Should I remove my 8 year old chin implant? Occasional swelling and discomfort

Question

Hi, I've had my chin implant for 8 years and now considering getting it removed. At least once a year, my chin will swell causing discomfortable and embarrassment. After I take a 10 day antibiotic , things get back to normal. 3 yrs ago, I had another plastic surgeon reopen the incisions in my mouth to do a thorough cleaning but still hasn't fixed the problem. What should I do? Thanks.

Zoran Potparic, MD · Answer

Once implant get infected it is not likely that it will ever completely improve. For that reason, removal of  implant would be the most reasonable solution. You can have another implant placed after 6 months or longer, if needed. Good luck.

Randal Haworth, MD, FACS · Answer

If you are experiencing discomfort and swelling in your chin at least once a year and antibiotics are only providing temporary relief, it may be best to consider having your chin implant removed. Chin implant removal is a surgical procedure that can be performed by a plastic surgeon under local or general anesthesia.

Before proceeding with the surgery, it is important to consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon who can evaluate your medical history, examine your chin and implant, and determine the best course of action. They may recommend imaging tests such as an X-ray or MRI to assess the condition of your implant and surrounding tissues.

If your implant is found to be infected or damaged, your surgeon may recommend removing the implant, performing a thorough cleaning of the area, and then closing the incisions. Alternatively, if the implant is in good condition, your surgeon may recommend replacing it with a smaller implant or another procedure such as genioplasty (chin surgery) to achieve the desired aesthetic outcome.

It is important to have realistic expectations about the outcome of chin implant removal and discuss any concerns or questions you may have with your plastic surgeon before proceeding with the surgery.

I hope this helps,
best of luck !

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

For unique cases where a variety of modalities could be used to treat the condition, I would suggest an in-person or virtual consultation to develop a custom and effective treatment plan.  It is difficult to precisely define the best option without collecting the same information. I suggest reaching out to an expert for a consultation with surgical and non-surgical methods to get a comprehensive option. Best, Dr. Emer.

Nelson Lee Novick, MD · Answer

I am no fan of chin implants in general. For one thing, the promise that an implant is permanent is only partly true. The implant itself  being a foreign body is permanent. However, given the changes in the surrounding fat, muscle and bone tissues that inevitably take place around the implant, the implant often has to be removed and replaced with another--all this meaning more surgeries, more expense and more downtime. In this case, there have been ongoing and recurrent problems with the implant--both with swelling and tenderness--that have required additional surgery and antibiotics. It would seem reasonable to remove the source of the problem once and for all and going forward, when the chin is completely healed, to seek consultation with a board certified cosmetic dermatologist regarding the use of an appropriately robust HA filler for chin augmentation. Treatment usually takes about ten minutes to perform in experienced hands, and the results are typically immediate and engender little to no significant downtime. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Michael P. Morrissette, DDS, FACS · Answer

It sounds like you have a contamination problem with your implant and it may need to be removed. If it improves with a course of antibiotics then it is truly a bacterial problem. Is it a silicone implant? Medpor implants are more difficult to remove. In addition, removing an implant after 8 years may leave a problem with ptosis of the soft tissue pad. I would likely recommend removal of the implant and a simultaneous sliding genioplasty to maintain the soft tissue. Are you happy with the aesthetics? There are a lot of considerations and be sure to consult with a surgeon experienced with chin implants and sliding genioplasty.

Selcuk Inanli, MD · Answer

Hello! Thank you for your question.Could you please tell me what antibiotics do you use now ?But to answer your question, it is of course possible to remove the actual chin implant so you won't experience anymore discomfort.To make a better evaluation I would need more informations and photos.Best regards!

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