How Can I Make My Jaw More Defined Without Adding Width/Mass?

Q: Dr. Eppley, Hi, I would like to change my face shape. My primary concern is my chin. It’s short but too wide/prominent at the same time. I also would like to contour my face so that I have more prominent cheekbones and less fatty cheeks. I love my jaw but I wish it was more defined, without adding more mass. I’ve attached pictures of myself and the face shape I’d like to have. What would you recommend? Thanks so much in advance.

A: Most of your facial reshaping goals are contradictory and can not be achieved.  For example to make a wide chin more narrow it must come forward along with being narrowed. Also you can’t make the jaw more defined with adding mass/volume. In essence you not factoring in the effects of the overlying soft tissues which can not be changed/reduced. Thus having a more defined facial shape comes from stretching out the soft tissues to better see the bone shape through the overlying soft tissues.  You simply can  not reduce facial structure into a more defined shape with your facial soft tissue thickness. In short you can’t take your facial shape and make it look like your ideal images… that is simply not going to happen no matter what type of surgery is done. To get a more defined facial shape you have to accept that more structural support (implant) that needs to be added to do so. With that comes more chin projection and some jaw width.

Dr. Barry Eppley

World-Renowned Plastic Surgeon