28 Yrs, Seeking Chin Implant - London, UK

Hi everyone! I have wanted a chin implant for quite some time now - been playing with the idea for a few years after seeing a picture of myself from the side on facebook. My chin is not very badly weak/recessed but it is enough that I have a (to me) very unappealing profile. I am also happy for there to be a little change from the front, as I have kind of a small face and I look young for my age.

I am from the UK but I will be going to Japan later in the year for a homestay and am planning on having the surgery done there. The cost is MUCH less than the ridiculous prices in the UK, and I know Japanese hospitals are generally very clean (no super bugs, etc.,). As such, until I meet with surgeons over there I am not 100% sure who I will go with or when.

My main fear is going under general. I have had general before but not for many years. I would prefer local/twilight if at all possible, though I'm not sure whether this is necessarily a good idea or if any of the surgeons I speak to will be willing to do this.

I will add photos soon, but won't update too often until my plans are more definite. Please share your experiences and advice below, it will mean a lot to me, thank you!

No one really knows I want this yet so I'm sorry about the 'privacy' measures. Nearer the time I will post proper pics.

My chin is quite small and I just know that in the future I will end up with a double chin. :( I imagine my implant will be on the small side. I would also like some definition on my jaw, as you can see from the photoshopped picture on the right.

I feel my profile makes me look puffy and a bit funny around the lips - I can't quite describe it, but they look slightly pursed even though they aren't. The modifications in the second picture cancel it out.

Thought I'd add a front view - once again no full face, sorry guys. I've also included a picture of a girl with an awesome chin from the front, although how much is real and how much is photoshop will forever remain a mystery. I'm not even sure that that kind of look would suit me or if it would even be possible with my bone structure. What do you guys think?

Talked it over a little bit more with my mother. She's (typically) not really behind it seeing as she 'doesn't think there's a problem' (well of course it's not a 'problem', just an aesthetic choice!). But she says one of her colleagues at her workplace is an implant specialist. I do think I'd rather do it in Japan, though. It's still way cheaper and I'd be able to recover away from my family's disapproving and reproachful eyes (I might eventually talk my mother around but my other family members would never approve). Besides, I think my mother's colleague would go through the mouth and I would rather go under the chin because it seems to have fewer risks and a more straight forward recovery.

Anyway, feel free to comment and offer advice/ask questions below! Thanks for reading! :)

Not a single one of my dentists or orthodontists has ever told me that I have an overbite. But I'm still not entirely sure. I really don't want jaw surgery as it's so invasive, risky and with a long recovery time. But if I do have an overbite would that cause an issue with getting an implant? Here's my teeth from the front. There's a picture of my profile in one of the above posts.

I'm so excited to leave for Tokyo. It's getting closer and I'm looking forward to discussing surgery with my potential clinic.

I sent them an e-mail a while back and I've been told that the procedure can be done locally on a case-by-case basis, and that the price listed on the website is still correct (thank goodness!). I just hope that I get a good vibe from the place once I go.

I will not book anything or even get a consultation until I have a job that covers my rent and food (of course I am also taking plenty of money with me) just to be sure.

Here is another before picture (ugh!). My neck is tilted forward as I have terrible posture so maybe that makes it worse, but it's still pretty bad. On the right is more photoshop magic. I can't wait to have a *normal* profile.

I just remembered that in Japan it's normal to wear surgical masks when you're sick or trying to avoid getting sick. Sometimes women pop them on when they've got no make up on.

This also means that I can cover up my swelling/bruising pretty easily without anyone noticing.

I might even be able to work after only four or five days of rest. Any problems with speaking can be put down to a bad bout of flu.

I'm such a genius.

I think this will be my last update for a while. I'll be leaving the country in a couple of months - so excited!

Here are the clinics I am considering getting a consultation with:

Shinagawa Clinic
Plaza Clinic (although there are 3 bad reviews on here which is disheartening, I will see for myself)
Clinic Le Coquelicot

I will try and find out more while I'm there.

Now, you might be thinking: 'What if none of the clinics are right for you?' In that case, I will save my money and go to the US and have it done there. I wanted Dr Mabrie but boy has he put his prices up ($6641?!). So I will go by the reviews on here and pick someone who is good and reasonably priced.

As always, thanks for reading!

I'm leaving next month, so nothing has happened since I last posted. Just wanted to pop in and say that I haven't forgotten about this place! I will have a consultation with Dr Kure even if the reviews on here say he is rude, if he seems like a bad doctor I'll go elsewhere, no harm done. Apparently Japanese doctors can be quite clinical/cold-seeming and the culture there is to do as the doctor says, so it might just be a culture clash.

My first priority will be settling in and finding a job. Once I've done that I will look into getting the surgery. Hope everyone's journeys are going great!

Finally going! Getting very nervous.

