Chin surgery (mentoplasty): what changes in the face, how it is done and what recovery is like

The chin is one of the features that weighs most on the balance of the face, especially in profile. A small or receding chin makes the nose look bigger, shortens the neck and leaves the profile less defined. An overly prominent chin, on the other hand, weighs down the lower face. Mentoplasty is the surgery that adjusts the projection and size of the chin so that it is in harmony with the rest of the face.

In this article we explain what changes with mentoplasty, how it is performed, what recovery is like and why it is so often planned together with rhinoplasty, based on the experience of Prof. Dr. Miguel Gonçalves Ferreira and Clínica do Nariz e Face.

A Mentoplasty, also called chin surgery or genioplasty, corrects the shape, size and position of the chin. It can augment a receding chin, reduce a prominent chin or correct an asymmetry. The goal is not a big or small chin, it is a chin that is the right size for that face.

It is one of the facial surgeries with the greatest effect on the profile and, at the same time, one of the most discreet: nobody notices the chin itself, they notice that the face has become more balanced.

• A more balanced profile. The forehead, nose, lips and chin become proportionate. It is the change most noticeable in side-view photographs.
• The nose looks smaller. When the chin gains projection, the nose stops being the most forward point of the profile and looks more discreet, without touching it at all.
• A more defined jawline. The contour between the chin and the neck becomes sharper, giving the lower face a younger, firmer look.
• A longer-looking neck. A receding chin visually “shortens” the neck and accentuates a double chin. By bringing the chin forward, the angle between the chin and the neck opens up and the double chin becomes less evident.
• A natural result. When the chin is planned in proportion to the face, the result does not look operated. People around you notice that something has improved, but rarely work out what.

At the rhinoplastyconsultation, Prof. Dr. Miguel Gonçalves Ferreira always carries out an analysis of the whole face, not just the nose. In many cases, what the patient perceives as a “big nose” is, in part, a small chin. In those cases, correcting only the nose can leave the profile unbalanced, and correcting both in the same surgery gives a more harmonious result.

Having the mentoplasty at the same time as the rhinoplasty has another practical advantage: one anaesthesia and one recovery. The decision is always the patient’s, after seeing the effect in the Crisalix 3D simulation, which shows the profile with and without the change to the chin.

Augmentation mentoplasty. It is the most frequent. A solid silicone implant, chosen to fit the face, is placed over the chin bone. The implant is well tolerated, remains stable over the years and, if the patient ever wishes, can be removed under local anaesthesia. Alternatively, a graft from the patient’s own tissue can be used or the chin bone can be advanced (bony genioplasty), an option discussed case by case.

Reduction mentoplasty. When the chin is too prominent, the bone is reshaped to reduce its volume and projection.

Incision. It can be made inside the mouth, with no visible scar, or in a small crease under the chin, where it is hidden. The choice depends on the type of correction and the patient’s anatomy.

Anaesthesia and duration. Performed on its own, mentoplasty takes about 30 minutes. When combined with rhinoplasty, it adds little time to the surgery and is performed under the same general anaesthesia. As a rule, the patient is discharged the same day.

• First few days: it is normal to have swelling and some altered sensation in the chin and lower lip, which improves with time. The pain is mild and is controlled with paracetamol.
• First week: soft, cold meals, especially if the incision was made inside the mouth, and careful oral hygiene. A dressing or supportive tape is usually used on the chin for the first few days.
• Return to work: most people return after 6 to 12 days, depending on the type of work and whether the surgery was combined with another.
• Exercise: avoid intense exercise for about a month.
• Final result: the profile improves within the first few weeks, but the final result is seen when the swelling disappears completely, over a few months.

These timeframes are the usual ones. The plan for your case is explained at the consultation and depends on what is done in the surgery.

• People with a receding chin or a chin that is small in relation to the nose and lips.
• People with an overly prominent or asymmetric chin.
• Anyone having a rhinoplasty who wants a balanced profile, not just a smaller nose.
• Anyone with a poorly defined jawline or a double chin accentuated by lack of chin projection.

In cases where the problem lies in the position of the teeth or jaws, and not only the chin, the surgeon explains at the consultation whether mentoplasty is the right answer or whether another approach makes sense.

Does mentoplasty leave a scar?

When the incision is made inside the mouth, there is no visible scar. When it is made under the chin, the scar is small and hidden in a natural skin crease.

Is the chin implant permanent?

Yes. A solid silicone implant remains stable over the years. If the patient ever wishes, it can be removed under local anaesthesia.

Does mentoplasty hurt?

The pain is mild and is controlled with paracetamol. What you feel most in the first few days is swelling and a numb sensation in the chin, which gradually passes.

Can I have mentoplasty together with rhinoplasty?

Yes, and it is common. The two surgeries complement each other in the profile and are performed under the same anaesthesia, with a single recovery. The 3D simulation shows the result with and without the chin correction.

When will I see the final result?

The profile improves within the first few weeks. The final result is seen when the swelling disappears completely, over a few months.

At Clínica do Nariz e Face, mentoplasty is performed by Prof. Dr. Miguel Gonçalves Ferreira, a specialist in Otolaryngology and Facial Plastic Surgery, at Hospital da Luz Arrábida, in Vila Nova de Gaia, and at Hospital da Ordem de S. Francisco, in Porto. The consultation, with facial analysis and 3D simulation, can take place at our rhinoplasty in Porto or rhinoplasty in Bragapractice, or start with a video consultation.

Book your consultation or contact us on WhatsApp.

This article is for information purposes only and does not replace a medical consultation.