Chin (mentoplasty)

Q. My nose is quite pronounced and my chin is receding. I’ve been advised to undergo rhinoplasty surgery combined with mentoplasty and I have seen a computer display of the possible result. How reliable are these images?

A. These pictures are very useful and reliable in nose and chin surgery. However, it should be remembered that cosmetic surgery is not an exact science and that the achievement of the result shown by the computer is not 100%.

Q. At what age is it advisable to go for mentoplasty (chin reshaping)?

A. There are no age limits to undergo a surgical operation to increase the chin volume, but it is preferable to wait for the end of development of the bone structure, which occurs around the age of 15-16.

Q. In mentoplasty where are the incisions made?

A. The incisions made to enlarge a receding chin through implants or to reduce the volume of a protruding chin are made inside the oral cavity and, therefore, they are completely invisible.

Q. I’m 42 and, I already have an obvious double chin that makes my profile unsightly. What can I do to eliminate this defect?

A. Normally, the presence of a double chin is due to excess fat or to the collapse of skin tissue. In the case of a double chin, the excess fat may be sucked up through a small liposuction procedure, while in the case of collapse of skin tissue, neck-lift surgery is more appropriate, because it will allow the excess skin to be removed and the surrounding region to become toned.

Sometimes, however, the lack of definition may be due to a receding chin that can be corrected by implanting a prosthesis (mentoplasty) which is inserted through an incision made inside the oral cavity or beneath the chin fold.