May the Best Chin Win?

There's something about a strong chin and a defined jawline that makes us all take notice. Many studies have shown that these physical attributes connote authority, confidence and leadership ability. In fact, a long-range analysis of West Point Academy freshman cadets found that those who had broad chins were more likely to achieve higher rank in the military. And when New York City plastic surgeon Darrick Antell, MD examined the profiles of 42 Fortune 500 CEOs, he found that most had chins that were either average or above average in prominence, when compared to the general population.

There are more options than ever before to reshape or enhance the chin and jawline. Modern Aesthetics® spoke to some top doctors about their preferred methods.

The ‘chin'plant

WILLIAM PORTUESE, MD
Facial plastic surgeon Seattle

“It's a vote of confidence to have a strong chin/profile. If you have a weak chin, your nose looks too big and all of the tissue in your neck starts falling sooner than it would with a real projected chin as good bony support. This is why the chin implant is so important. It's the foundation. The procedure takes 30 minutes and is done under local anesthesia. Chin implants come in different sizes and shapes and we can cut and carve them to fit. Almost all of my chin implants are small or medium. Patients don't like it overdo it. It is not like with breast implants where bigger is better. My patients don't want to look like they had a chin implant nor do they want comedian Jay Leno's chin. I often conbine this procedure with rhinoplasty to achieve facial balance and proportion.”

In search of Superman's jaw…

TERRENCE KEANEY, MD
Assistant clinical faculty George Washington Hospital Washington, DC

“Allergan's Kybella (deoxycholic acid) has opened Pandora's box in regards to non-surgical jawline shaping. Getting rid of the double chin is important for both genders, but men really desire a ‘chiseled' jawline—a la Superman. Kybella is really the first step (If the not the most important) to define the male jawline non surgically. “

Playing it cool

DAVID MCDANIEL
Director McDaniel Institute of Anti- Aging Research Laser & Cosmetic Center | Virginia Beach, VA

“The perception that a strong chin connotes leadership ability is a sociocultural one and does not necessarily correlate with a person's realistic skills or ability. The chin and jawline are separate issues, but often people who don't like their chin don't like their jawline either.  The newest applicator for the CoolSculpting system, the CoolMini, is highly effective in selectively freezing away unwanted fat under the chin non-surgically with no anesthesia, no needles and no side effects.  We developed a dual procedure using the original applicator.  Almost everyone needs two CoolSculpting treatments with the CoolMini applicator to address submental fat.  In the past, we would do one CoolMini treatment and wait 4-6 weeks and do the next.  We found that if you overlap the applicator in the middle underneath the chin you can get two treatments in a single day in one session.  This seems to produce more jaw sharpening and significant submental fat reduction.  We believe that the dual procedure gives you greater results than two separate treatments.  Our current theory is that in the time it takes to thaw and reapply, there is a reperfusion injury that kills more fat.”

A home run

MARK H. SCHWARTZ, MD
New York City plastic surgeon

“Submental liposuction directly removes excess fat in the neck and around the jawline to create a more sculpted and youthful neck contour. One to three small incisions are made and the excess fat is suctioned with small cannulas.  The procedure is performed with sedation or possibly local anesthesia in an accredited operating roon.  A chin strap is applied for 3-5 days for compression and recovery is relatively easy, even for men. The results can be a real home run for patients with good skin laxity and reasonable expectations.”

A choice of riches

DEANNE MRAZ ROBINSON,MD
Dermatologist Connecticut Dermatology Group Stamford, Norwalk and Milford, CT

“A strong jawline and chin denote a powerful and youthful appearance. 

There are multiple modalities to address a”double chin” or submental fullness. Options include a series of fat dissolving injections called Kybella or treatments with the Coolsculpting CoolMini. Another way to sharpen the jawline and chin area is through the use of Ultherapy. Ultherapy is a US Food and Drug Administration-cleared device to lift the area under the chin. It uses ultrasound energy to boost our bodies own collagen production resulting in a tighter and stronger jawline. “