Will A Submental Soft Tissue Chin Reduction Work For Me?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I been looking into your chin reduction procedure and I am a big fan of your work. Here are some pictures of my chin from the front and side view. My chin bone specifically doesn’t need a reduction. I would say I would need a submental soft tissue chin reduction procedure since I have a small chin bone and more soft tissue comes out as I smile. I am looking to get rid of a lot or at least a majority of the soft tissue. Please get back to me when possible if you are capable of working with any of the information I’ve stated. I appreciate your work very much.

A: Thank you for your inquiry and sending all of your pictures. As best as I can tell from your pictures and description of concerns you have a soft tissue chin pad excess when smiling. (dynamic chin ptosis) I would agree at rest that your chin appearance is normal. You are correct in that the only treatment would be a soft tissue chin pad reduction from a submental approach. How successful that procedure would be depends on how pliable or mobile your chin pad is at rest. A tight chin pad is not going to allow much soft tissue removal and/or will result in a wide submental scar. A mobile chin pad (the real sign of chin pad excess even at rest) will permit soft tissue to be excised with a vert acceptable scar outcome.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana