr. Eppley is a World Class Surgeon with artist skills. His unique ability to think outside the conventional box puts him in a class by his own. Highly recommend Dr. Eppley and his amazing supportive staff

I've had a number of procedures done with Dr. Eppley (most of which were chin/jawline related) due to a naturally short/deficient lower jaw. He has a unique skill set being an MD and DMD and performs somewhat unique procedures (especially as it relates to custom implants) that many plastic surgeons don't have experience with.

Though I know little about him personally, I will say from my interactions with him, he seems like a good person — which is just as important to me as anything else. I think it's obvious he has a lot of experience and there is a reason that so many people go to him. It's also clear that he still enjoys what he does after a number of years in practice which is a positive sign.

From a cost perspective, you will likely pay a little more for the experience and skill of a surgeon like Dr. Eppley -- I wouldn't say I've found it overly excessive, but just something to keep in mind. I think some feel that plastic surgery is a "luxury," but for those suffering from a growth-related or congenital anomaly, I would argue it is quite "necessary" for one to feel "normal" as it relates to their appearance. It's difficult I suspect for those that haven't experienced those problems to appreciate how it feels. From my understanding, Dr. Eppley has donated his time and skill in a number of cases to help others and I appreciate that about him.