When considering plastic surgery, you need to understand how the chin and nose affect the overall balance of your face.
Many surgeons liken the chin and nose as a teeter-totter balancing across your lips. A small chin can make a normal nose look big and a big nose can make a normal chin look small. The goal is to have all facial features in balance with each other.
Sometimes it makes sense to have a chin enhancement done in conjunction with a rhinoplasty, or nose job. Other times, a patient and his or her surgeon will decide whether you should pick one over the other, taking into account which procedure will bring your face more into balance and boost your appeal the most.
Should You Get a Chin Enhancement Along With a Rhinoplasty?
Because the nose and chin work together in balancing the face, a chin implant is the procedure most often performed along with a rhinoplasty. Performing a chin implant along with a nose job doesn’t add that much time to the overall procedure and adds little time to the recovery. When the swelling from the nose job has subsided and the splint has been removed, the swelling in the chin should have subsided. Combining the two procedures can also save on anesthesia and other costs.
The decision to have the two procedures performed together will always be made with the support of your surgeon, with the goal to make your face more balanced and attractive.
Picking One Procedure Over the Other
Since everyone’s situation is different, it might be better to pick one procedure over the other. In consultation with your surgeon, you will decide which procedure will give a bigger boost to your profile and by extension, your appeal, and overall confidence.
There are several issues that will go into your decision. For instance, you might think the size or shape of your nose needs to be changed when it’s actually your chin that needs to be augmented or vice versa.
If you have a bulbous nose, the effect on your face can be lessened by a procedure that brings up the height of the chin. That shifts attention away from the nose and brings the entire face more into focus.
Your decision can also be affected if you have recessed or small cheekbones. That could make your nose seem bigger and more dominating. Some people make the mistake of having a nose job, which would then make the face look unnatural and out of proportion. A better option would be to have a chin implant. At the same time, ask your surgeon how to address the small or recessed cheekbones.
Another factor to consider is that a chin implant can be removed in a rather straightforward procedure if a patient is unhappy with the results. However, rhinoplasty can be difficult to revise.
Does Gender Factor In?
Yes. The shape of the nose is more important for women than for men. That means if a woman’s chin is adequate, it won’t make any sense to have it augmented because it would make her face look too masculine. Likewise, the shape of a man’s chin is more important for confidence than having a perfect nose. Therefore, he needs to determine if the shape of his nose is really a flaw.
How Does Balance Play Into the Decision?
A receding chin can take away from an otherwise balanced profile even if you get a nose job. Therefore, a chin implant along with a rhinoplasty will give your face the balance that would not be possible with only a nose job.
What if I can’t decide?
If you are thinking of combining the two procedures but aren’t quite convinced, that’s where a consultation comes in. Your surgeon might use computer imaging to show how a chin implant would look on your face. You can also look at before-and-after pictures of patients who’ve had both procedures so you can understand how they can balance your face. While you’re used to seeing your face straight-on in the mirror, it’s important to work off your profile.
When considering plastic surgery, you need to understand how the chin and nose affect the overall balance of your face. Sometimes it makes sense to have a chin implant done in conjunction with a rhinoplasty, or nose job. Other times, you should pick one or the other. To find out which approach is best for you, contact ICLS Dermatology and Plastic Surgery at (905) 842-2262.