I never thought about my chin before 2023. It was the year of the “snatched jawline,” as the media dubbed it, and many people, including me, turned to filler to help enhance their profiles. And while the treatment did seem to improve my jawline and create a visible mark of delineation between my jaw and neck where there wasn’t one before, I was still unhappy with my appearance—mainly whenever I took a photo or selfie. Despite my relatively low BMI and regular fitness routine, my face looked top heavy and short (although I had already undergone procedures like buccal fat removal); I wanted it to appear svelte and heart-shaped.
I knew the signs of aging had something to do with my dissatisfaction as my cheeks descended much lower on my face. But I still couldn’t put my finger on what exactly bothered me. After consulting with several doctors about chin liposuction (a procedure I thought would help but didn’t make sense, since I did not have much fat here), I realized that I was unhappy with the projection of my mildly recessed chin. I tried filler in my chin, which seemed to help a little, but I still felt like the filler could not give me the desired projection I wanted—and the results were only temporary.
I combed through old photos of myself in my 20s and realized that while I’d never had the strong bone structure I coveted, my chin didn’t seem to disappear from the front view or look as weak in profile as it did now. I learned that women tend to lose bone along their chin and jawline as they age, so it made sense to correct this issue and provide structural support to the lower third of the face, now that I was nearly 40.
I fell down the rabbit hole of plastic surgery forums, reading everything I could about chin enhancements on the far corners of the internet. While some doctors advocated for the use of chin implants for their ease of implantation and short recovery, I was hesitant to go down this route after reading testimonials from patients who’d experienced shifting implants or bone resorption, a complication where the body breaks down bone due to pressure from the implant.
In addition, I wanted horizontal projection (to move my recessed chin forward) and a slight vertical lengthening (to make my chin longer) to help elongate the look of my face. I opted to undergo a sliding genioplasty, a surgical procedure that reshapes chin bone for aesthetic and functional reasons. During this procedure, a surgeon cuts the bone and slides it into its new position, then secures it with plates and surgical screws.
By all accounts I’d read online, the recovery for a sliding genioplasty was a lot more difficult than a chin implant, but I was sure I would be able to go through with it, since I work from home and have a relatively high pain tolerance. I consulted with Dr. Barry Eppley, a board-certified plastic surgeon and oral and maxillofacial surgeon in Carmel, Indiana, who has extensive expertise in this surgery.
Initially, I wasn’t sure what to expect after reading a story about how the incel community had embraced Dr. Eppley. However, he came across as highly knowledgeable and kind and assured me that my expectations for chin projection were realistic and achievable. I booked my surgical procedure and made arrangements to travel to Indianapolis for surgery.
Several months later, I checked into my hotel the evening before my pre-op consultation. The next afternoon, I met with Dr. Eppley and reviewed my expectations and goals for surgery again. I told Dr. Eppley that I wanted a modest enhancement in horizontal projection and a small vertical advancement to elongate my face. Dr. Eppley took photos of me from the front and at both side profiles and explained what is often considered desirable in a female’s chin: a chin that is not recessed, not overly projected (usually right behind the alignment of the nose), and balanced. I agreed that this was my aesthetic goal. I was sent home with a prescription for antibiotics and pain medication and informed not to eat or drink for eight hours before my surgery the next morning.
I arrived at the surgical center, sleepy-eyed and anxious, around 5 a.m., and I met with Dr. Eppley once more before surgery. I decided to go more modest on the horizontal enhancement, but I was happy with the vertical projection in the visualization images Dr. Eppley had shown me the day before. Even though Dr. Eppley said some female patients opted not to get vertical projection, I felt a slightly longer face worked well with my long limbs and frame. I next met with the anesthesiologist and was ushered into the room for surgery.
I woke up in the recovery room with a nurse who was feeding me applesauce and instructing me to wipe my mouth because I was drooling a combination of spit and blood from the site of my incision (between my lower teeth and chin). My face was bandaged up, and I was then escorted out of recovery. I spent the rest of the day sleeping on and off, taking pain medication, drinking smoothies, and eating cold soups.
I met with Dr. Eppley the following morning, and he said my surgery had gone well. He told me that he moved my chin 5.5mm horizontally and 4mm vertically. I was very swollen by this point and had difficulty speaking. My lips were huge and misaligned due to swelling, but I was cleared to fly back home that afternoon. Dr. Eppley warned me that swelling would peak by day three, so I should expect to look worse. I was instructed to continue icing for the next two weeks and sleeping with my head elevated. In addition, I was told to stick to a liquid diet for the week before transitioning to soft foods that didn’t involve a lot of chewing, like mashed potatoes and pasta.
Day three was the most miserable I’d felt, due to my increased swelling and aching face and chin. In the following days, the swelling decreased, but I remained uncomfortable. I quickly grew sick of the liquid diet, and my jaw ached whenever I tried to speak. I controlled any pain I had with over-the-counter medications, arnica for facial bruising, and many ice packs throughout the day. I wore my face wrap religiously and made a point of not leaving the house for the first week following surgery. I could work on my computer despite taking frequent breaks due to headaches and general malaise.
While the aches and pains I experienced were uncomfortable, I think the psychological changes were the most challenging. Although I had undergone plastic surgery before, the swelling combined with the extreme change to my face made me feel anxious and depressed daily. I experienced many difficult days when I felt like I had made a mistake, since my face appeared boxy and masculine, similar to the “Handsome Squidward” meme. My prominent jutting chin seemed to throw off all my other facial proportions, making even my lips appear smaller and less attractive. I questioned whether I had made the right decision and drove my boyfriend nuts, asking him if he thought Dr. Eppley might be able to reverse my surgery if I acted quickly. I read accounts of other people who regretted their sliding genioplasties and compared my results to those posted online by people who looked terrific within two weeks of surgery. I quickly realized I was not going to be one of those people.
I’m now four weeks out of surgery and am happy to report that I am satisfied with my results. While I know there is still swelling in my chin, the soft tissues have settled, my aches are primarily gone (although I will occasionally experience some lower-teeth numbness), and my bite and smile are becoming more normal each day. Approximately 90% of my swelling has resolved, but full results will take approximately six months to materialize. When I meet with friends, no one suspects I’ve had this procedure done, so I know the results are subtle but impactful. I now have adequate chin projection from the front and a more robust, defined side profile. If I look down, I no longer have a double chin, since my ever so slightly longer chin supports the soft tissue in this area. I no longer need to jut out my chin in photos when I take selfies to combat a lackluster profile. Despite the difficult recovery, I’m thrilled with my results and would do it all over again. I’m excited to see the final results as my swelling improves and the chin bone heals and remodels.
