Are you troubled by the
look of your chin?

• Do you have a soft or recessed chin?
• Is a small chin making your face look out of proportion?
• Does your chin deviate to one side of your face?

If so, chin surgery can help give you the look you desire.

What is chin surgery?

Cosmetic chin surgery, or genioplasty, is plastic surgery to enhance or reduce the size of your chin and bring it into better harmony with the rest of your face.

How can a soft or recessed chin be made more prominent?

• A chin implant can augment a soft or recessed chin and give your jawline an improved angle. This procedure is typically done when the desired amount of augmentation is five millimeters or less.
• A sliding genioplasty procedure can enhance a recessed chin by more than five millimeters. In this surgery, the chin bone is cut and moved forward. This procedure is also used to correct a vertically short or deviated chin.

Dr. Rappaport answers questions about chin surgery

When do you typically recommend chin surgery?

“Many times, I perform chin surgery in combination with nose reshaping or other facial rejuvenating procedures to help achieve a better balance of facial proportions. The size of the chin can magnify—or minimize—the perceived size of the nose and can improve the appearance of the chin-neck angle.

“Genioplasty is also performed after orthodontics when more extensive jaw surgery has not been performed and the chin remains ‘soft’ in appearance.”

If I have signs of aging in my neck, can a chin implant help?

“Yes. A chin implant can give the perception of an improved chin-neck angle. In some cases, I may recommend removing fatty tissue from the neck—and perhaps tightening the vertical platysma muscle in the neck—through the same incision I use for inserting the chin implant.“

Where is the incision made for a chin implant?

“The incision for placement of a chin implant is usually immediately beneath the chin in a prominent crease. Occasionally the implant can be placed through an incision in the mouth.“

How old should a patient be before having chin surgery?

“You should have reached physical maturity before you consider this procedure.“