Chin Ptosis Correction

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am interested in chin ptosis correction. Part of the reason I’ve put off having the surgery is because the success rate seems really low. I haven’t found anyone who has had this done sucessfully. I’ve read everything about mentalis resuspension that you’ve posted on your website and some of the information is conflicting. In an older article you state that everyone who undergoes the procedure has some degree of improvement, But elsewear you state that the surgery completely fails more times that it is successful. I’d like to know what your opinion is now, I don’t what my expections to be unrealistic.

A: Chin ptosis correction surgery can incorporate one or several techniques. Mentalis muscle resuspension alone, while initially effective, often disappoints with more healing time. When multiple techniques are done (muscle suspension, V-Y mucosal closure, elevating vestibulopasty and a chin implant) the results are much better and more sustained.

But you undergo the surgery with the knowledge that chin ptosis is a difficult problem to correct and results are far from assured. Usually the actual chin ptosis ends up corrected but the more visible issue, the sagging lower lip, can prove to be the challenge for sustained improvement.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana