Female Chin Implant

Q: Dr. Eppley, I got a 7mm Medpor Chin Implant put in on January 20, and I want it removed ASAP. Its too bulky and makes my face look less feminine than before. What are the chances of my face going back to the way it was before? Would another implant need to be put in? my doctor doesn’t do silicone chin implants for their tendency to drop overtime so Medpor it was. I’ve heard how difficult these implants can be to remove, what’s your experience with removing them? If I was to replace with a silicone implant, is it better to do it when removing the other or a few months later?

A: I am not surprised that a Medpor implant is too bulky for a female. While that implant needs to be removed, it is important to always remember that you had a chin implant placed for a reason and that was to correct a chin deficiency. This may be the wrong implant but that does not mean that there is no merit to having a chin implant at all. A better shaped and more feminine chin implant made from silicone would offer horizontal advancement with far less width if any at all. I would strongly consider replacing the implant rather than merely removing it. I have to see you throw away the complete effort.

I have removed many Medpor implants. While they are not as easy to remove as silicone it can be done. I have never heard of silicone implants ‘dropping over time’. There jus no biologic explanation for that and something I have never seen. It is better to remove and replace at the same time (with screw fixation of the new silicone implant) than to delay. The only reason to delay/stage it is if you are uncertain that you really want an implant at all. But that will change what is done during the implant removal. If you are just removing then you need to do a submental tightening of tissues since the tissues have been expanded to avoid a chin pad drop/ptosis.That ail not be necessary with a chin implant replacement.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana