Revising Chin Implants and Cheek Implants

Info About Chin Implant Revision surgery in New York

Chin Implant Revision

Chin and cheek implant surgeries augment the chin and cheekbone; revision implant surgeries, on the other hand, correct the results of a prior enhancement. Dr. Jacono specializes in these augmentation and revision surgeries.

Usually, patients choose to revise an implant if it is too small, too large, or too unshapely. Many years ago, chin implants over-augmented the center of the chin and made it look pointy, but today, chin implants come in many shapes and sizes, whether they be more square (masculine) or more ovular (feminine). Cheek implants, similarly, come in malar (cheekbone), submalar (below the cheekbone), and combined malar and submalar shapes.

Chin Implant Removal

No matter how much a surgeon and patient discuss the surgery and its potential outcomes, a small percentage of clients may desire a different implant after surgery and request a revision. The process entails the removal of the implant and the placement of a more desirably shaped piece.

Most implants, thankfully, are easily removed, especially if they are made of silastic, silicone, or hydroxyapatite. If the implant is made of MedPor or Gore-Tex, the body repairs itself around the piece, and removing it can cause post-operative trauma and bruise. However, Dr. Jacono can remove these particular implants through incisions of only 1 cm hidden under the chin.

Sometimes, it is not necessary for an implant to be removed. If it is badly positioned, for example, Dr. Jacono will create a new pocket around the facial skeleton and secure the implant to a better place. He will also use titanium micro-screws to keep the implant steady.  

When a patient requests a complete removal of their implant, the piece is removed, and the incision is closed. Usually, the face will return to its pre-operative state, but if the implants were large and remodeled the broader facial anatomy, fat transfers and grafting may be required to compensate for a deflated chin, because if it is not, the chin pad can droop.  This is called a witch’s chin deformity.

Chin Revision Recovery

On average, recovery time is longer than that of a primary chin implant surgery. Whereas a primary chin implant will heal in around a month for most of the swelling to come down, a revision chin implant can take longer to heal completely, especially if a patient has had multiple revision surgeries.

The reason recovery times are longer is that the procedure causes more serious swelling or lymphatic obstruction. As a result, it takes more time for the chin to show proper definition, and the area will likely look bigger before swelling eventually subsides.