The facial features most associated with masculinity is the chin and jawline. A stronger chin and jawline conveys increased masculinity, smaller chins and ill-defined jawlines convey timidity and weakness. While this perceptions may not always be true (and often aren’t), they certainly help create a first impression by their appearance. In today’s plastic surgery, newer generation implants and fillers make this look possible more than ever before.
Chin implants have really evolved over the past decade with many new styles and sizes. The most important change has been that they have been extended in their shape rather than small ‘buttons’. The idea is to have an enhanced chin that flows better into the surrounding jaw. This requires an implant that ‘extends’ back from the chin to create a smooth transition from the augmented chin to the back of the jaw. These newer implants are longer and more tapered at the ends, although they can still be placed through a small incision right under the chin. Because they extend back further they give an enhanced but natural appearance to the chin. This is achieved by filling in the jawline between the chin and the back of the jaw, slightly widening the anterior jawline making the overall look more balanced. In addition to jawline width, chin and jawline height can also be lengthened by having a ‘wrap-around’ implant that extends lower than the existing edge of the bone. Prior to these type of implants, only cutting the bone or bone grafting could have achieved this look. This increases the height of the lower third of the face, a very male-enhancing effect.
New implant options also exist for bolder cheekbones and more square jaw angles. Small cheekbones generally are not as obvious as a smaller chin but the effect on the appearance of the face is just as real. Small cheek bones create a flatter facial appearance or even a longer thin face look. Several styles of cheek implants exist to fill out different areas of the midface, from creating higher cheekbones to improving that sunken cheek look. Cheek implants are placed through an incision in the mouth so there is no scarring. A more square and well-defined jaw angle is a very masculinizing look and can only be created with implants. Jaw angle implants can eitehr widen the back of the jaw, make it more longer and more square, or both. Like cheek implants they are placed inside the mouth so scarring is never any issue.
It would not be uncommon to perform several areas of facial enhancement in the male to get the overall look that they want. Since an appreciation of facial shape and how the different areas can be changed and how they would look from implants mandates that computer-imaging be used. I find it usually takes at least two consultations to thoroughly cover all the options and make sure the patient has complete understanding of the facial look that they desire.
Dr Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana