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Is chin filler better than a chin implant?

A strong chin is considered attractive for both men and women. As in all things cosmetic, there are no mandatory measurements for a “normal” chin. But regardless of sex or ethnic background, a strong chin is desired. Though there are no hard numbers, there are guidelines that define an attractive chin. If you draw an imaginary vertical line down from your lip from the side view, the most anterior point of your chin should be very close to this line. For women, we usually consider the chin to be good if the anterior portion is a few millimeters behind this line. For me, we want this point to be at the line or even slightly in front of the line. But this guideline is not absolute. There are many pretty women with chins more posterior to this line, or even slightly in front of this line. Men, however, generally should be at the line. But too much projection can be unattractive too. Excessively large chin, like Jay Leno’s, can be a bit outrageous.

Since many people have a weak chin, enhancing the projection of the weak chin is a desirable procedure. Before the advent of fillers, the only option was surgery. Surgical options included chin implants or the more aggressive genioplasty—where bony cuts are made in your jaw/chin and advanced forward and secured with metal plates and screws. Genioplasty is what I consider extremely aggressive procedure to achieve chin projection. There is a lot of bleeding involved and putting plates and screws introduces very small room for error. And it’s very difficult to adjust the results. Once your chin bone is cut, you’re committed. In my opinion, a genioplasty is too aggressive for purely cosmetic goals. When you are evaluated for chin augmentation, your surgeon should also make sure the reason is not due to an orthognathic reason. Often in this case, you will likely have dentition and occlusion/bite problems. If so, then a genioplasty may be the only good option because a functional improvement is required, which an implant won’t achieve. But if you don’t have a dental problem, then a chin implant is the best surgical option to improve your chin projection. Chin implants are fairly routine and safe procedure. Risks and complications are few. In addition to the usual bleeding and scarring complications in all surgeries, uncommon complications include nerve injury and implant migration. Another minor advantage of chin implant is that it’s also reversible. I like the fact that chin implant is a permanent procedure and result, but yet also has the advantage that in the rare event you don’t like the results, you can remove the implant. This is in contrast to genioplasty. Once you cut and move your chin forward, there is no reversal.

With the advent of fillers, options now exist to reshape your face without surgery. The most popular fillers in the world are hyaluronic acid fillers. One reason for this is they are dissolvable. Fillers can provide some lifting of tissue, but more frequently they are used to add volume. And this is the reason why fillers can be used to enhance your chin—you’re adding volume to your weak chin to make it look stronger. The advantage of fillers is they are an in office procedure. It’s not a surgery. This means you have more choices for getting this procedure because you don’t have to only go to a surgeon. And you don’t subject yourself to surgical risks. Bear in mind that you are still exposed to risks of bleeding and infection. Also, there is a very rare risk of vascular occlusion, with the potential to cause tissue death and subsequent need for reconstructive surgery. The results from fillers are immediate, and can last up to a year for most people. But the major disadvantage of fillers is their limited ability to project your chin. Fillers are gels. It’s just not possible to push your chin past a certain point with liquid. But if you’re looking for slight or subtle chin projection, then fillers are a reasonable option.

So is a chin filler better than chin implant because it’s safer and quicker? The answer really depends on your facial anatomy, your goals and your risk tolerance. In my opinion, chin implants are a better option for noticeable definitive and permanent results. Implants come in various sizes and shapes. Implants are firm (usually silicone), so can push your chin out significantly. However, if your chin is not too bad (or if you just want a subtle change), then fillers are a good option. You may find filler to be a more convenient and less risky option. Reinjecting chin filler every year to two is not terribly inconvenient. At our office, I use Allergan Voluma, which I find to be the best filler to project the chin. It’s also the only FDA approved filler for the chin. But any cohesive high G prime filler can be used.

For more information about chin implant or chin fillers, please visit our interactive website at www.dryuplasticsurgery.com. Dr. Kenneth Yu Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery is a qualified team of experts serving the San Antonio, Texas area. To schedule a consultation, please contact our Concierge Patient Coordinator at (866) 574-1719 or info@dryuplasticsurgery.com.