“A well-proportioned chin goes unnoticed: what you see is a profile in balance.”
What is a mentoplasty or chin surgery
Mentoplasty is chin surgery: the operation that changes the projection and shape of the chin to bring it into balance with the nose and the rest of the face. It is also called chin surgery, chin augmentation or genioplasty, which is its medical name. The most common is augmentation mentoplasty, which brings forward a small or receding chin with an implant placed through a small incision hidden inside the mouth.
The chin is a landmark of the face. A well-defined chin conveys confidence and keeps the proportion with the nose; when it lacks projection, the nose looks bigger, the jawline loses definition and the whole profile falls out of balance, even though none of those parts is wrong in itself. In men, it is also what gives the jaw its character.
I am a plastic, aesthetic and reconstructive surgeon specialising in facial surgery, and I operate in Madrid.
| Anaesthesia | Local with sedation. |
|---|---|
| Duration | About 45 minutes. |
| Overnight stay | None; you go home within a few hours. |
| Scar | Inside the mouth, hidden. |
| Aftercare | Soft food for a few days. |
| Result | Visible from the first moment; final at three months. |
| Back to work | Within 24 hours; a little longer if your job carries risk. |
| Price | Between €3,800 and €4,500 for mentoplasty alone; combined with rhinoplasty, the two are quoted together. |
| Where | Madrid, at HLA Moncloa and Vithas Aravaca. |
Why the chin is lacking, and when the problem lies elsewhere
A lack of chin projection has several causes. It may be a receding jaw (retrognathia) with a poor bite, a condition present from birth, or simply an optical illusion: a prominent nose or neck hides a chin that, when measured, is fine. Telling them apart is half the job, because you may think you need a chin augmentation when what your profile really needs is something else:
- Small or receding chin with a good bite: this is the indication for augmentation mentoplasty.
- Receding jaw with a poor bite: what corrects the problem is a jaw advancement, which also repositions the teeth.
- Prominent nose: sometimes a rhinoplasty is enough, and very often the best option is to operate on both at once.
- Jaw and neck sagging with age: the problem is laxity, and it is treated with a facelift, which works on the face and neck at the same time. It can be combined with a chin augmentation.
Mentoplasty techniques
- Chin implant. The most common solution. I place a prosthesis over the bone through a small incision inside the mouth, which leaves no visible scar. The implant may be silicone, Medpor® or hydroxyapatite; I choose the material, shape and size according to each patient’s profile.
- Without an implant, using your own fat. In some cases, injecting the patient’s own fat is a good option for adding projection without a prosthesis. It is the same technique I use in lipofilling. If you do not want surgery, in consultation I also assess a hyaluronic acid filler.
- If there is excess fat under the chin, I remove it with neck liposuction or an anterior neck lift.
- Chin reduction. Less common: when there is too much chin, the chin bone itself is reduced.
Profileplasty: when I operate on the nose and chin together
When the nose and chin are operated on in the same procedure it is called profileplasty. The nose and chin are seen together in profile, and each changes how the other looks: a projected nose makes the chin look smaller, and a receding chin makes the nose look bigger. That is why, when someone comes for nose surgery, I look at the chin too, and when the profile calls for it I plan both operations together: one anaesthetic, one recovery and a profile designed as a whole.
That is what I did in this full-profile case, a woman with a dorsal hump, drooping tip and receding chin, and in this one with a deviated septum. Sometimes it works the other way round: with a prominent chin I leave the nose slightly longer to keep the balance. All my published chin cases were operated on together with the nose, so if your question starts with the nose, start with rhinoplasty: the techniques, recovery and price of that surgery are there, and the chin is planned within it.
Something similar happens in facial rejuvenation: when the profile also calls for chin projection, I consider a mentoplasty alongside a facelift, because a projected chin lengthens the jawline.
Mentoplasty in men
In a man, the chin is what gives the jaw its character. A receding chin softens the profile and makes a double chin more visible, while a projected chin defines the jawline. The goal is usually not the same as in a woman: in a man we look for a slightly wider, more marked chin, and in a woman a finer one. That is why the implant is chosen for its shape and size, not just for how far it brings the chin forward. As in this case of a man, operated on nose and chin at the same time, in men mentoplasty is very often part of a rhinoplasty: a male profile is decided between the two.
What happens in a mentoplasty
The consultation. I study your profile from the front and the side, the relationship between nose and chin, your bite and your neck. From that comes whether mentoplasty is the surgery you need, alone or combined, or whether the problem lies elsewhere.
The operation. It takes about 45 minutes, under local anaesthesia with sedation. I place the implant through a small incision inside the mouth.
Afterwards. I apply a compression dressing and you go home within a few hours, with no overnight stay.
