How hard is it to remove a chin implant and how long is the recovery?

As you can see, there are many different types of implants:

1. Silicone (smooth surfaced)
2. Medpor
3. PTFE
4. Mesh
5. Hydroxyapatite.

The silicone are by far the most popular and quite easy to remove under local.

The others however can be quite complex.

The first step is to find out the type of implant.

The second step is the size. Small implants (5-6mm or projection or less can be easily removed without much consequence). Larger implants may stretch the skin or actually cause bony erosion.

silicone implants are the easier implants to remove. if you have porous implants, removal is more difficult and sometimes fragments may remain. both implants involve more work should they be fixated with screws.

replacement of implants after surgery, should not be carried out before 3 to 6 months. this will allow adequate time for the swelling to decrease, especially if there have been previous multiple surgeries. on the other hand if the implant is off center or  displaced immediately after placement, corrective surgery should be done within the first two weeks if all conditions permit it.

recovery will be longer than the initial chin implant surgery as the swelling lasts longer. within two weeks you will presentable, but the swelling will still be present at a month.

hope this helps

dr cordoba

plastic esthetic surgeon

4055 Ste-Catherine Ouest
Suite 100
Montreal, QC
Canada H3Z3J8

drcordoba.com

Hello there,

Chin implants are relatively easy to remove.  It is best to wait a month or longer to be sure this is what you want to do.  There is very little down time with this procedure.  The  type of anesthesia used for chin removal can be local or general.  Consult with your surgeon to help you with these decisions.

Best of luck,

Dr. David Alessi

If the implant is a silastic implant then it can be relatively easy to remove in the office under local anesthetic. If it is Medpor it can be more difficult. The pocket that is left behind can scar down and create asymmetry that never existed previously. You will also lose the projected appearance of your chin. The down time should be relatively minimal. You should be able to return to work (depending on what you do), in a couple of days and swelling should resolve in a couple of weeks.

Technically, removal of a chin implant is easy... assuming it is a silastic type implant. Medpor implants can be much more difficult. Recovery is very quick as well. Little of the swelling associated with the initial surgery typically happens.

Patients having their chin implant removed should expect to have their old prolile back. The chin implant may also mask some looseness of the neck, so that when the implant is removed, the neck may appear somewhat looser.

Patients will obviously want to discuss these variables with their plastic surgeon, and go over all their choices, including the possibility of replacing the implant with a more suitable implant.

When you take out a chin implant you need to make sure that the space that is left behind is not too large. If there is a significant space, this could create scar formation and an odd appearance. Sometimes, it is beneficial to put in a smaller implant or a different implant depending on what is concerning you. If you just take it out, the empty area will create deformities of the chin that can look unflattering.

All implants are foreign bodies which become coated with an envelope of scar tissue over a short time. This is what ultimately holds chin (or breast) implants in place and symmetrical. After a chin implant is removed, the slick surfaces of the scar capsule must adhere properly to prevent a loose fold of tissue and deformity from forming. It would be normal surgical practice to remove the thin scar tissue layer also so the original chin tissues can heal to each other. This is very critical in removing chin implants that extend around the side of the jawbone. Board certified plastic surgeons would know this whereas lesser trained cosmetic surgeons may omit this important step.

Removal of chin implants depends on two factors:

• Type of implant
• Whether there is ingrowth of tissue into implant

If the chin implant is made of silicone, it is easy to remove the implant. If the implant is made of other substances such as medpore, for example, the tissue will have grown into the implant and thus, the dissection is seldom straightforward.

The other two important aspects of the discussion are whether removing an implant may cause a secondary deformity with drooping of the chin; and whether to remove them from an incision in the mouth or below the chin in the skin.

It is a very straightforward procedure to remove a chin implant.  If it's a solid silicone implant, it can typically be performed under local anesthesia in about a half hour.  Porous implants can take a little longer, but they can still be removed without much difficulty.  The postoperative recovery is pretty routine, and primarily concerned with healing of the incision.  I would expect you to be back a full activities within about 2 weeks.