Patients arrive at Southwest Plastic Surgery focused on the nose, or the neck, or the jawline. Very often, Dr. Frank Agullo says, the real issue is a chin that sits a little too far back. A small, well-placed chin implant can bring an entire profile into balance, and it is one of the fastest, most underrated procedures he performs.

Here is how Dr. Agullo talks patients through it, offered as education rather than a recommendation for any one face.

How Dr. Agullo Knows If a Chin Implant Is Needed

He reads the profile from the side. Ideally, he explains, there is a straight line from the nose to the lips to the chin. When the chin sits behind that line, everything else looks off. The nose can look bigger and the neck heavier than they really are.

A lot of the time the patient is almost there and just needs a touch of projection. In many cases the chin only needs about a quarter inch to a half inch to come into balance.

Narrow or Wide, It Is the Patient’s Call

Dr. Agullo asks whether a patient would rather keep the chin narrow or carry it a little wider, because the implant shape can do either. He uses an anatomical implant shaped to follow the patient’s natural bone. If there is a small indentation on either side of the chin, the anatomical shape fills it in, and when it does not fill it completely, a little filler or fat can smooth the transition later.

Why an Implant Instead of Filler

Filler is fine for a temporary look, Dr. Agullo says, but for a real, lasting change to the profile the implant is the better tool. The implant he uses is solid silicone, so it is permanent. It does not need changing and cannot rupture or leak. When the sides need refining afterward, fat is the more permanent touch-up, though he waits for the swelling to settle before deciding.

How Big a Deal the Surgery Is

It is fast. A small incision goes right underneath the chin where it cannot be seen, and the procedure takes about thirty minutes. It can be done under local anesthesia for patients who feel they can get through it, or with a little IV sedation. Recovery, Dr. Agullo tells patients, is a lot like a dental visit. There is some swelling, the smile can feel slightly off at first from minor nerve irritation, and there is no long downtime.

Where the Chin Implant Earns Its Keep

The procedure makes its biggest difference in combination. When a patient is already addressing the neck or jawline, perhaps alongside a facelift, a small chin implant is easy to add and pulls the whole lower face together. The lighter refinements, fillers and small touch-ups, live at the Med Spa. Instead of a much bigger jaw surgery, a small chin implant is far easier to recover from and still gives a balanced result.

About Dr. Frank Agullo

Dr. Frank Agullo is the founder of Southwest Plastic Surgery in El Paso, Texas. He is double board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and a Mayo Clinic plastic surgery fellowship alum. He is a Clinical Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine and has been named a Castle Connolly Top Doctor for thirteen consecutive years. The chin is a place where a millimeter or two changes everything, so his goal is balance rather than a brand-new face.

Ready to Talk?

If your profile has always bothered you and you cannot quite say why, the team at Southwest Plastic Surgery can take a look and tell you whether the chin is the answer.

For the surgeon’s editorial take, see Dr. Agullo’s essay on drworldwide.com. For the patient-facing version, see the companion post on agulloplasticsurgery.com.

Call (915) 590-7900, text 1-866-814-0038, or book online at swplasticsurgery.com. #StayBeautiful.

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