Is It Worth Getting A Second Sliding Genioplasty For A Few More Millimeters of Horizontal Projection?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I’m almost exactly 6 months post op from my genioplasty last October. I’m not really experiencing any numbness/pain or complications, which is great, and I’m happy with my results of my surgery overall. The only thing is that the projection of my chin is a little bit less than what I had hoped for, and I still feel like my chin appears slightly weak from profile 

Here are a few pictures so you can see what I mean. The first one is a recent picture, the second is the imaging we did for the genioplasty and the third is pre-genioplasty.

I wanted to know if you think it would be worthwhile to consider a genioplasty revision to advance the chin more? Or if it’s a better idea to utilize a more minor treatment like chin filler. Curious to see what you think- I am interested in getting slightly more projection but don’t want to “play with fire” if I already have a good result and revision would be risky.

Thanks for everything!

A: Good to hear from you and thank you for sending your long-term results. I think the question is not whether it is a choice between a secondary sliding genioplasty or injectable filler, as you are too young to continue to have filler treatments for decades into the future. I think the better question is whether to have a secondary sliding genioplasty or place a small chin implant in front of the existing position of the chin bone. It looks like the additional change would be about 3mms more horizontal projection.. I can make an argument for either approach. A very small chin implant is far simpler for you with quicker recovery….but it is an implant. Conversely you have had a uncomplicated recovery from the sliding genioplasty and the same identical bone cut would be used….so one would expect a repeat outcome/recovery experience in that regard. In other words it is not more riskier the second time.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis Indiana