I've given it some thought and, after seeing that there has been yet another negative review left for Dr Kure, I will prioritise Le Coquelicot clinic instead. They have English-speaking services and are in fact cheaper that Dr Kure, so that's another good thing. Once I have a job, I will consult them and see what impression they give. Their blog has some good before and afters but not of chin implants, so yeah...I'll have to see when I get there.

http://www.coquelicot.co.jp/e/

I hope every one else is doing great! How are my chin buddies out there? Let me know where you're at in your journey!

I choked. I couldn't go.

I got to Amsterdam to change to a flight to Tokyo and I couldn't do it. I realised I didn't want to go. The feeling came from a place of absolute truth. I've been planning this trip for months without stopping to think if I still truly wanted to do it.

So I thought long and hard, and decided to get on a plane back home. It felt right. It still feels right. Of course, it's still kind of embarrassing.

But I still want to get my chin done. Now I will be seeking UK surgeons, which means much more expensive, but eh, what are you gonna do? Find a job, of course! I have savings but I don't want to splurge them all right away on a chin. So for now it's going to be watch-this-space.

Phew, it's been a long time since I posted anything.

Well, my trip to Japan was a bust as in the end I decided not to go. But I haven't forgotten about getting an implant. In fact, excitingly, I have had a consultation with Dominic Bray and am looking forward to booking in with him later this year.

Dominic's clinic has seen a huge surge in popularity and so get a consultation was not easy. I went to an open evening held at the Marylebone Hotel after months of texting his PA Lucy (who is absolutely lovely!) every Monday to see if there was an opening.

The Open evening was very informative. Dominic usually performs facelifts but he told me he does around 12 chin implants a year. That's an average of one a month, which I don't think is too bad! His presentation was very open and he spoke frankly about what can go wrong during surgery (although a chin implant is obviously much more straight forward than getting a facelift).

He told me at first that he didn't think I needed an implant and that injectable fillers might be better. I've been against that idea because I've seen so many people get fillers that only look good for a few months before they start to look crappy and become lumpy. Considering how expensive they are, I didn't want to have to deal with it.

When I went to my one-on-one consultation with him, he conceded that a small implant might suit me. I showed him my before shots on here and the 'after' shot of my profile that I shopped, and he told me that it looked feasible although he said it's unlikely that the skin beneath my chin would 'lift' the way I have pushed it up in PS (I will upload my original and also my new estimation so you can understand what I mean).

Right now I am a temp and I am between assignments, and once I am settled in a new assignment (which should be no more than a couple of weeks) I will book my surgery date. I have the money for the op, but I would prefer to book in when I am earning just as a safety buffer.

I really like Dominic, he is very open, down-to-earth and realistic. I know people say shop around, but I am happy to go with him.

Once I have booked a date I will update you guys! This is very, very exciting! :D

I'm temping right now and unfortunately I've had very little work the last three months, meaning I've been unable to book my surgery (technically I have the money but I don't want to commit to such a big financial agreement until I am employed). I start a three-week assignment in two weeks and after that I should hopefully have an ongoing assignment that will carry me through to the new year. That being the case, I should hopefully be booking my surgery in September.

I also want to apologise to everyone who has left a comment and not had a reply. Real Self does NOT tell me when I get a comment, it just sends me an update every few months. So I will check my settings and try and fix that. Thank you everyone who has commented, please be assured I have read and appreciated your input.

I am still super psyched to get this done, although much to my annoyance I've developed some mild acne on my jawline. I went through my teenage years and early twenties with only the occasional blemish and now, at almost thirty, I'm getting acne?! And near my chin of all places! Still, it is beginning to clear up.

As soon as I have booked I will update this blog again. Poor Dr Bray has probably forgotten me by now!

FINALLY. Holy crap, this journey is a long one! It's been forever since I last updated, but I finally have a date! I'm both excited and nervous.

I will be seeing Dominic Bray. Unfortunately Real Self will not allow me to change the location from Tokyo to London.

So, if you've had chin implant surgery, let me know how it all went and if you have any tips to share, please do!

So now all I have to do is wait to hear more. Dominic's PA Karen will tell me once it's been received. It's pretty crazy to see that kind of money leave my account. I was terrified in case it went to some random person, I kept checking the numbers over and over again, lol.

I'm really excited but also nervous. It feels far away but I know it will roll around really quickly. My current job is a temping one so by the time March comes I may have finished there. I'm kind of hoping so because I don't want to take medical leave, I'd rather just take a break between assignments, and then my next employer will never know that anything has changed.

Eek! It's less than three months away now. Getting both excited and nervous.

I broke the news to my mother and brother. They are...not supportive, really. My brother gave a nervous laugh and was like 'Really? You're really doing this?' He thought I was joking, then once he realised I was serious he kept saying 'you don't need it, I don't think you need it'.

You know what? Yeah I don't fucking need it, you moron. No one 'needs' cosmetic surgery. I didn't 'need' to get my nose pierced, either. People who have tattoos don't 'need' them. I don't give two craps whether or not *he* thinks I need it. What an idiot. My mum's resigned herself to it, she knows not to try and stop me (I mean, I'm 28, she can't). Both kept asking how much it was, and I was like, I'm not telling you; it's not their money, it's not their business. They'd freak out if they knew the exact sum so I'm gonna keep quiet.

So now of course the pressure is on. If it looks bad I'm going to have my sanctimonious and 'ever-so-concerned' brother pulling the sympathy face and my mum making remarks about it.

I think they're under the delusion that I have low self-esteem. I don't. I'm freaking VAIN. If I thought I looked like shit I wouldn't bother - why waste money on something that isn't worthwhile? I'm doing this for me because I love myself and always want the best for myself.

I'm not saying that they HAVE to be on board with it, or that they have to like the idea; I just hate the way they always freak out if I do anything. 'Oh, you don't have to do that'.

Fuck you Imma do me.

Realised I didn't have a lot of 'before' photos, so here they are. This should hopefully make it more obvious why I'm doing this.

I'm really excited for the procedure. According to the PA I spoke to I won't be seeing Dominic again before surgery, so that's, uh, that. I'm sure he will tell me all what I need to do when I get there.

One thing I wish i could do is delete some of my entries, especially the ones about getting it done in Tokyo! I can't even change the location from Tokyo to London, which is really stupid. I get that RS don't want people to 'post and run' but I feel there should be some leeway, like you can only delete one post per day/week or something.

It's exactly a month until my procedure. I'm starting to feel the nerves. I keep oscillating between 'can't wait to get it over and done with' and 'omg this is such a big deal, so scary argh'.

I'm gonna contact the office again because everyone else on here seems to be given advice on meds and stuff to take before surgery and I haven't had anything so far. The girl I spoke to on the phone the other week told me I won't be seeing Dominic again until my surgery so I'm not sure if or when I will be given any prescriptions.

In the meantime I will be purchasing the following:

- an elevated pillow
- a travel pillow
- meal replacement shakes
- drinking straws
- bio oil

And here are some other things I plan to do post-surgery:

- remove all mirrors from my room
- get a bunch of books on my kindle
- subscribe to netflix again

As sad as it may seem, I'm looking forward to the time off work as much as anything, lol.

How do you guys deal with the scary build-up to surgery? It's not the procedure I'm worried about so much as the fact that I have anxiety disorder which I worry is going to make the next few weeks and the day of the op really difficult. I woke up this morning with a feeling of dread. I know it's good to feel these things now rather than not experience them until the actual day.

I'd love some stories and advice if anyone has any.

Can't believe in two weeks time I'll be recovering from the procedure. This has been a very long journey that seems to have crept up on me all of a sudden. What doesn't help is that I got the flu last week which has completely pushed the op from my mind, so now that I've recovered and got back to work, it's like...eek! Still doesn't feel real AT ALL. (I suppose I should be glad that I got sick now rather than nearer to the operation...)

I'll probably be working from home during my recovery, which kinda sucks but at least I'll get paid. I told work I'm having an 'orthodontic' procedure and I'm taking a week off, so I hope that will be enough. Out of the blue they're hiring an assistant to my position and he's/she's started the week of my op! So I'm gonna have the added stress of trying to train them remotely while I recover.

Other than that, I'm good to go. I've got everything I need for recovery with the exception of pineapple juice and frozen peas, which I will buy nearer the day. I'll also pick up some bio oil for the scar but I can get that post op. I just want to give my bedroom a good tidy and I might as well use anti-bac wipes in the lead up to the day.

Still nervous, but coping for now. I'll add some more 'before' pictures for your, er, collective amusement. Btw I know my hair is godawful in all these pictures, I've kind of let it get long recently because I thought it'd be easier to hide swelling that way. I will get it cut beautifully once I'm recovered enough. <3

So we've had some dramaz involving adopting some kitties, which has taken up a lot of time and stress. Something was at the back of my mind, though. What was it? Something quite big...

OH YEAH. My chin. In a week's time.

Dammit, this keeps happening! Every time I feel settled about the procedure, and all prepared, something distracts me, whether it's the flu or getting new kitties.

In a week's time I'll be recovering at home. I still don't quite believe it. It really doesn't feel real.

I will contact the bank tomorrow about making the second payment via bank transfer (there's no way I'm paying on the day - the bank would never let that amount go through on my card - don't want the embarrassment).

So! Back to being nervous but also just wanting it to be over. At least I will have two lovely kitties to help me recover - we're bringing them home on Saturday.

I don't know if I mentioned it but the op is at 5pm. That sucks because I'm going to have the whole day with my nerves building up. I'll be reading everyone's reviews to get me through the fear and remind me to be brave. This is such a great community. x

P.S my mum was surprised when I said I'd be swollen. Omg for crying out loud, keep up! Of course I'll be swollen, what does she think this is?! Lol. I'm kinda worried that she's gonna freak out when she sees me post op, like she doesn't realise exactly what this is.

It's the day of. Can't believe it. I also can't believe that at one point I was actually looking forward to getting this done, ho ho ho. Now I feel sick and anxious, and dreading the recovery period.

To be fair, there are moments of calm where I remember why I decided to get this done and that does help. I'm not looking forward to recovery, gonna hate being swollen and unable to talk. But eh. What can you do? That's how the cookie crumbles.

If I were to do this again, I definitely wouldn't accept an afternoon surgery. Better to get it over and done with earlier in the day; but to be fair Dominic is so in demand that if I'd requested a morning slot I'd probably have to wait until like June. Oh, and my period is due today, so YAY. :|

I've changed my bed sheets, about to wash my hair and shower, got my pineapple juice, glass and straws beside my bed like some weird poolside waiting service.

I'm sure I'm blowing this all out of proportion, and that everything will be fine. Surgery is only for like an hour, right, so it shouldn't take too long and then I'll be in a cab heading to Victoria station.

Trying to focus on the next few days of playing video games and chasing the new kitties around the house. Wish me luck guys! Next time I post I will be post. Heh.

Wow. I did it. And all under local, holy crap. Guys, I am so huge at the front it's hilarious XD

So allow me to elaborate!

- I had it done under local. Super crazy experience, hopefully the weirdest thing I'll do all year.

- Dominic gave me a medium with trimmed wings. There was simply not enough projection from the small.

- I look like Jay Leno from the front :D although my mum said she didn't think I was as swollen as I made it out in my text, which was a relief.

- I have no difficulty talking or numbness of the lips, thank goodness.

- Pain at the moment is maybe 4 out of 10.

Guys, please help with this: I have a bag of frozen peas to ice with. How would you recommend I do this? I don't want to introduce germs to the wound.

Thanks to you all for being such a great community!!

Morning all. I've finished one of my meal shakes for breakfast but I'm also trying to eat a soft bake Belvita biscuit. I want to take neurofen for tummy cramps and I would prefer not to take it on an empty stomach.

I passed the night reasonably well, but:

1.) The travel pillow pushed up underneath my ears making them ache.
2.) I can't sleep on my side, which absolutely sucks.
3.) When I woke up I smelt of garden peas :((( they melted, natch, so they're back in the freezer now.

However, I am shocked at how low the pain is right now. The area feels tight and heavy and a little sore, but even from yesterday there's a distinct improvement. There is no numbness on my bottom lip, I speak almost as I normally do, and my smile looks as it usually does, which doesn't matter because I don't smile anyway (being a former goth does that to you). On the way home it felt a little like my bottom lip was being tugged down, but that sensation has gone. I really did need the ice at the beginning but now I'm mostly going to be using it to reduce swelling. The swelling seems to all be going 'downwards', which you'll be able to see from the lovely pictures provided.

I'm not worried because this is so completely normal for post-op. I expect to look like Desperate Dan for a few days.

I will probably post every day for the first week, just to keep you guys updated. You guys are amazing, thank you for all your support! Ask any questions you may have!

Woke up after the first decent sleep I've had for several days.

I feel as though the swelling has gone down slightly from yesterday, but I'm not sure. It still looks huge from the front but I feel there's been a change for the better.

Yesterday I watched netflix, played some games, and mainly did nothing. I drank a lot of pineapple juice - over half a litre carton to be exact, but stopped around 5 O'Clock because I didn't want to be sick at night. Pineapple juice can play havoc with your stomach if not careful.

Right now I'm having a meal shake and then I'm going to take my first ibuprofen for the day - mainly because it is anti-inflammatory, but also for my stomach. Yeah, that's hurting more than the chin right now, trust me ladies.

Otherwise I have been icing a lot. I'm not sure how much of a difference it's making. I'm scared of shifting the implant by putting on too much pressure, lol. Anyway, please see the photos above for front swelling comparison - yesterday versus today.

It's only happened twice today but I admit it's kinda freaked me out. I'm so worried about getting it infected.

I have some saline spray I used when I get my piercings, kind of want to spray some of that on a cotton wipe and dab a little around the chin just to keep it clean. Not sure what to do.

It also feels a little itchy but I know from when I had a mole removed that sometimes stitched wounds itch as they heal. Can't wait for the worst of the healing period to be over with so I can go outside as well as not worry about infections.

Morning guys! Or 'Afternoon', 'Evening', wherever you are.

Today, as with yesterday, I'm not in any pain unless you count the tiny sting of the incision site, and the occasional tightness when I open my mouth a little too far or lift my chin too high. I can actually open my mouth surprisingly well; I can't eat 'normally', but it's easier than I thought it would be.

So! Now for the swelling. I looked in the mirror when I woke up in bed, and it definitely looked better. Then when I stood and looked in the big mirror, it was hard to see a difference. I've put all 3 days post op side by side on this post. What do you guys think? I feel like it's better in some areas, worse in others.

Other than the swelling, I feel almost normal. I can't say as I 'feel' the implant in there much. I mean, I can, but it's minimal.

I will keep you guys updated - thank you all for your support so far!

The other pic might be too dark - here's another.

The swelling has definitely continued to go down. There's still some stiffness under the jaw and chin but otherwise I feel good.

I've started sleeping on my side again, as much as anything because I simply sleep better that way and sleep is important when you're healing. I'm worried about shifting the implant, though...

I realised yesterday that I haven't posted any profile pics since the day of the op. That's because the swelling was worse at the front and I thought it'd be useful to girls in the future who might be worried they got a Leno chin post op and freak out.

But here are some pics of the side. I think one side might be slightly more swollen than the other. You can see there is some swelling on the front of my chin directly above the implant.

This has reminded me how badly I need to fix my posture. I've got serious chicken neck. I'll be going to a chiropractor as soon as I'm fully healed.

Sleeping on my side the other night was a mistake. I now have pain on that side when I touched it or turn my head in a certain direction. It's not awful pain, but irritating because I didn't get that before. I think it's sore where the wing tip is.

Other than that, the main issues I have right now are:

1.) Just have that vertical swelling that needs to go. It's so much better that 5 days ago, but it still makes my chin look too long. The sun is out and the weather is warm, I'd like to go outside.

2.) I neglected to mention, but you can see in this picture that I got some icky yellow bruising on my neck, jawline and around the incision. I was surprised to get any bruising because most people seem to only get bruising when they have under-the-chin-lipo along with their implant. however, I do bruise easily so I'm not that shocked. I just think it's gross and a little itchy.

3.) Under the chin still feels tight. It's pretty annoying. Hoping this will lessen once the stitches are out.

4.) I want to be able to eat normally and sleep on my side. :(

However, I have had a very smooth recovery compared with some of the stories I've read, so I'm definitely not trying to start a pity party. Basically I just wanted to explain, for future Chin-Obtainers, the sorts of feelings they might have during recovery.

I have my post-op on Wednesday, go back to work on Thursday, still working from home right now. Just impatient to feel normal again and get on with life. I'm hoping I can wear make-up from Wednesday, fingers crossed.

I woke up sleeping on the bad side again. Ugh! I found my travel pillow on the floor, where I'd clearly tossed it in my sleep. Now it hurts again. :(

Otherwise, again I can see the swelling has gone down a lot. The chin is still too long and needs to lose more swelling around the incision area, but otherwise my face has retained a good 'shape', i.e. my jawline is still quite feminine and my chin comes to a point rather than being square. There is also still some swelling above the implant below my lip, making the area look bigger, again.

And of course the icky bruising. I really want that gone, it's horrible.

Other than that, I can see that the worst of the healing process is almost over. There will still be bits of swelling that will take a few weeks to go down. I'm going to continue to drink pineapple juice as I honestly think it's made a big difference.

Tomorrow I go to my post-op and get my stitches out. That too should make me look and feel a bit better. Otherwise, I am doing fine and playing video games while working from home. Ah, the life.

Chin up, chin peeps!

Went to get my stitches taken out. Dominic was happy with the healing and the placement of the implant. He's put a small sticker over the incision that I need to wear for a couple of days. Not sure how I will explain that at work. I bought a summery scarf to wear as it's getting warmer outside.

The swelling has gone down a lot in one week, and from the right side I look much better. You can still see that there is some swelling below my bottom lip as it juts out where it shouldn't.

From the left side it's not as spectacular, although it does look more swollen on that side to me plus that is the side with the awful pain. I think that side might take a while to look decent.

My biggest concern is that my face still looks too long. I know it doesn't look bad in pictures, but in real life my face is noticeably longer than it was before. I'm not sure how much, if any, is swelling and how much is just the implant. I really don't want a longer face; in fact, it was agreed that there wouldn't be much difference to the front. When I feel beneath the implant it doesn't seem swollen to be honest. It's still early days so I will just have to wait and see, but if it really has made my face longer I will just have to get it removed.

Otherwise the biggest issue is that it's still a little tight on the neck, some bruising remains and of course the pain on the left side. Tomorrow I return to work and I'm not looking forward to being scrutinised.

Since I've reached the one week milestone I'm going to upload weekly rather than daily from now on unless something significant happens. So, I will see you guys next Wednesday with a hopefully less long face!

I can't decide whether the time has flown or gone slowly since the operation.

Already my chin feels like my normal face. I can't tell any difference from before or after - no more tightness or heaviness, the pain on the left wing that I complained of before was gone by Sunday...all in all, I am totally back to normal. The worst part of this whole experience was definitely the anxiety building up to it. Sometimes I even forget I had it done.

In terms of how it looks, I'm leaning towards positive. I think from my profile and from a 3/4 view it looks awesome. I now have a jawline! There are now shadows on my face that make me look like I have amazing bone structure.

However, it's still a little too long at the front. I honestly think it's getting better each day, albeit slowly (my mum agrees). It's so hard to tell by comparing my pictures because in pictures it doesn't look that bad.

I hope more of the length goes, but some can stay as I actually wasn't fond of having the super-tiny-dainty-girly face I had before. I just want it to look proportionate is all.

Other than the extra length, some remaining numbness around the incision and the scar itself, I feel absolutely normal and fine. I can't believe how quick and smooth this recovery has been - I can only attribute it to Dominic's skill as a surgeon.

I can't upload pictures right now for some reason (I checked the size, file type etc., no cigar,) so I will add some tomorrow.

I hope everyone is doing well on their chin journeys, whatever stage they may be at. Ask any questions you may want! *hugs*

Here's the pictures I wanted to upload yesterday but couldn't. Enjoy!

I totally forgot to update on Wednesday, ha ha.

I can't believe it's only been around 3 weeks since the op. It feels WAY longer.

Here's the current 'state of the chin' as of now:

PROs:

1.) The 'long' look I had at the front is gone, and now I think I look much more similar to how I was pre-op.
2.) I have no pain or weirdness - my muscles operate normally.
3.) I feel totally normal - I don't feel as if there is anything alien in my face. It honestly feels like my chin pre-op (well, when I touch it it obviously isn't, but just when I'm normal and relaxed it doesn't feel like anything 'unnatural' is going on).
4.) I reiterate: the worst part of this whole experience was the anxiety before the op!! I have been extremely lucky to have such a smooth recovery. I really do think Dominic is an excellent surgeon.

CONs

1.) The scar is very red and obvious. It's closer to the front than I'd really like - I always imagined it would be much more 'underneath' my chin. This will change over time, I'm sure. I'm using bio oil at the moment.
2.) There is still a small numb patch near the incision site but it is getting better each day and doesn't bother me at all, because I knew this would happen. Just thought I'd mention it for the record.
3.) I do look a little asymmetrical at the front, won't lie. It's along the jawline. I'm not sure if it's swelling or even just the way my jaw is. I'm not too bothered by it as it doesn't look crazy and most people's faces are asymmetrical.

So, the main question is: Do I like the way it looks? Well, yes. It looks great - a huge improvement from before.

But it looked better a week ago, tbh. :( Basically, as the swelling has gone down, the chin does look less dramatically awesome than it did. It's still great, don't get me wrong, but it's...slightly less awesome. For example, my 3/4 view a week ago was absolutely gorgeous. But it turns out some of that was swelling. It still looks really nice, but it's not as ~dramatic~. I'm not even quite a month out, so I'm worried about how it's going to continue to change - I really don't want it to change any further, besides losing the numb patch and reducing the scar visibility.

I don't want to complain because as I said, I'm still REALLY happy with it and it definitely looks better than pre-op - SO much better. Having said that, I won't change this review to 'worth it' until I am two months post.

Hope everyone is doing well! Let me know what you're up to - I know some of you are close to your operation dates!! Chinleigh* and Snowberry signing out.

*Yes I named my chin ;p

I wrote a long-ass post yesterday and either it didn't appear or I must've shut down without posting it. >:(

Anyway. How are my chin peeps??! Everyone good?

I will post pictures and a summary post sometime in the next few weeks, giving my two months-post advice to all the people out there thinking of getting this done. I'll summarise briefly how I'm doing, because as I said I wrote a huge-ass post and I don't want to do it all again:

1.) I have no discomfort whatsoever - no pain, tightness (unless I tilt my head all the way back, but the tightness is so minimal it's barely there any more). I am still getting used to outside objects against the chin, such as wrapping my scarf tightly around my lower face. I still freak out that it's gonna shift, but of course that's just me.

2.) The scar is still pinkish but it is fading. I am extremely pale so that is likely why it's taking so long to fade. I still have a numb patch near the incision. I feel that rather than fading, this numbness is instead 'shrinking', i.e. the area that is numb is gradually decreasing over time. It doesn't really bother me.

3.) I think it's ever so slightly crooked on one side, but it's barely noticeable and I don't mind. My wings were trimmed down during the surgery so that might be why. As far as I'm concerned, it sits comfortably and that's what is most important (health and comfort were always high on the list of priorities with me).

4.) My face feels like my face. I don't feel that there's anything in there unless something presses against my chin. It's not an unpleasant feeling, just a reminder. Otherwise, I've half forgotten I even had it done.

5.) I still think my profile was at it's peak of perfection around week four, but again it's okay, I can live with losing some of the awesome.

Why can I live with it? Because this was so, so worth it. Honestly, it's one of the best things I've ever done, sad as that might sound. I found a pic of my 'before' face and holy crap, did I look WEIRD AS HELL from the front!! The lower third of my face was tiny, WAY too tiny. I'm so glad the chin added some length at the front, an unexpected bonus. As for the profile? No comparison, it is 100x better than before.

I will post more pictures next time to show my 'final' results, and you guys can judge for yourself. I hope everyone is doing well on their journeys, whatever stage they are at.

This is probably going to be my last update for a while, as I'm pretty much past the healing stage and at my final results. This post is going to answer questions that I think might be useful for people who are considering getting a chin implant. Most of these apply regardless of whether you're male or female. Let me know in the comments if you have any other questions.

Q.) When did you decide to take the plunge and actually get an implant?
A.) Probably around 2011/2012. Like many people, I saw myself in photographs and realised I hated what I saw.
I saw a photo of me on Facebook that made me realise I had a horrible weak chin. Some people would sigh and think 'no one's perfect,' before moving on and forgetting about it (or spending the rest of their lives hating themselves,) but I'm a doer and a perfectionist. I like to solve problems. I also draw and paint, so I have a keen sense of aesthetics. There are parts of myself that I don't like but can live with. I couldn't live with my old chin. It was a 'problem' I needed to 'solve'.

Q.) Why did you wait until 2017 to do it?
A.) I had been planning on travelling and I also didn't have a lot of money as I used to work part time. I was also studying for my degree so lots of things were in the way. I got a consultation with Dominic Bray in early 2016, but I was still only temping and I didn't want to undergo such an expensive procedure while not in stable employment (I paid for my surgery outright - no loans or credit cards for me). Late last year I go a long temping gig that pays much better money, so I knew it was time.

Q.) What size and type of implant did you get?
A.) I can't remember the name of the implant, but it has wings. It's basically the standard one that shows up when you google a chin implant with wings. Medpor or something?
Dominic and I discussed a size small during my consultation, but during surgery he said that the small would not give anywhere near enough projection, but the wings were perfect. So he took a medium and trimmed the wings down to the same size as the small. I'm glad he sized up as a small would definitely not have given me much of a difference.
That is one thing to keep in mind, though: no matter what size you discuss in the consultation, you may receive something different during the actual surgery. Sometimes it's hard to tell what size someone will need without actually putting the sizers in first to check it out.

Q.) Why did you choose Dominic Bray?
A.) Dominic had an excellent reputation for both his skill as a surgeon and bedside manner. He specialises in the face and in particular the facial nerves (I was concerned about possible nerve damage). Dominic was very open and honest during the initial group consultation. He showed before and afters (and even showed the B&As of his first - and only - unhappy patient) and was realistic about the results he could achieve. At no point did he mention other surgeries or push a sale - in fact he discussed the cheaper option of fillers with me during the consultation, when I hadn't even brought them up. In the end, I didn't bother viewing any other surgeons. I wouldn't necessarily recommend that to others because in general it's better to shop around, but I felt Dominic was right for me and none of the other surgeons I researched in London appealed for various reasons.

Q.) What do you friends/family/colleagues think?
A.) Friends = don't know, Colleagues = haven't noticed, Family = better than expected. My family was against it ('you don't need it, blah blah blah...') but in the end they were supportive. I think they're okay with it now - we don't actually talk about it much, mainly because I sometimes forget I had it done, lol. I haven't asked their opinions of the final result. I'm sure none of them hate it but either way, I did it for me, and my opinion is all that matters.

Q.) What were your expectations versus reality?
A.) Luckily my expectations were in the line of 'improvement'. I did look at 'chinspiration' pictures of people with beautiful bone structures, but I knew that my results would not be the same, as there is only so much that surgery can do.
Let me repeat that: There's only so much that surgery can do. With a good surgeon and your own common sense you will get great results and should definitely see improvement, but unless you were a 90% Angelina Jolie lookalike to begin with, you are still going to look like yourself afterwards. That's not a bad thing, either; if you really truly want to look like someone other than yourself, it's a therapist you need, not a surgeon. My chin is still not perfect, and my jaw line is still not the most defined in the world, but it's a hell of a lot better than what it was, and that's what I expected.

Q.) Do you feel that your implant has changed your life significantly?
A.) I feel more confident for two reasons: firstly, because I was badass enough to go through with something that truly terrified me, something that could have gone wrong either physically or psychologically.
Secondly, when someone looks at me from the side, I don't cringe any more. Sounds like a small payoff, but it really isn't. Peace of mind is a wonderful thing to have.

Q.) Can you feel your implant? Do you constantly notice it there in your face?
A.) No, and this had been something that I was worried about pre-op. Immediately after the op your chin will feel heavy and the skin under your neck will feel tight. This will go as you recover, more quickly for some than others. My face just feels like my face; I only notice my chin when I touch it. I'm still getting used to the sensation of it being touched by outside objects, such as a scarf. There is still a tiny patch of numbness near the incision that doesn't bother me. It will go soon.

