Can Common Cold or Bacterial Infection Infect Chin Implant?

The chance of having an infection in the chin implant is extremely rare. We place patients on antibiotics prior to and directly after the surgery. A viral inflammation will not affect the chin implant. Other medical issues, such as diabetes or high blood pressure will not affect the chin implant procedure. This is done under local anesthesia with a small one-half inch incision placed in the submental area, not through the mouth.  

Hi FrankJ in Austin, Texas,

Chin implants are commonly performed as adjunct procedure with rhinoplasty, face lift, or neck lift. While silicone is preferred by many plastic surgeons, other material may also be used to build the chin. Being a foreign material, there is always a potential risk of implant infection, specifically bacterial. Some signs or symptoms may include pain, swelling, redness, or fever over the area. Patients with diabetes are generally higher risk of any type of infection, anywhere in the body. Fortunately, the risk of bacterial infection of chin implants are very low. Your plastic surgeon can help determine the relative risk of potential complications and help determine if chin augmentation with implants is appropriate for you. Best of luck.

Dr. Chaboki