Mesh Chin Implant Removal

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am interested in mesh chin implant removal.  I had a mesh chin implant placed six months ago. It made my face look too long and I want it taken out. My doctor said he had a 50/50 chance of damaging a nerve or making my chin worse. Do you remove these and if so how many and with what kind of results?

A: I assume when you say ‘mesh chin implant’ you are referring to a mersilene mesh chin implant. I have removed several as they are not a very common material used in chin augmentation. With mesh chin implant removal, if you are not putting something back in, it is important to know that there is a risk of chin dimpling afterwards because the tissues have been stretch out and now there would be nothing underneath it as the chin tissues shrink back down. That may not occur depending upon its size but that is the one aesthetic risk I would be most concerned would occur. The other option, if the issue is that it has made your chin too long is to remove the bottom portion of the implant to shorten the chin as this will keep support to the chin pad and you are not concerned about excessive horizontal projection.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana