What Is The Best Thing To Do With My Chin Ptosis?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am writing to request for your thoughts in chin ptosis correction, which I found out through Q&A’s on your website.  I had a fairly large chin implant removed due to infection 2 years ago, which left me with my current chin ptosis condition. The implant was in my body for 10 months, so the capsule is still left in me for horizontal projection.  I am happy with the projection it gives, except that the capsule sits high part of my chin (just below my lower lip), and there is a difference between where my lower part of my chin bone starts and where the capsule lies. Since the primary concern is loose skin, I would love to have some form of skin-tightening or skin-cutting without showing the gap between my capsule and my chin bone. (in picture I am grabbing the loose tissue)  I consulted about this issue with a previous surgeon who placed an chin implantl and he just didn’t know what to do. He told me he has never seen this level of chin ptosis, and he just ended up recommending another sliding genioplasty and chin implant. I am personally satisfied with my current forward projection through capsule, and I am not sure if I will need more chin augmentation.

A: By definition what you demonstrating by grabbing is a procedure known as submentoplasty. To me your ptosis is really submental in location and not on the chin point at all. A submentoplasty procedure involves a curved submental incision under the chin to remove skin and fat and tighten the neck. I don’t think that will get rid of all your submental ptosis because to do so would involve a longer incision that I would not feel comfortable doing in a male with your skin pigment and ethnicity. The best result comes from a direct necklift but a vertical incision should never be done on your neck.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana