What Is The Best Way To Improve My Facial Profile?

Q: I have a problem with my profile. I wish it would look normal or see my jaw line. I always wished to see it. I think this is because I used to sleep with my mouth open when I was a child. I also a rhinoplasty by a bad doctor who made my nostrils asymmetric.:(  This was 4 to 5 years ago. I went to someone who offered the lowest fees since I wasn’t earning much at the time. I would like to come to the states from Egypt for corrective surgery.

A: When most people talk about happiness with their profile, they are almost universally referring to the position of their chin. Based on how the lower jaw (mandible) grows and the bite (occlusion) comes together, the horizontal or forward position of the chin will be affected. For most it is an issue of being too short or not ‘strong’ enough particularly in men. Too much chin is far less of a problem although it does exist and it is more of a concern in women rather than men.

Correction of chin shortness can be done with either an implant or osteotomy. (moving just the chin bone forward) Which is better is determined by multiple factors including the amount of chin shortness, age of the patient, and the position of other chin dimensions. (e.g., vertical height) How much or far forward the chin position should be moved can be determined prior to surgery with computer imaging.

Nostril asymmetry after rhinoplasty is not rare and does not necessarily occur because of a ‘bad’ surgeon or that the operation was performed incorrectly. Even a rhinoplasty executed perfectly can still cause some differences in the shape of the nostrils after all is healed. The nostril shape is influenced by the support of the lower alar cartilages and the overlying skin. Both of these can be altered by the healing forces after rhinoplasty, particularly in the soft triangle area of the nostril where there is no cartilage support to resist the contractile forces of scarring. Secondary correction of nostril asymmetry is possible through cartilage or chondrocutaneous grafting of the nostril rim.

Dr. Barry Eppley