Chin surgery, also known as genioplasty, is a surgical procedure to reshape the chin either by enhancement with an implant or reduction surgery on the bone. Many times a plastic surgeon may recommend chin surgery to a patient having nose surgery in order to achieve facial proportion, as the size of the chin may magnify or minimize the perceived size of the nose. Chin surgery helps provide a harmonious balance to your facial features so that you feel better about the way you look. Facial proportions have a significant bearing on the aesthetics. A small chin can make the person feel that they have a large nose, because the profile in unbalanced. Similarly a chin of excessive size can look pointy and unsightly. One of the main considerations in re-balancing the chin shape is to understand whether the dental occlusion (the way the teeth meet) is in harmony. If the occlusion is also problematic, most of the times it is necessary to take the route of orthognathic surgery which requires careful orthodontic preparation and evaluation that often spans over one to two years. Most of the times though, the occlusion is good or satisfactory, and the disproportion related to the chin can be dealt with individually, or as is often the case in combination with a nose reshaping. The chin can be increased in size either by re-positioning the lowermost part of the mandible (jaw-bone) which is known as sliding genioplasty. The other option is to use an implant which can be either silicone or a semi-rigid material. Reduction in the size of the chin can be done either through re-shaping the bone with a burr or via a sliding genioplasty where the bone is pushed back and fixed in position.

The operation is normally carried out under a general anesthetic, but as a day-case. Expect the bruising and swelling to settle for the most in 7 to 10 days.