Q.) You had your surgery under local. Why did you choose that?
A.) I didn't. I thought I was going to have twilight anaesthesia. Dominic's PA Lucy has been on extended leave since last year. Lucy is an excellent PA and we had a great rapport - she is very organised and I can tell she's excellent at her job. Dominic must have taken on several temps during Lucy's absence, some were obviously better than others. I asked one whether or not I could have twilight anaesthesia without bringing a chaperone. She said it was fine as long as I wasn't planning on driving home. I had specifically called to double check this. When I got there on surgery day, Dominic explained all about how it would work under local. I asked if I was going to be given sedation; he explained that while he could give me sedation, he explained that it wouldn't be safe for me to get myself home afterwards (or words to that effect).
At this point my nerves were shot to shit with waiting and wanting to get it over with, so I didn't mention what the girl had said to me and agreed to the local, and that was that. Looking back now at how nervous I was (my anxiety was at 100/10,) I still don't know how I managed to do it. I honestly think I was so ready to just get it over with and be on the other side. There was definitely a point at first where I felt like jumping off the table and saying 'sorry, I can't do this'. But after the first fifteen minutes I felt myself calm down and accept what was happening. I actually kind of got BORED. The worst part of the whole thing is the sound/sensation of the pockets for the wings being made. *shudder*
Would I have preferred sedation? I'm not sure. Dominic asked me several times during the surgery to show him my teeth to check if my nerves were still working okay. Maybe by going under local, he was better able to avoid stretching the nerves. Others have complained of (temporarily!) having numb bottom lips post surgery, which thankfully I didn't have to suffer with.
The girl who told me I could go home by myself after twilight sedation doesn't work there anymore; the PA I met on surgery day and on my 1 week post-op visit (called Yvonne) was definitely NOT the same girl as on the phone (totally different accents).

Q.) If you could do one thing differently, what would it be?
A.) I would not have had my surgery in the late afternoon. When I booked I was just happy to get a slot, as Dominic is very popular and is fully booked several months in advance. My day of surgery was spent waiting and being anxious as hell. I wish I could have saved myself all the anxiety by having an earlier appointment. Some people won't mind either way, but personally I recommend getting an early time if possible.

Q.) What was your biggest worry during recovery?
A.) Infection!! I was so scared that it would get infected and that I'd have to go through removal and then get another implant down the line. I wanted it over and done with!

Q.) Were the first weeks of recovery difficult?
A.) The only difficult part was having to sleep with that stupid travel pillow. Other than that my recovery was completely uneventful. I didn't freak out over the swelling. SO many people do and it boggles my mind. If you're thinking of having an implant done, I want you to read this next sentence out loud and let every word sink in:

You will look like shit for the first two weeks at least.

I did. Everyone does. Why? Because you just had surgery and you're swollen. YOU. WILL. LOOK. SHITTY. So please! Don't fall into the trap of freaking out because your chin looks huge on day 3 (mine did!!) or crying yourself to sleep because you don't think you like your results on day 5. Chill out!! You're early days and you have NO idea how it's gonna look yet. My recovery was pleasant because I knew beforehand that I was going to look like Jay Leno for a while, and made peace with it. At week one post I felt that I still looked too long at the front, but decided to give it time and see how it went. About a week later it looked much better. Wasn't that better than worrying myself into a state?

Q.) Did anything about your results surprise you?
A.) Some of that extra length on the front stayed with me, and I like it. The lower third of my face was way too small before - in fact, pictures of me from pre-op actually freak me out now, I looked like an alien potato.

Q.) Are you planning on changing anything else, whether by surgery or otherwise?
A.) Yes. Here's my list of gripes:

- my posture is shitty, I need an orthopaedic intervention
- I have a small mole on my front torso and another on my back. They are benign but I don't like them. I have already had a mole removed before, just below my collar bone.
- I have five pounds of vanity weight I want to lose. I was doing well before surgery but things have gone to shit since then. Maybe it's the stress of the surgery?
- I am considering having something done with my nose. The problem is my family will completely freak out if I get anything else done; my useless brother brought up BDD when I came home with another ear piercing (he's a vanilla dumbass), so whatever I have done will have to be discreet. I don't want a stupid pencil nose or anything like that; my bridge is fine, but the tip is bulbous and could maybe be a little lower as the distance between my nose and top lip seems kinda long to me. I still want to look like 'me' afterwards, so I'll have to do more research. My nose no longer completely dominates my face like it did before as my chin has made my features more proportionate, but it's still kinda bulbous and it does annoy me. Maybe I will make a new Real Self review, lol.

Other than that, I guess I'm done.

My experience has been mostly positive, and I'm glad I got the implant. If you're thinking about going with Dominic Bray, do. I'm very glad I chose him.

Any other questions? Ask away in the comments! But other than that, I won't update again until I get to the 6 month mark or if something else happens. Thank you to everyone who has been supportive of me on my journey! To everyone still on theirs, good luck!!