How Can One Calculate How The Face Change With Facial Fat Changes When Doing A Sliding Genioplasty?

Q: Dr. Eppley, As you know, your facial width, angularity, and overall face in general are different at 10% body fat compared to 18%. As someone who will often fluctuate between 10 and 20 percent body fat throughout the year purposefully to gain muscle mass–how can I guarantee that my genioplasty won’t look great at 18% body fat, but uncanny at 10% body fat? I know a genioplasty involves reshaping the bone, but I am worried about the genioplasty looking uncanny or not harmonious at different body fat percentages. Is this something you accounts for when determining horizontal and vertical mm adjustments?

A: No one can determine what is the ‘right’ amount of dimensional movement of a static facial structure based on how the body may fluctuate around it. All you can do is choose the dimensional changes based on what the patient looks like at the time of surgery. Fortunately the chin is a solitary projecting structure that expands the lower third of the face outward its appearance is probably least affected by weight changes.

Dr. Barry Eppley

World Renowned Plastic Surgeon