How Can I Correct Excess Chin Soft Tissue After A Prior Sliding Genioplasty?

Q: Dr. Eppley, Thank you for consulting with me about chin soft tissue reduction. I have attached the Pan X-ray and photos that you requested in order to get a better idea of the type of procedure that I require. 

My main issues with my chin are the long, sagging look from the front and side profile view and the non-smooth, jagged transition from my jaw to the chin. 

Ideally I would like for my chin to look “shorter”, tighter, and less square (more pointed) at the tip with a smooth transition line from jaw to chin. 

Thank you in advance for taking time to review my case. 

A: Thank you for sending your pictures and x-ray. What you have is chin soft tissue pad ptosis with jawline defects from your prior sliding genioplasty. Trying to make a chin that is vertically shorter, tighter and less square is a challenge as some of these dimensional changes contradict others. Such your excess soft tissue chin pad when you reduce the bone to make the chin vertically shorter and then shave the jawline to get rid of the only indents, there is going to be too much soft tissue chin pad. While some chin pad can be excised from underneath the limits of an acceptable submental incision/scar make reducing enough soft tissue chin pad laterally impossible….leading to either keeping the chin width you have now or even making it appear wider. 

While I can see the chin becoming vertical shorter and with a smoother jawline I do not see how the chin can become structurally smaller and then end up being more narrow from the front view with the volume of soft tissue chin pad that you have. This combination of desired chin changes is not surgically possible to create.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana