Should you shave before a chin implant surgery?

Question

I am wondering if doctor's prefer the patient shaving their beard for a chin augmentation procedure or if they are able to work around it. Is having facial hair suitable for healing?

Elliot Heller, MD · Answer

Every doctor has their own instructions for surgery. You should speak to your doctor and see what the instructions are for surgery.

Paul S. Nassif, MD · Answer

Hello, and thank you very much for the question. In general, your surgeon will have his or her specific guidelines to follow prior to the procedure. Some surgeons prefer that you shave the area before surgery, as it can help keep the area cleaner. In addition, it helps prevent the steri strips that are placed over the chin from sticking to any facial hair that may be present. I hope this information helps, and I wish you the best of luck.

Raymond E. Lee, MD · Answer

Thanks for asking.  Chin implants is a procedures that can give great results. When the chin implant is placed through an incision under the chin i do like to have my patients shave from the chin down. To me this keep the area "cleaner" to prevent any possible infection and to help me to see where to center the implant a little more easily.

William Portuese, MD · Answer

It is not important to shave the beard for the chin implant procedure. The beard will actually camouflage swelling, bruising and the incision during the healing process. It is more important to make sure your surgeon has picked the right size of the implant which is discussed at the time of examination and consultation when the beard is present,  in order to understand how much augmentation you're going to get.

Sirius K. Yoo, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question.  Its helpful, but not required.  Beards, especially if thick can make it a little more difficult to mark the skin for planning, feel exactly where the edges are when the implant is placed, make it more difficult for the anesthesiologist to secure the tube (if under general combined with rhinoplasty for example), and make it more difficult to remove the sutures after the surgery.  Having said that, none of these are made that much more difficult and thus most surgeons will not ask their patients to shave before hand.  All the best!

Frederic H. Corbin, MD (license restricted) · Answer

Thank you for your question and your surgeon will determine the need for shaving prior to surgery.  So let him make the decision based on his examination Dr Corbin

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

Hi, I have performed many chin augmentations, with chin implants, over the past 30 years.  I ask my patients to shave before the chin augmentation surgery.  I place the silastic chin implant through a small curved incision, under the chin, and then place steri strips (reinforced tape) over the chin that wouldn't stick over facial hair.  Hope this helps.

Ronald V. DeMars, MD (Retired) · Answer

Good question. During the surgery it is important that surgeon be able to see and feel the skin and its contour. We allow a short beard but not a heavy full beard.

Should you shave before a chin implant surgery?

Answers (8)

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