Do I Need A Bony Genioplasty or An Implant For Modest Vertical Chin Lengthening?

Dr. Eppley,I’ve considered for many years a genioplasty for a modest increase to the vertical length of my chin/face. Not looking for a super sharp chin, I know many Asians love the vline but I want to keep the shape but create a little more length (but also not widening). A lot to ask I know! Would a genio be the best solution or can I achieve this with an implant? Thank you!

A:Thank you for your inquiry and sending your pictures. For the modest amount of vertical lengthening you likely desire it could be done either within an implant oor a vertical bony genioplasty. But since you are not looking for a super sharp chin shape  (meaning you are happy with the current shape of the front of the chin), that it would take it a custom chin implant design to do pure vertical lengthening, and to avoid the lifelong presence of an implant which is optimally placed for a vertical chin implant  through a submental incision, the vertical bony genioplasty would be the preferred choice. With this approach you can select the amount of vertical lengthening  you want right up to the actual surgery time based on preoperative measurements and once healed you would never have to think about your chin again given that it was done with your own natural bone. I find that surgeons, particularly those that only do chin implants, make a big deal that the recovery from a bony genioplasty is so severe. But in my extensive experience with chin surgery there is really not a whole lot of difference between an implant and a bony genioplasty when it comes to recovery.

Dr. Barry Eppley

World-Renowned Plastic SurgeonDo I Need A