All faces are built upon a certain bone structure. The better and stronger the bone structure, the better the structure of the other facial layers. Any disproportion of the boney features will lead to disproportion of the face, in general. For example, a small chin can make even the most balanced face look less harmonious. A prominent nose will look even more so with a receding chin. Flat cheekbones can make a large nose look larger and a small chin smaller. Cosmetic surgery can reduce the effect of this disproportion.

Altering your bony facial features can improve your overall facial harmony and beauty dramatically. Chin and cheek augmentation with implants or with today’s advanced dermal fillers are a popular cosmetic facial enhancement procedure.

Aesthetically pleasing faces have a proportional harmony based on mathematical studies (the Golden Proportion) and have been studied and sculpted by artists for thousands of years. Ancient Greek and Roman sculptors particularly were noted for creating busts with ideal cheek, chin, and nose harmony and beauty.

Having the appropriate education, training, and experience as well as artistic eye are critical to getting optimal surgical and aesthetically pleasing results for facial balance and harmony. Dr. Donn Chatham, a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon, blends the skill of a surgeon with the eye of an artist, to help your chin and cheeks harmonize with your face in proportion and balance.

Why Consider A Chin Or Cheek Augmentation?

The chin and nose are two of the primary features that determine one’s profile, and when they are in harmony, faces are most attractive. For some patients, heredity results in a weak chin, whereas your cheeks may also appear sunken due to flat cheekbones, aging, illness, diet, or personal habits.

A weak chin or flat cheekbones can be improved with a specifically selected implant. These implants are made from special medical-grade material (sometimes silicone) that creates the impression of normal but enhanced bone structure after cosmetic surgery.

Not all patients desire surgery and carefully placed injectable fillers can also provide strength and beauty of the cheeks and midface. Today’s aesthetic world offers many filler choices including those made of hyaluronic acid (e.g., Restylane^®, Juvéderm^® Voluma^® XC, Juvéderm^® Volux^® XC), calcium hydroxyapatite (e.g., Radiesse^®) and poly-L-lactic acid (e.g., Sculptra® Aesthetic). Lasting from 6-9 months to 18 months or more, these dermal fillers require little to no downtime.

Like any other surgeries, there are pros and cons to these procedures, and these will be discussed with you during your consultation with Dr. Chatham.

How Is Chin Augmentation Surgery Performed?

When additional strength of the chin profile is needed, Dr. Chatham uses chin implant materials and anatomic shapes that have proven their durability and safety over many years. During your initial consultation with Dr. Chatham, he will show you samples of the various implant materials, explain how your body accommodates each one, and in appropriate cases, may demonstrate possible results on our computer-imaging monitor.

To insert a chin implant, a small incision is made just under your chin. The implant is slipped into place and the skin incision is then closed. The surgery lasts approximately 30 minutes and is most comfortably performed using a “twilight anesthesia” or other anesthesia. You will be able to go home in a few hours.

With chin implant surgery, there is expected to be swelling that peaks about 3 days later. There is temporary discomfort, but extreme pain would be rare. Often by the 3rd day, patients may only require Tylenol. Patients are typically able to return to work and social activities after 2 weeks.

This surgery is sometimes combined with a gentle removal of excessive fat beneath the skin using liposuction.

Again, for patients who do not wish actual surgery, injectable fillers including Restylane^®, Radiesse^®, or Sculptra^® can be placed in the deep chin tissues to gradually increase projection.

How Is Cheek Augmentation Surgery Performed?

During cheek surgery, implants are inserted with no external incisions. A small incision is made just above the gum line of the upper teeth, and the implants are slipped into a small pocket over the cheekbones. This surgery may also be performed under “twilight anesthesia” or other anesthesia.

With cheek implant surgery, there is expected swelling that peaks about 3 days post-op. There is temporary discomfort, but extreme pain would be rare. Often by the 3rd day, patients may only require Tylenol. At 1 week, there is still visible swelling, but the results are becoming evident. At about 2 weeks, typical patients feel comfortable enough to return to work and social activities.

Are There Non-Surgical Options for Cheek and Chin Augmentation?

Yes, a non-surgical treatment is also available! Specific advanced facial fillers, such as, Radiesse^® or Sculptra^® Aesthetic are often used for chin and cheek augmentation.

Some of our patients who do not want actual surgery or who may not be ready for surgery, but who still desire some increased cheek or chin structure may benefit from our FDA-approved next generation injectable dermal fillers. During your consultation, Dr. Chatham may recommend either Radiesse^® or Sculptra^® Aesthetic as an alternative to surgery.

Dermal filler injections are performed in-office, we may carefully inject one of these fillers into the deep soft tissue over the cheeks or the chin and jawline. This produces a temporary fullness and improvement that may last from 6-8 months for some fillers and longer with others. Usually no “downtime” is required. Careful attention to existing bone structure, gender factors, and skin thickness and type help guide the artistic placement (‘sculpting’) to achieve a natural and pleasing result.

If a patient likes this temporary improvement, this may help them in deciding if they want to proceed with a more permanent surgical implant later on.

Whatever your chin or cheek problem, Dr. Donn Chatham will strive to provide the proper cosmetic procedure in order to provide a pleasing improvement in your facial harmony.

Why A Facial Plastic Surgeon?

Chin and/or cheek augmentation requires specialized surgical expertise and should be performed by a qualified and experienced surgeon. As a facial plastic surgeon. Dr. Donn Chatham, Medical Director of Chatham Facial Surgery, and a double board-certified surgeon, will do his best to provide a safe, comfortable procedure and positive and artistically pleasing results.