Genioplasty: Could It Help with a Short Chin and Concerns About Vertical Length?

One of the important factors in facial contour surgery is the overall proportion of the face.

Source: TS Plastic Surgery website

If the chin is long, the impression can look strong and older. If the chin is short, it may make you look younger, but if it is extremely short compared with the overall facial proportions, it can give a plain and unrefined impression. In particular, a short chin can also make the face appear relatively wider.

A prominent square jaw may also seem more noticeable because of a short chin.

Most people with a short chin often do not realize that their chin is short. So during consultations for contour surgery, they may consider cheekbone reduction or square jaw surgery, but even if the width of the face is reduced, it may still be difficult to improve to a slimmer face shape. In the case of a short chin, a 'chin lengthening procedure' that increases the vertical length of the chin needs to be performed together to expect sufficient results. This is why surgery that simply reduces the mandibular angle is not enough.

A short face shape can be improved with chin lengthening

Source: TS Plastic Surgery website

The biggest concerns for patients are a long face, a large face, or a wide face. That is why surgeries that reduce face length or width are often considered, but methods for improving a face shape that is short vertically are relatively less well known.

However, as mentioned above, if the vertical length of the face is short, it is difficult to create a slim impression in proportion even if the face is not wide. In such cases, the vertical proportion of the face can be supplemented through chin lengthening. There are two main methods for increasing the vertical length of the chin.

1. Bone grafting

This method mainly uses bone removed during square jaw surgery and grafts it onto the chin.

Source: TS Plastic Surgery website

The grafted bone is transplanted in a state where the blood vessels have been disconnected, and then it recovers as new blood vessels grow in. However, a drawback is that some of the grafted bone may be resorbed during the recovery process, which can reduce the length of the extension compared with the originally planned amount.

2. Bone flap technique - the most advanced method

This is currently the most advanced surgical method, in which the chin bone is moved while maintaining its blood supply to increase its vertical length.

Source: TS Plastic Surgery website

Although the surgical process is somewhat complex, the advantage is that the blood supply is maintained, so there is no bone resorption and the shape and length of the extended chin are well preserved.

Source: TS Plastic Surgery

In actual cases, you can also see changes in which the face shape becomes slimmer even without square jaw surgery by lengthening the chin with the bone flap technique.

The chin surgery method varies depending on the patient's condition

Chin surgery can be performed in various ways depending on the patient's condition. Important nerves are located in the chin area, so the bone-cutting method differs, and three-dimensional consideration is needed not only from the front of the face but also from the side and 45-degree angles.

If the chin is set back, chin advancement surgery is needed, and if the chin protrudes forward like a prognathic jaw, it can be corrected with chin setback surgery.

If the chin is wide, chin reduction surgery to narrow the width is needed, and depending on the location of the nerve line, the detailed method may differ using a Y-shaped osteotomy or an S-shaped osteotomy.

If the chin is long and protruding, length reduction and setback surgery can be performed together, and if the width is also broad, reduction surgery must be performed as well for a natural improvement.

Source: TS Plastic Surgery

Conversely, if the chin is short, the chin lengthening procedure discussed today can increase the vertical length. In actual cases, the face shape was also improved to look slimmer by performing cheekbone reduction and chin lengthening together, without square jaw surgery.

Chin lengthening is a highly difficult surgery, so there are not many medical institutions that perform it. Therefore, it is important to carefully assess the patient's facial shape and condition and choose a medical team skilled in various surgical methods. Because the surgery is difficult, if it is performed as an alternative procedure, patient satisfaction may be low.

If you are considering facial contour surgery, please choose a hospital with a systematic consultation system, accurate diagnosis, and extensive surgical experience. We recommend that you make a decision only after thorough consultation at a hospital that carefully manages recovery and postoperative progress as well.

※ Because side effects such as inflammation, bleeding, and nerve damage may occur depending on the individual, sufficient consultation with the medical staff is necessary before surgery.

This is an example image to help understanding.