Is Residual Filler Making My Chin Looks Too Projected Two Weeks After A Sliding Genioplasty?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I have found your website a fantastic source of information. I hope you don’t think I’m taking a liberty by contacting you but I wonder if you would kindly answer a question for me as I can’t find the information elsewhere. My daughter had injectable HA based filler (2ml I think) in her chin about 18 months ago and the effect is still apparent. She’s just had a sliding genioplasty (no jaw surgery because of TMJ problems) as part of orthodontic treatment with the filler in place. The surgeon had plenty of photos of her natural appearance throughout the orthodontic process so he was well aware of her natural chin line and told her not to worry about dissolving the filler first. He did a 10mm advancement only but the result is very dramatic and the chin is too prominent at present. She is 2 weeks post surgery and obviously still has some swelling on her chin but I think the filler is making the chin look over projecting. Psychologically this is having a huge effect on her and she is currently very unhappy with her new look. I have read on your site that the healing process does a good job of dissipating and absorbing the filler but I’d be extremely grateful if you would give me some idea of how long this would take. Would it be along the same time frame as healing, so that in a few months time, the filler would have gone along with the swelling? If she needs to have the filler dissolved, how long after surgery should we wait before having this done?

I think you sincerely in advance for any advice you can give me so that I can put my daughter’s mind at rest. As you can imagine, it is a worry for me too.

A:While the filler will dissolve over the next 6 weeks I would doubt that this dissolution effect will make much of a difference on the true final result. (filler becomes compressed when the bone or an implant is put behind it…..thus its residual effects are not that significant) But it isn early and the true answer about whether the chin is overprotected or not takes a good 6 to 8 weeks to know for sure.

Dr. Barry Eppley

World-Renowned Plastic Surgeon