What is Chin Reduction Surgery?
According to the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, 68 percent of Americans are unhappy with their double chins and want to do a genioplasty.
Genioplasty, or chin reduction surgery, is a type of surgery done on the chin to get rid of the neck fat.
A double chin may be caused by a number of factors. This includes;
- Hereditary factors.
- Airway positioning.
- Anatomy or weight.
Double chins caused by hereditary factors requires sub-mental chin reduction surgery to be eliminated.
Why should you consider a chin reduction surgery?
There are a number of factors that may make you consider going for a genioplasty.
If left untreated, double chins may pose very serious health problems to you. This includes life-threatening problems like sleep apnea syndrome, periodontal disease, and pneumonia.
Maybe, you are unhappy with the appearance of your chin. Or, the shape, size, or position of your chin does not appeal to you.
You have a double chin and despite attempting several natural chin reduction methods such as physical exercises, your double chin cannot go away.
Types of Chin Reduction Surgery
Chin reduction surgery can be conducted in numerous ways: by relocating the chin forward, relocating the chin backward, moving the chin side to side, or by making the chin longer or shorter.
There are two major types of genioplasty: sliding genioplasty and chin implant.
1. Sliding Genioplasty
In this type of genioplasty, also known as osseous genioplasty, a saw is used to cut the chin bone from the jaw.
Then, the cut bone is relocated to rectify a chin defect. This method is recommended for patients with chins that are far back in comparison with their faces, a condition known as severe retrogenia.
It can also work to rectify chins that are extremely long and projected.
2. Chin Implants
This is applicable when there is a need to change the appearance of the chin in terms of size, shape or relocation. It is done in two ways: surgery or injection.
a) Surgical Chin Reduction Methods
According to Lisa Ishii, who is a specialist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, there are three surgical procedures that can be used to get rid of a double chin. These surgical procedures include:
- Liposuction
- Face-lift
- Neck-lift
b) Liposuction
This procedure reduces the neck fat by making a small incision under the skin.
A tube is then inserted to suck out the fat from beneath the skin while sculpting the chin and neck contours. In this procedure, a local anesthetic is used to numb the general area.
c) Face-lift
This procedure is preferred when the patient wants to remove both the neck fat and the loose and saggy skin around the neck and chin.
While doing this procedure, general anesthesia is used to make the patient asleep.
d) Neck-lift
There are two types of neck-lift procedures: cervicoplasty and platysmaplasty.
Neck-lift procedures are mainly done to remove extra skin, improve the neck and chin contours, and/ or stiffen neck muscles.
Normally, it is done together with a traditional face-lift. After the procedure, patients may experience bruising and swelling for about two weeks.
Patients might have a rigid sensation in the neck for a couple of months. People who smoke or those under ant – clotting medicines, may experience excessive bleeding during the surgical procedure.
Nonsurgical Chin Reduction Methods
To avoid side effects related to surgery, those with double chins can opt for nonsurgical chin reduction methods.
The nonsurgical alternative to double chin surgery includes the use of deoxycholic acid, a substance sourced from the gall bladders that dissolves dietary fats.
The acid is injected into the skin just below the chin. It removes the double chin by melting the neck fat before reabsorbing them.
Several treatments may be required for an effective chin reduction surgery. The number of treatments depends on the patient and the volume of surplus fat in the chin.
One of the disadvantages of using deoxycholic acid to reduce a double chin is that the injections are painful.
Also, sometimes it may lead to swollen necks after treatments.
What are the costs of a chin reduction surgery?
The cost of a chin reduction surgery depends on several factors, namely;
- Your geographical region
- The reputation of the surgeon
- Nature of your jaw
- the nature of the surgery
- insurance cover
Averagely, a genioplasty costs about $8,300.
Does double chin genioplasty have side effects?
Like any other procedure, genioplasty may have complications. Some of the common complications include:
- infections
- damage of nerves
- bruising and swelling a few days after the procedure
- tight feeling at neck for a couple of months
- excessive bleeding if the patient smokes or uses anti-clotting medicine
- harmful reactions to anesthesia
Conclusion
Chin reduction surgeries are the best methods if you want to permanently reduce your double chin.
However, if you fail to maintain your normal weight, the double chin is likely to develop again.
Also, to avoid any complications, it is advisable to ensure that the surgeon conducting the procedure is approved by the board of surgeons as a chin and facial surgery specialist.
An experienced surgeon will first conduct a complete medical history and examination of your face, discuss likely side effects and propose a procedure that best works for you.
After the surgery, make sure you follow the doctor’s instructions to the latter.
