Chin implant

You may be considering a chin implant because you're self-conscious about having a receding or weak chin and think that the balance and proportion can be improved. People who've had a chin implant have told us that afterwards:

• they feel more confident
• their chin now looks stronger
• their face is more balanced.

Our expert cosmetic consultants can talk with you about the look you want to achieve. A chin implant is usually performed as a day case, which means that you could be back at work and your everyday life within a week.

Our patients are at the heart of what we do and we want you to be in control of your care. To us, that means you can choose the consultant you want to see and when you want. They’ll be with you every step of the way: from giving advice at your first consultation, through to offering on-going support after your surgery.

All of our cosmetic surgeons are of the highest calibre and benefit from working in our modern, well equipped hospitals. A cosmetic surgeon’s reputation, qualifications and experience are vitally important, so we only work with consultant grade specialists. These are highly experienced consultants who have completed years of medical training. All our consultants are on the specialist register of the General Medical Council (GMC), and many are also members of the UK’s leading cosmetic and plastic surgery associations.

Cosmetic surgery can be a life enhancing decision and we’re here to help you make the right one. Our experienced specialist consultants will guide you through every step of the way.

It’s important to meet with your chosen consultant before treatment so that you are completely comfortable with them and they know what you want to achieve. You can even bring in some pictures of the kind of look you are hoping for. Bringing along a friend or relative can also be a good idea: as well as acting as a prompt in case you forget to ask a question, they can be a good sounding board later. You should also ask to see some of the surgeon's recent before and after pictures of similar operations they've performed.

This is an important decision and we're here to listen and help you achieve your goals.

If you decide to go ahead with the procedure, we'll give you at least two weeks between consultation and operation date. This is because we want you to be really happy and confident with your decision.

We’ve tried to make your experience with us as easy and relaxed as possible. 

For more information on visiting hours, our food, parking and all those other important practicalities, please visit our patient information page.

At your initial consultation, your surgeon will ask if you smoke or take medication which can stop your blood from clotting normally. They'll tell you how long before your operation to stop smoking or, if necessary, to stop taking a particular medicine. Once you’ve booked your treatment, your consultant will give you tailored advice to follow in the run up to your procedure.

You must follow the specific advice on eating and drinking after midnight/on the day of your operation provided in your pre-operation information pack and during your pre-operative assessment appointment.

We understand that having surgery can potentially be a time of anxiety and worry – even for the most commonly performed procedures. Our experienced and caring medical staff will be there for you, holding your hand, every step of the way.

Chin implant surgery is a relatively simple procedure that usually takes around 45-60 minutes and you'll probably go home on the same day. You'll be asleep during the operation after having a general anaesthetic.

Receding chins are built out by inserting an implant over the chin bone. The implant is usually inserted through an incision made inside your mouth between your lower lip and gum. This technique means there will be no visible scarring. Sometimes the implant may be inserted through a cut in the natural crease of your chin. Your surgeon will then fit the implant to achieve your desired look.

After this they will repair the cut in your mouth by using dissolvable stitches,depending on where the incision has been made. Fine sutures may also be used. The specialist team will then apply a dressing to support the chin implant while your face heals. This will also reduce the risk of infection as you recover at home.

The material used for the implant is usually silicone or another manufactured material that is generally well tolerated by the body. Sometimes it is necessary to use a bone graft, usually taken from the hip. If a bone graft is used there will be some scarring in the area the graft is taken from. Your cosmetic surgeon will discuss this with you prior to your operation.

It's likely your consultant will confirm it's ok for you to go home after you have spent a few hours recovering from your operation.

Pain relief

Your mouth is likely to be sore and you may have some bruising around your chin and neck. We'll give you pain relief both while you're with us and for use at home. You'll probably need pain relief for about a week or so. It can take up to six weeks for all of the swelling to go down.

Your recovery

Your consultant and other members of the specialist team will talk to you about how long your recovery will take. We'll check your wounds in a follow-up appointment after a week and remove or replace the dressing.

There will be some restrictions on your normal activities at first. You should book time off work, ideally returning after your follow-up appointment a week after your operation. You may need to avoid more strenuous activity for a few weeks.

For a few days your food should largely be soft fluids drunk through a straw to make your mouth more comfortable. Avoid hot, spicy food for a week and use anti-bacterial mouth washes regularly.

End result

As there will be some swelling after surgery, it can be up to three months before you begin to see the end results of your chin implant surgery.

How your loved ones can help

Once you’re ready to be discharged from hospital, you’ll need to arrange a taxi, friend or family member to take you home as you won’t be able to drive for 24 hours after having your general anaesthetic.

You'll be able to move around the next day but you might want a friend or relative to help with your shopping during the first few days you're at home.

Looking after you

Even after you’ve left hospital, we’re still looking after you every step of the way. Typically your consultant will want to see you one week after your chin implant to see how you’re doing and to remove your dressing.

On rare occasions, there can be complications following cosmetic surgery. If you experience any of these symptoms - severe pain that doesn't go away with regular painkillers, wounds that are painful, red, swollen and or oozing associated with feeling generally unwell with a temperature, severe or prolonged bleeding or unusual swelling or you feel that the implant is shifting - please call us straight away.

Your consultant will talk to you about the possible risks and complications of having this procedure.

If you have any questions or concerns, we’re ready to help.

We are committed to delivering excellent individual care and customer service across our network of hospitals, clinics and specialist care centres around the UK. Our dedicated and highly trained team aim to achieve consistently excellent results. For us it's more than just treating patients, it's about looking after people.

Important to note

The treatment described on this page may be adapted to meet your individual needs, so it's important to follow your healthcare professional's advice and raise any questions that you may have with them.