A well-defined chin brings balance to the entire face, while a weak or receding chin looks out of proportion and creates the illusion of a `weak’ personality.
If you’re reading this article, you may be less-than-happy with the shape of your chin, and looking for ways to add volume to this area to improve the symmetry of your face.
Your two best choices to reshape and enhance the size of your chin are a chin implant and injectable fillers.
Chin implant surgery, the traditional method, involves the placement of a silicone implant via a small incision inside the mouth or under the chin. Fillers, on the other hand, create an improved chin contour with injections applied strategically to the same area.
At Dr Bryan McIntosh’s practice in Bellevue, WA, we offer both options to correct chin anomalies. But we like to work with fillers because Dr McIntosh is a strong advocate for this simple, low-risk procedure.
“I enjoy working with fillers because there is an instant change, and the results are predictable,” he says. “The fillers I use are reversible. So if there’s ever an irregularity or the patient just changes his/her mind, it’s usually not that hard to improve upon and correct.”
Indeed, fillers mitigate a lot of risks that patients have to consider when choosing a chin implant. Going under anesthesia, for example, and undergoing a period of recovery time when there is always a risk of scarring, infection and bleeding. In the hands of an inexperienced surgeon, the implant can shift, or be of a wrong size that looks out of proportion with the rest of the face. The implant could get infected and require removal. The chin may have permanent numbness. And so on.
Fillers, in contrast, are a quick and easy injectable procedure which create a nice, natural look. “I want my patients to look refreshed, and a more improved version of themselves, and that is my goal with fillers,” says Dr McIntosh. “It won’t make you look distorted or unnatural in any way.”
Voluma is Dr McIntosh’s favorite filler of choice for chin augmentation, and though it is more expensive than some fillers in the market, he believes the product offers the most satisfying results.
“Every filler is formulated differently, and works best on certain areas,” he clarifies. “For instance, Juvederm, which is soft and squishy, does an excellent job on the lips. And Voluma, in my opinion, is the most robust option for the cheeks and chin. When used appropriately, people get the highest satisfaction. It is such a nice change, that patients usually want more.”
Another important factor to remember when considering Voluma is this: other fillers per syringe may be less expensive, but they won’t last as long.
“Often, people forget that Voluma, used in the right place, will last two years instead of, say, Juvederm which will last one year, and you have to get it done all over again a year later,” says Dr McIntosh. “So the savings with a less expensive filler is really an illusion. When you take the cumulative cost of getting your fillers redone every two years instead of every one year, Voluma is actually less costly. So why go not go with the best filler for the job?”
Studies by Allergen, the makers of Voluma, have shown that over three-fourths of patients injected with Voluma are still satisfied with their results AFTER two years have passed. So, in a significant number of cases, the product has proven to last longer than the two years (as approved by the FDA).
An average chin augmentation procedure with Voluma will require 4 cc of the product that will cost under $4,000. The results may last longer than two years. A permanent chin implant will cost over $6,000 dollars. But when using Voluma, you run none of the risks of traditional surgery. The application takes no longer than a hair appointment at the salon. And the results are extremely satisfying.
So which would you choose?
Let us know! Come see us and let’s talk about the chin augmentation option that is best suited for you.