Can A Chin Implant Be Done Without General Anesthesia?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I came across your web site and would like to ask what would cause a persons chin to recede. I am now in my 50’s and have noticed a distinct change in the lower portion of my face. I am considering corrective action but I have never had surgery. Can a chin implant procedure be done without general anesthesia?  Also, what is the usual time required for healing when this type of surgery is done. Thanks for any feedback you can provide.  I appreciated the case studies and the beautiful outcomes you shared.

A: The observation that one’s chin seems to be getting smaller as one ages is not rare. But only in exceptional cases does the chin bone actually recede or lose bone structure. Most of the time it is really a change in the neck that creates that impression. As the neck drops or begins to droop, the change in the neck angle can make the chin appear more recessive even though it has not really changed.  This effect can be magnified in someone who may have always had a slightly recessive chin but never considered it so until this aging effect appeared.

Chin implant augmentation can be done under local or IV sedation fairly comfortably provided that is the only procedure they are having done. Recovery is really just limited to swelling with no functional restrictions. One can expect about 3 weeks until most of the chin swelling is gone.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana