Should I Have Chin Surgery With My Rhinoplasty?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am interested in rhinoplasty and chin reduction surgeries. I am very unhappy with the profile of my face. I feel it looks very masculine. I do have a twisted nose and large tip. I feel my nose doesn’t fit in with my face and looks rather big when I start to turn my face from certain angles. When I use a plastic surgery simulator it makes a big difference when I make my chin and nose smaller. I would like to know what your opinion is and what would you think would help balance my face? I have been wanting surgery for a long time now and over the years wasn’t sure exactly what the problem was with my face but I believe it is do with the angle of my chin and nose. 

A: The nose and the chin make up a major portion of one’s profile so it is no surprise that changing these two structures can make for a major facial change and not just in the profile view. I would agree completely with your assessment that your nose is too big in various dimensions and is a major culprit in your facial concerns. But as you have also pointed out, and astutely so, is that your chin is also a little too strong. That would become very apparent when the nose is reshaped and made smaller. Thus doing a concomitant chin reduction with a rhinoplasty would produce the greatest effect in make your face have an overall more feminine/less masculine appearance.

I have done some imaging of the one picture you sent to illustrate those potential changes with a rhinoplasty and chin reduction.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana