POSTED UNDER Chin Implant REVIEWS
Chin Implant + Neck Lipo + Excellent Dr. = Very Happy Me! - Los Angeles, CA
ORIGINAL POST
Hello. I waited to post my review until I stopped...
WORTH IT$7,000
Hello. I waited to post my review until I stopped wingeing back and forth about my results. It’s a rollercoaster…. but well worth the ride.
THE DECISION:
I’m 44 now, and I have known since I was a teenager that my profile did not line up with who I was. I came from a family that shunned the idea of plastic surgery and promoted self worth through other means. That’s an important backbone to have, and I’m glad that was taught to me, but I still never got past the loathing of my profile. I finally reached an age, where I could afford the time, cost, & potential social backlash. It was time for me to make the change that I had always wanted… not for anyone, or despite anyone…. just for me.
It sounds so dramatic, right? It’s just a chin implant and a little lipo, but to me, I was rebelling against so much that had been ingrained in me… yet I still wanted it.
I only told my boyfriend and one friend. Fortunately both were nonjudgmental and supportive. It was my first hurtle…. cleared and moving forward.
CONSULTATIONS:
I booked two different consultations… always good to get a second opinion, and a feel for different doctors’ approaches. I went with the second, Dr. Rady Rahban. I’m so glad I did. He was very straightforward. No unrealistic promises. From his frank approach, I knew I would get what I was expecting out of the deal, and that his work would be that of a perfectionist.
Once I scheduled the surgery, most of my anxiety left. Just getting through that mental barrier was the hardest for me.
PREP:
I bought a wedge pillow and a neck pillow to keep me on my back post-op, and off of my face. Like so many of you, I’m a side sleeper. The combo of the two pillows was quite comfortable and effective.
The weekend prior to surgery, I cooked several soft meals (soups mostly) and froze them in anticipation of having no desire to cook, and no desire to leave my house for a week. I also wanted to ensure low sodium to reduce swelling, and good nutrition to promote healing.
SURGERY:
I was booked for 7:00 am surgery. I was at home and in my own bed by 10:30! I couldn’t believe how fast it went. General anesthesia was a good call for me. I was out 3 seconds after I climbed on the table. Next thing I knew I was waking up and putting on my clothes to head home. No pain, just groggy.
RECOVERY:
day of surgery:
General anesthesia has it’s down side too (nausea), but I could not imagine being awake though someone cutting into my face…..eeeeeeek! I vomited as soon as I got home, slept a good portion of the day, and vomited again that evening. This was a combo of the general and the pain meds. I decided to stop taking them that first day. I really didn’t need them. I think the doc did such a careful job, that there wasn’t much trauma or pain.
No problem sleeping through the night with my inclined pillow combo…thank goodness!
Day 2-6:
I was able to eat the soft stuff pretty well. I had zero numbness in my lip, just a tight, sore feeling, that made eating a bit slow and a tad messy, but not a problem. I spent the week never leaving my house, because the doc had my whole chin taped down to my neck…. not a good look for socializing. This tape also really kept me from analyzing what my new face looked like. Turns out this was a really good thing….
Day 7-14:
I finally got the damn tape off (and stitches removed) on day 7….hallelujah! Except for the fact that I looked awful. I was expecting this from all the info on this site. I took it in stride, as best I could, wrapped my neck in a big scarf that hid my chin, and scampered home to hide.
This is where the rollercoaster gets rocky. I couldn’t help but to stare in the mirror and wonder if I had made a mistake. I looked like a dude. I knew from everyone’s posts, that I really had to wait at least 2 weeks before freaking out…. but you still freak out a little…. it’s only human.
There was a good bit of tightness in my neck (from the lipo), but the soreness was nearly all gone. The incision site had a tiny bit of numbness to it, but I could only tell that if I touched it.
I had an invitation to a christmas party set for day 12 of my recovery. I was sure there was no way I would go. However, at day 10, I woke up to significant improvement. Each day I would wake up and my first stop would be to check for improvement in the mirror. Everyday got better. My neck was still quite taught, but the swelling in the lower half of my face was subsiding, resulting in a much more feminine shape. I went to that party, despite the fact that I felt my face was unsettled, and not quite right. Turns out, my best friend didn’t even notice I had anything done! I think the only way that you can tell is with side-by-side photos. This is exactly what I was hoping for.
Week 3-7:
The doc had me start to do a little massaging of the neck with heat to help stretch the muscle and help with the lipo. Indeed, my under chin started to recede, and my neck loosened up to full range by the end of week 4. From this point on, I would take a million pictures from every angle, and go back and forth between loving it and hating it. At week 7, I have finally landed on loving it. It does take time to fully heal, and for your psyche to fully accept your new shape. I am scheduled to do some filler in a month to address the little bit of marionette that I have. I think this will help to enhance the implant integration too.
BOTTOM LINE:
This site has been so helpful to me. I hope this review helps others as well. I highly recommend this surgery if you are one of the profile-loathing, recessed chin sufferers out there. It balanced my strong nose, gave me definition between my chin and my neck, and in the end, gave me a new confidence I yearned for for as long as I can remember.
Best of luck to all of you in your journeys.
THE DECISION:
I’m 44 now, and I have known since I was a teenager that my profile did not line up with who I was. I came from a family that shunned the idea of plastic surgery and promoted self worth through other means. That’s an important backbone to have, and I’m glad that was taught to me, but I still never got past the loathing of my profile. I finally reached an age, where I could afford the time, cost, & potential social backlash. It was time for me to make the change that I had always wanted… not for anyone, or despite anyone…. just for me.
It sounds so dramatic, right? It’s just a chin implant and a little lipo, but to me, I was rebelling against so much that had been ingrained in me… yet I still wanted it.
I only told my boyfriend and one friend. Fortunately both were nonjudgmental and supportive. It was my first hurtle…. cleared and moving forward.
CONSULTATIONS:
I booked two different consultations… always good to get a second opinion, and a feel for different doctors’ approaches. I went with the second, Dr. Rady Rahban. I’m so glad I did. He was very straightforward. No unrealistic promises. From his frank approach, I knew I would get what I was expecting out of the deal, and that his work would be that of a perfectionist.
Once I scheduled the surgery, most of my anxiety left. Just getting through that mental barrier was the hardest for me.
PREP:
I bought a wedge pillow and a neck pillow to keep me on my back post-op, and off of my face. Like so many of you, I’m a side sleeper. The combo of the two pillows was quite comfortable and effective.
The weekend prior to surgery, I cooked several soft meals (soups mostly) and froze them in anticipation of having no desire to cook, and no desire to leave my house for a week. I also wanted to ensure low sodium to reduce swelling, and good nutrition to promote healing.
SURGERY:
I was booked for 7:00 am surgery. I was at home and in my own bed by 10:30! I couldn’t believe how fast it went. General anesthesia was a good call for me. I was out 3 seconds after I climbed on the table. Next thing I knew I was waking up and putting on my clothes to head home. No pain, just groggy.
RECOVERY:
day of surgery:
General anesthesia has it’s down side too (nausea), but I could not imagine being awake though someone cutting into my face…..eeeeeeek! I vomited as soon as I got home, slept a good portion of the day, and vomited again that evening. This was a combo of the general and the pain meds. I decided to stop taking them that first day. I really didn’t need them. I think the doc did such a careful job, that there wasn’t much trauma or pain.
No problem sleeping through the night with my inclined pillow combo…thank goodness!
Day 2-6:
I was able to eat the soft stuff pretty well. I had zero numbness in my lip, just a tight, sore feeling, that made eating a bit slow and a tad messy, but not a problem. I spent the week never leaving my house, because the doc had my whole chin taped down to my neck…. not a good look for socializing. This tape also really kept me from analyzing what my new face looked like. Turns out this was a really good thing….
Day 7-14:
I finally got the damn tape off (and stitches removed) on day 7….hallelujah! Except for the fact that I looked awful. I was expecting this from all the info on this site. I took it in stride, as best I could, wrapped my neck in a big scarf that hid my chin, and scampered home to hide.
This is where the rollercoaster gets rocky. I couldn’t help but to stare in the mirror and wonder if I had made a mistake. I looked like a dude. I knew from everyone’s posts, that I really had to wait at least 2 weeks before freaking out…. but you still freak out a little…. it’s only human.
There was a good bit of tightness in my neck (from the lipo), but the soreness was nearly all gone. The incision site had a tiny bit of numbness to it, but I could only tell that if I touched it.
I had an invitation to a christmas party set for day 12 of my recovery. I was sure there was no way I would go. However, at day 10, I woke up to significant improvement. Each day I would wake up and my first stop would be to check for improvement in the mirror. Everyday got better. My neck was still quite taught, but the swelling in the lower half of my face was subsiding, resulting in a much more feminine shape. I went to that party, despite the fact that I felt my face was unsettled, and not quite right. Turns out, my best friend didn’t even notice I had anything done! I think the only way that you can tell is with side-by-side photos. This is exactly what I was hoping for.
Week 3-7:
The doc had me start to do a little massaging of the neck with heat to help stretch the muscle and help with the lipo. Indeed, my under chin started to recede, and my neck loosened up to full range by the end of week 4. From this point on, I would take a million pictures from every angle, and go back and forth between loving it and hating it. At week 7, I have finally landed on loving it. It does take time to fully heal, and for your psyche to fully accept your new shape. I am scheduled to do some filler in a month to address the little bit of marionette that I have. I think this will help to enhance the implant integration too.
BOTTOM LINE:
This site has been so helpful to me. I hope this review helps others as well. I highly recommend this surgery if you are one of the profile-loathing, recessed chin sufferers out there. It balanced my strong nose, gave me definition between my chin and my neck, and in the end, gave me a new confidence I yearned for for as long as I can remember.
Best of luck to all of you in your journeys.
4chinchilla's provider
Replies (29)
January 24, 2017
I sincerely hope you realize how NOT dramatic at all your decision to get a chin really was! It sounds very similar to my upbringing, and if I had to guess, your feelings are probably very similar to all your naturally chinless brothers and sisters out there :) my roommate has laughed at me when I point out weak chins either on TV or out and about because it's never registered to her before. I told her "we recognize our own kind from a mile away!" Your results are very stunning. And I know this sounds like a goofy question, but would you say this surgery has changed your life?
January 24, 2017
I do that too! I'm always pointing out to my BF, "too much chin!, or chinless!". I became chin obsessed. It's funny how it really doesn't register to the "others". I guess we do recognize our own tribe! I'm quite comfortable with my decision now, and I would cop to it if anyone ever called me on it, but, as you stated, others just don't see it like we do. Mostly, they just say, "you look rested, or good", but they can't quite put a finger on it. Mostly what it has done is just grant me a confidence. I can stop jutting my jaw out, and just walk into a room like any other normal human being. In that, yes, it changed my life. It's not earth shattering, but it is personal.
February 6, 2017
Thank you for sharing your journey. I'm glad you held off a few days before posting because you are correct that, after reading all the reviews, we know what to expect and yet, we still freak out a bit. You trusted the process and it is refreshing. I suppose that those of us who have not had a chin are shocked when we actually get one and feel like a strong chin now makes us look masculine. I'm 48 and I have promised myself that I am going to do this asap. I just need to find the right dr. to do the surgery. What kind of implant did you have and what size? You look amazing!!
February 7, 2017
Thank you so much! I only just got to that place where I finally feel pretty confident in the outcome. I think it is quiet brave of those who are willing to expose themselves through the process. I just wasn't sure I could be that publicly vulnerable. I did trust in my doctor, and the process though. I guess we all just handle it in our own ways.
My doc used a size large, extended (with "wings) silicone implant. I was pushing for more of a medium, but he was quite confident. In the end, I realized that he is the professional who has seen thousands of faces, and he really knew what was right. It was just my job to trust that.
I hope you find the right doc for yourself soon. A new chin and a new profile is really a confidence builder! No regrets!
My doc used a size large, extended (with "wings) silicone implant. I was pushing for more of a medium, but he was quite confident. In the end, I realized that he is the professional who has seen thousands of faces, and he really knew what was right. It was just my job to trust that.
I hope you find the right doc for yourself soon. A new chin and a new profile is really a confidence builder! No regrets!
February 9, 2017
I cannot believe you are 44! You look at least 10 years younger than that. Your results are fantastic!
I'm getting my chin implant with lipo on Feb 22nd. I'm so nervous about picking the right size! My doctor says medium, but I'm thinking a small. He plans on using a Flowers Mandibular Glove implant by implantech. Do you happen to know the name of the implant your doctor used?
February 9, 2017
Thank you. That's very kind of you to say. Congrats on booking your surgery! I'm not 100% sure about the type, but I believe my implant was an Implantech extended anatomical size large. I was thinking that mine should be smaller, but the doc basically said he would try the sizers during the procedure and decide what looked best. He carved it down to suit a shape that we had discussed, but size was just not a pre-determined thing. I read your profile. It sounds like you really did some research looking for the right doc. That's such an important part of this. If you have seen his work in before and afters and you like his aesthetic, you need to trust him to make the choice during the procedure. Someone with that much experience will undoubtably make the right choice for you. I'll be following your posts. Best of luck to you. You're gonna be so happy.
