Can My Large Weird Chin Be Reduced?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I’ve been looking into a chin reduction for quite a few years now, but I have never gone through with it because I’ve always been afraid that the results would be terrifying. I read through your case studies on chin surgeries, and I must say it’s a relief to see someone with as much experience on the subject of chin surgery. Perhaps other Doctors have just as much experience or more, but it’s relieving to be able to read about it instead of them briefly talking about it. My main reason for wanting a chin reduction is because I feel that I look weird when I smile.The other goal is to ensure that the chin surgery doesn’t make me look like I’ve had surgery. I have attached pictures of me (non-smiling) from different angles for your assessment.

A: Thank you for sending your detailed non-animated facial photos. What they show is one of the more uncommon, but more favorable, types of chin hypertrophy. Your chin is distinctly large in one dimension, a central horizontal projection known as an enlarged central chin button. It is not long vertically nor is it too wide horizontally. The chin excess is relegated completely to the central chin pad. This type of chin excess is usually composed of a combination of bone and excess soft tissue. It can be reduced by a chin reduction procedure consisting of shaving down the bone and reducing the soft tissue excess. It can be done from either an intraoral mucosal or submental skin incisional approach but coming from below allows a better management of the soft tissue excess.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana