67 years old, having a chin implant removed after 10 years. Can a chin tuck be done at the same time implant is removed? (photo)

Question

I never liked it made my face long and it was too big for my face. I'm nervous I'm going to look deformed. Your thoughts and recommendations. Thanks so much!

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear Celine1949,
In most cases chin implant removal requires a implantation of a smaller chin implant. If that space is left empty after chin implant removal, it can lead to contracture. 
You mentioned that you are considering a chin implant removal and a chin tuck. I recommend you to visit a board-certified plastic surgeon for in-person consultation.

Daniel Barrett, MD, MHA, MS
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery 
Member, Am. Society of Plastic Surgery

David S. Motoki, MD · Answer

Thank your for your questions and photos. The concern is what will happen to the chin soft tissues after the implant is removed. It is possible that the tissues will contract without sagging or irregular chin contour. On the other hand the chin tissues may not look pleasing. You could consider a smaller implant so the chin tissues do not have to shrink so much. Sometimes the chin bone under the implant loses volume so your chin will appear smaller than it did before you had the chin implant. Special cephalometric x-rays can be very helpful to evaluate the bone under the chin implant and also help predict if you would look better with some kind of chin implant vs. no implant at all. Best of luck!

Val Lambros, MD, FACS (retired) · Answer

if by chin tuck you mean a neck surgery, it could be but it doesn't look like you need it. The bigger problem is what happens to the chin when you remove the implant. Sometimes doing that the chin collapses and droops quite a bit. It's not an easy problem. If this is what you mean by a chin tuck, I it depends on how it looks when the implant is removed.What are you doctors plans for this eventuality?

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

Hi, I have performed many facial shaping procedures, including Chin Augmentation with dermal fillers or silastic chin implants, for over 30 years.  From the photos, your chin is still quite weak and there appears to be some degree of chin ptosis.  Some information about the current implant (size, shape, material and how it was placed ie. through the mouth or using an incision under the chin) would help in the evaluation.  With such a weak chin, removal of the implant, even with the skin tucked, would only accentuate the weak chin.  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".  
 The 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.  I perform chin implant surgery in 30 minutes or less, often using a local anesthetic alone.   It might be better to consider removing the existing chin and replacing it with a shape and size that would create harmony and balance to your lower face.  In my experience and humble opinion, chin implants are placed to add forward projection to the chin in order to correct a weak chin.  In that position, the chin implant will not elongate the chin.Hope this helps.

67 years old, having a chin implant removed after 10 years. Can a chin tuck be done at the same time implant is removed? (photo)

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