Cleft Chin Correction

Cleft Chin Correction – A cleft chin is characterized by a prominent crease or dimple in the center of the chin. Cleft chins affect both women and men, and have a genetic component that forms inside the womb. It is a facial feature that many seek to address through cosmetic surgery.

There are a few approaches to improve the look of a cleft chin that range in sustainability and invasiveness:

Dermal fillers – Synthetic fillers can be injected straight into the chin cleft as an outpatient procedure that takes only a few minutes. Your cosmetic surgeon will recommend whether a superficial injection or a deeper injection would be more effective, which is typically based upon how deep the cleft is. Both safe and reversible, dermal fillers usually last six months to one year.

Fat grafting – Your body’s own fat can be put to good use as a more lasting dermal filler. With the use of liposuction, a small quantity of fat is taken from the abdominal area and transferred into the chin to fill out the cleft.

Botox – These dermal injections relax the chin muscles to reduce the cleft, but these results usually last only for a few months. Botox is sometimes combined with fillers to achieve a balanced effect.

Chin surgery (genioplasty) generally entails modifying the jaw bone and adjustments to the position of the chin muscles. Chin surgery brings the advantage of being able to resolve a flaw without leaving a noticeable incision and the results are generally long term. Chin implants could also be used to give the chin a rounder appearance. Dr. Hein will provide recommendations based upon your facial features and chin anatomy to accomplish a symmetrical facial harmony. Several weeks or even a few months may be required for final results to fully appear. Note that a very pronounced chin cleft is very difficult to reverse completely through surgery alone.

If you have a cleft chin and would like to learn more about surgical and nonsurgical options, call the Women’s Institute of Cosmetic & Laser Surgery.