Subtle Chin Implant - Costa Rica

While in Costa Rica having some dental work done, I decided to have a chin implant placed. I've wanted one for some time and am considering it my first foray into cosmetic surgery...kind of a baby step. I considered several surgeons and after communicating with them opted for Dr. Pino. A number of things were considered in this choice including positive/negative reviews found online, ease of communication, personal consultation and responsiveness to my concerns (I wanted to avoid general anesthesia & wanted it placed through a chin incision not orally).

Dr. Pino's office is located on a busy, dirty street (this describes 90% of San Jose) and I was a little disconcerted by them...In the US were used to any medical specialist having luxurious, plush offices...I have since visited several surgeons in CR and find his offices to be on par for Costa Rica. His clinic is located behind his office. It set up like a small hospital ward with a surgical suite.

His nurse (I wish I could remember her name - she has worked for him 28 years & is wonderful. She also worked at the local hospital in Intensive Care for 20 years) gave me a pill (valium, I think) and helped me into my hospital gown and slippers. She then led me to a bed where I was given an IV sedative. After a bit, she led me to the surgical suite and I laid on the table/bed. I was awake throughout the procedure, but don't really remember it. Afterward, I was assisted back to the room I started in and told to rest. I slept for a few hours and when I woke up the Dr. Pino chatted with me a bit. He reminded me that the swelling would make my chin look larger than it is and explained the medications to me (they were sent home with me - I didn't have to go to a pharmacy to pick them up).

I had a follow up appointment the following day & everything looked fine. I will visit again before I leave Costa Rica, but anticipate everything being fine. Im less than 3 days out and am still quite swollen & bruised but it is diminishing.

I'm sharing my 3 day after photo so everyone can have an idea of how bad it might look, but please realize that I bruise easily and also had dental work done the day prior so I have considerably more swelling on one side than the other.

Shame on me for not posting about this nightmare at the time but I was so terribly ill for so long it was simply not a priority.
After returning home from Costa Rica, I developed swelling and soreness on the right side of my chin and jaw. After consulting a local plastic surgeon I had the implant removed and was told I was suffering from a staff infection at the implant site. They placed a drain and over the next 10 days the infection oozed out of my chin. I was on high doses or oral antibiotics for the next two months and still have scarring from the ordeal years later.
The plastic surgeon I saw in the US said there are wonderful surgeons and clinics outside of the US but that I had simply chosen poorly. He also said that anyone can have an infection after surgery. However, the swelling from my infection would have been noticable to the surgeon at my follow up appointment.
The implant would not have been salvageable even if treatment was started immediately. The US surgeon thought it was probably contaminated prior to placement. Had Dr Pino addresses the swelling immediately, I would have been saved from a lot of pain, permanent scaring and lasting health issues.
I would not use Dr Pino again and would not recommend anyone else do so.