Mentoplasty aftercare and recovery
The compression dressing stays on for three days. For the first few days it is best to eat warm, soft food so the incision heals without incident. The stitches are absorbable and do not need removing, but I see you at one week and at one month. It is normal for the chin and lower lip to feel somewhat swollen and numb for the first few weeks; sensation returns on its own.
Scar
The incision is inside the mouth, in the groove between the gum and the lower lip, and no scar is visible.
Mentoplasty results
The change in profile is visible from the first moment. The final shape comes at three months, once the swelling has gone.
Mentoplasty risks
It is a short operation with a low risk profile. Even so, I prefer to tell you about the risks rather than let you discover them in a consent form. The common ones are mild and resolve on their own: swelling, some bruising and numbness of the chin and lower lip, because the nerve that gives them sensation runs nearby; it usually recovers within weeks. The uncommon ones are infection, displacement of the implant or an asymmetry that requires repositioning it, and, very rarely, exposure of the implant. There is also the possibility that the result is not what you expected, and what reduces that most is a sound indication from the very first consultation.
When this is not the right surgery
- If your bite does not fit because the jaw is receding, an implant will not correct it: you need a jaw advancement.
- If what is missing is height rather than projection, an implant does not lengthen the chin.
- If the groove between lip and chin is very deep, an implant may accentuate it.
- If your face is still growing, you need to wait until it has finished.
- If you have rejected an implant before, other alternatives are sought.
- If you smoke, you must stop before and after surgery, because it delays healing.
How to choose a surgeon for a mentoplasty
There is no best surgeon for everyone, but there are criteria you can check before having surgery:
- That they are a specialist in Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery.
- That they operate on the face frequently, and the nose in particular, because a mentoplasty is planned by looking at the whole profile.
- That they show you real cases, with their technique and timeline, not just loose photos.
- That they know how to say no when the problem is in the bite, the nose or skin laxity, and not in the chin.
I am a plastic, aesthetic and reconstructive surgeon specialising in facial and nasal surgery. As well as operating, I run an intensive rhinoplasty course with live surgery for other surgeons.
Mentoplasty before and after
My chin cases are in my rhinoplasty gallery, because they were operated on together with the nose, with their photos, technique and timeline.
Mentoplasty in Madrid
I operate in Madrid, at HLA Universitario Moncloa and Vithas Aravaca.
If your profile concerns you, come for a consultation: the first thing is to find out whether what you need is the chin, the nose or both.
Frequently asked questions about mentoplasty
How long is the recovery after a mentoplasty?
You go home within a few hours and back to work within 24 hours. You wear a compression dressing for three days and eat soft food for a few days; I see you at one week and at one month. The final shape comes at three months.
What is done in a mentoplasty?
An implant is placed over the chin bone, through a small incision inside the mouth, to give it the projection it lacks. In some cases the patient’s own fat is used instead of an implant. It takes about 45 minutes and you go home the same day.
Is a mentoplasty painful?
Not very. The discomfort of the first few days is mild to moderate and is controlled with ordinary painkillers. What you notice most is the swelling and numbness of the chin and lower lip, which go away on their own.
How long does the swelling take to go down after a mentoplasty?
Most of the swelling and bruising disappears in the first two weeks. The final shape is seen at three months.
When can I go back to work?
Within 24 hours. If your job carries risk or physical effort, it may be a little longer; we discuss it in consultation.
Does a mentoplasty leave a scar?
No: the implant goes in through the inside of the mouth and no scar is visible.
When is the final result of a mentoplasty visible?
The change in profile is visible from the first moment; the final result at three months, once the swelling has gone.
Can a mentoplasty be done together with a rhinoplasty?
Yes: one anaesthetic, one recovery and a profile planned as a whole. When the nose and chin are out of balance at the same time, it is usually the best option. I explain it under rhinoplasty.
How much does a mentoplasty cost in Madrid?
Between €3,800 and €4,500 for mentoplasty alone. When it is done together with a rhinoplasty, the two are quoted together; the figures for the nose are under rhinoplasty.
What are the drawbacks of a mentoplasty?
The implant is a foreign body: although it is designed to stay, in a few cases it shifts, becomes infected or needs repositioning. In the first few weeks there is swelling, and the chin and lower lip may feel numb. And it does not solve everything: it does not correct a poor bite or a chin that is short in height, which need a different operation.
What is the difference between mentoplasty and genioplasty?
Genioplasty is the medical name for chin surgery. Bony genioplasty refers to cutting the chin bone and moving it, forwards or backwards; with an implant, by contrast, the bone is not touched. The implant is a simpler operation for adding projection; the bony one allows larger advancements and reductions, with a higher risk of temporary changes in sensation. Which is best is assessed for each patient.
Is mentoplasty covered by the public health system?
For aesthetic purposes, no: it is private surgery.
Is a chin implant for life?
Yes: it is designed to stay and does not need replacing over the years. It is only removed or repositioned if a complication appears, such as displacement or infection.