I am a 30 year old female - Chin Implant - Toronto, ON

I am a 30 year old female and I have been self-conscious about my very weak chin for almost a decade now, ever since I noticed in my late teens that a lot of people that are considered beautiful in magazines and on TV have very strong profiles (both men and women). I work in business and I had also read from several different sources that most people who are considered to be leaders tend to have strong chins.

I finally decided to do something about it and approached Dr. Bray who seemed relatively conservative in his approach, which I liked. We discussed various different options including fat injections, chin implants, and fillers and I decided to try Perlane injections as they were temporary and I would be able to see what I would look like with a stronger chin. He recommended Perlane because it tends to add bulk to the area that it is injected (I suppose other fillers will do a better job of smoothing out wrinkles). I tried the Perlane and I was extremely happy with the results. It was unbelievable the change it made in my facial structure. Unfortunately, however, given my chin was so weak I needed two full Perlane vials almost every six to eight months to keep up the level of projection I wanted. I discussed permanent fillers with Dr. Bray but he strongly discouraged their use given the materials they were made of made them very challenging to take them out if anything went wrong or if your body rejected the filler. In fact he told me if I wanted permanent filler I would have to go elsewhere because he wouldn't risk it. I liked that he had my safety and health in mind that way. I dismissed fat injections because I didn't think I would get the same level of solidity and projection plus fat injections might only last 5 or 10 years and were as expensive as an implant. I believe they would have been the more conservative route to choose if my natural chin projection had not been so weak.

After debating for several years and continuing the injections I decided finally to just get an implant. I wanted a cost effective and permanent solution. I was really worried by everything I read on the internet about potential implant shifting and infections and all the other risks. Dr. Bray was very patient; he answered all my questions and helped me weigh my options but ultimately let me make up my own mind. I had a med-pore implant placed without screws through a chin incision (not through the mouth). Two months later it’s still healing but so far I am very pleased and have observed no shifting or asymmetry - the implant really was placed perfectly. There is a slight bump on one side of my jaw line which I think must be scar tissue because the implant doesn't physically extend that far. It doesn't bother me too much because it does not change the shape of my chin or jaw. Dr. Bray agrees and has assured me this will go away in time and I have indeed noticed it getting less bumpy over time.

I really recommend this surgery because it makes you look like yourself, only better. I've ultimately noticed people listening to me more in meetings and also more attention from men. Overall I am really happy. My advice would be though as this surgery does have its risks: don't do it unless you have a very weak chin which troubles you significantly, like I did. The Perlane injections do work well and very noticeably - if you need just a vial or so per year it stays affordable. I still don’t know what will happen to my facial structure ten years down the road with this implant. However, I measured the risks talked it out with Dr. Bray and it was the right decision for me.

Also, my other advice is to have realistic expectations of the results. Ultimately this surgery will just make you look like a “better” version of yourself, not a supermodel (unless you were already a supermodel, and then why would you bother with surgery!) It's made me more confident and I don't waste energy trying to stick out my chin in photos or when someone is facing my profile.

Finally, if you can, just bite the bullet and take 2 weeks off work. The swelling will be VERY noticeable for the first 14 days.

Update: It is now 6 months post - surgery and I am still very happy. I have no pain or numbness, but still feel a bit of stiffness and fullness in my chin, especially in the morning. I have been lightly hit a few times in the face (dropped my tablet on myself while falling asleep and have had a child grab my chin) but the implant seems very stable. I am still trying to be careful though. The scar is fading nicely but still visible to the naked eye. I can cover it up pretty well with some concealer now, and have been using vitamin E oil (pure) on it almost every night with some massaging. My boyfriend did not originally support my decision to have the surgery but now he admits the effect is very nice and that I made the right decision (only because it's made me happy, not because he thought I needed to change).