February 9, 2017
Thank you. I hope so! My doctors before and after photos are a lot of pictures of people many years older than me, and lots of face lift procedures in combination with the chin implant. So it's a little hard to tell what I could expect for me. But he has over 20 yrs of experience, and I know I need to trust him.
I have my pre-op appointment tomorrow. So, my plan is just to talk to him about what I want, show him some pictures of chins I like, and see what happens. For example, I think Mandy Moore has the cutest chin. I'm going to show him lots of pictures of her chin and say, "I want that!" Lol
I just don't want it to be too big, or too noticeable a change to others. I don't want my husband to freak out bc he already doesn't want me to do this. You said no one noticed, right? What does your boyfriend think of it? Is he freaked out by it?
February 9, 2017
Ha! No. He's not freaked out at all. I did some morphs with an app before hand, and I have to say it predicted the outcome pretty well. My boyfriend works in the arts and is very visual. He says it's very subtle and natural, and that he really can't tell unless he looks at a side by side photo comparison. He nicknamed it "chin-chilla" when I was in the planning phase, so it was endearing. My own parents have not even noticed! I think you will be fine, and your boyfriend will owe you an apology in the end. I'm sure he is just trying to let you know that he loves you just the way you are.
February 9, 2017
Yes, I'm glad he loves me the way that I am! It would be worse if he said, "yeah get your chin fixed and get some boobs while you are at it!!"
February 10, 2017
It's called "Face Touch Up". I suggest the mobile app. The computer app is more difficult to control.
February 10, 2017
I like face touch up too. I didn't get the app though. I found it on a PS website. Seattlefacial.com I think. Very easy to do.
March 29, 2017
Your week 3-7 assessment has calmed me down a little. I'm almost 3 weeks post op and this week I HATED everything about my chin, even though a lot of the swelling has gone down. I'm constantly questioning if I did the right thing. Last night I even started thinking about having it removed. But you're right, patience is key.
Anyway, you look awesome. So glad that you're loving it, and thank you for writing such a detailed post!
Anyway, you look awesome. So glad that you're loving it, and thank you for writing such a detailed post!
March 29, 2017
I'm so glad my post has helped in some way. I checked out your post too. I think you look way better than I did at day 10! My day 8 was truly hideous. We all seem to go through a similar process of hating the outcome, toying with revision, then acceptance, and then happiness. The boxiness seems to stand out to each of us too. Friends and family all say, "it's not even noticeable", but to each of us, we are so honed in on our own face shape, that the slightest difference seems catastrophic! It does take time not only for the swelling to go down, but also for our self-perception to fall in line. Keep looking at your side by side before and afters, and have faith. You look great, and it only gets better from here.
UPDATED FROM 4chinchilla
2 months post
THE PROGRESSION
Here's the photo progression from day 3 - week 7.
Replies (3)
May 11, 2017
Omg! U results are amazing n so natural with a punch. Love it! Will like to have the same procedures in the near future. But I'm having a bit of a hard time understanding the fit of implants.
What type of implant did u use?
Thanks!
What type of implant did u use?
Thanks!
May 12, 2017
Thank you! My doc used a size large silicone implant with wings. There are many types, and your surgeon should be able to give you a better idea of what works best for your face shape. There are button ones that just give projection and ones that wrap to fill in the edges and make a smooth transition. There's different levels of projection and different shapes available. It does require an in depth convo with your doc to get the full picture. Best of luck to you!!
UPDATED FROM 4chinchilla
2 months post
8 week Update
Made it to the 2 month mark! This point seems to be a break through for me. I have stopped thinking of my chin as a separate entity. Now it seems more naturally a part of me.
Replies (4)
February 6, 2017
He did an amazing job!
February 7, 2017
Thank you so much! I'm guessing it must be fairly natural looking, because I have just seen my family for the first time since my surgery, and no one noticed a thing! I'm very happy for that, as I only told two friends I was doing it. It seems to only be noticeable to others in a side by side photo. So funny, because to me, it's drastic! Haha! Self perception is a crazy thing.
February 7, 2017
wow that is so crazy! I also am only telling a handful of people just to see if anyone notices... I'm guessing they won't!
You just look amazing!... I really think your chin looks perfect.