Face Swollen After Chin Implant? (photo)

Question

Hi , I have a question. I had a chin implant (size small) 3 days ago with local anesthesia. The Dr. put in a lot of licodaine. Now my face is very swollen : my 2 cheeks. My chin is swollen but not too much. My 2 cheeks however are so swollen, and my left lower lip is still numb while my right lower lip I can feel things, hot and cold. What happened? Should I be worried? What can I do to reduce the swelling fast Thanks

Darryl J. Blinski, MD · Answer

PLEASE call your surgeon NOW to be seen just to make sure you are OK! From the posted photo you appear to have a redness which COULD be a sign of an infection. Please seek care.

Francis R. Palmer, III, MD (retired) · Answer

Hi, if you have post op questions and concerns, you should contact the surgeon that placed your chin implant for evaluation and recommendations.  In my experience, swelling over the face and cheeks following placement of a silastic chin implant through a small, curved incision under the chin is quite unusual. I have performed many facial shaping procedures, including Chin Augmentation with dermal fillers or silastic chin implants, for over 30 years.  When the chin is weak, this creates an imbalance making the nose appear larger, the mid face top heavy, the lower face looks short, de-emphasizes the lips and allows early formation of a "double chin".  
 Proper placement of a silastic chin implant adds forward projection to the chin thereby creating harmony and balance to the lower face.  Using the same incision, liposuction can be performed to reduce the fat and further shape the neck.  Excess skin, from below the chin, can also be removed through the same incision.  
 I have found that placement of a silastic chin implant, through a small curved incision under the chin (also allows excess skin removal) to be very safe, quick, highly effective and far less invasive than a sliding genioplasty (requires extensive tissue dissection, bone cuts and placement of metal screws and plates to secure the cut segments of bone).  I perform chin implant surgery in 30 minutes or less, often using a local anesthetic alone.  
Hope this helps.

Michael Elam, MD (retired) · Answer

Dear Noseugly, I personally do not do chin augmentations under just local anesthesia.  My anesthesiologist provides some I.V. sedation to my patients to avoid the extra injections and I prefer this as the healing time and swelling is reduced. If you had just injections and no I.V. sedation then perhaps the excess swelling that I see in your photographs is from the local injections themselves. If it has been only three days since your procedure then you should see this dissipate shortly. The chin area does not look very swollen and appears to be within normal range of recovery. See your surgeon for follow up and discuss your concerns and he/she should be able to set your mind at ease. Best regards, Michael V. Elam, M.D.

Face Swollen After Chin Implant? (photo)

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Face Swollen After Chin Implant? (photo)

Answers (3)

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Everything you need to know about Chin Implant

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.