Chin Implant Irregularity - Scar Tissue?? How to fix?

Question

I received a custom-made Medpor chin implant (placed in with screws) 5 months ago. When I’m not smiling, the chin implant looks symmetric and everything is fine. However, when I smile wide, a lump forms on the left side of my chin, making it very asymmetric. A lot of squishy tissues make up the lump, and I can press against the lump and flatten it against the solid chin to make it symmetric. I think it might be scar tissue under my chin that piles up on that one side when I smile. What do I do?

Michael I. Echavez, MD · Answer

I would recommend returning to your surgeon so that your chin implant can be evaluated.  I would expect the swelling to be resolved by 5 months after the surgery but your face needs to be examined to try and determine what might be causing the irregularity that you see when smiling.

Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD · Answer

At 5 months after surgery you are now seeing the full contour of the chin implant with soft tissue contraction around it. With such a lump I would suspect this may be the location of one of the screws. Only by re-exploring the site can the reason for this lump be determined and removed. (whether it is a screw or just scar tissue)

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

Hi, I have performed many Chin Augmentations using chin implants for over 30 years.  When the chin is weak, this 2creates an imbalance making the nose appear larger, the mid face top heavy and the lower face look short that de-emphasizes the lips and allows early formation of a double chin.  Chin augmentation using a chin implant will add projection to the chin creating harmony and balance to the lower face.

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.  I perform chin implant surgery in 30 minutes or less, often using a local anesthetic alone.   I prefer using silastic facial implants (cheek implants, chin implants) over mediocre which become integrated into the bone as early as 1 month (according to the company rep).  The chin implant should be well healed at 3 months, so you might want to follow up with your surgeon to discuss this issue.

Hope this helps.

Chin Implant Irregularity - Scar Tissue?? How to fix?

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Chin Implant Irregularity - Scar Tissue?? How to fix?

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.