Cheeks with a good amount of volume have a plumpish, smooth appearance that adds to a youthful face. A chin that projects in proportion to the rest of your features gives your jawline definition and balance. When ageing, weight loss, or simply the bone structure you were born with leaves you wishing for either of these, chin and cheek implants are the procedure that restores them.
1 to 2 hours
General or sedation
7 to 10 days
After 6–8 weeks
Chin and cheek implant surgery places a precisely shaped solid implant under the skin to enhance the natural bone structure of the face.
A chin implant adds projection to a chin that sits too far back, gives definition to a weak jawline, or balances a chin that is out of proportion with the rest of the face. A cheek implant restores volume and shape to cheeks that have flattened or sunken with age, weight loss, or simply how the face was built. The two are often done together because the face works as a whole, the chin and the cheeks frame each other, and changing one without the other can shift the proportions in a way that does not look quite right.
The result is meant to look subtle. People will notice you look more rested, more defined, more in proportion, without being able to say exactly what changed. That is the whole idea.
Once you are under anaesthesia, the surgeon will draw surgical markings on the face to plan the implant placement precisely. A small incision is made, almost always inside the mouth so there is no visible scar on the face. A pocket is created in the tissue against the underlying bone, the implant is gently placed using full sterile technique, and the incision is closed with fine sutures.
The decisions that shape the result are made before the first incision is even drawn, which implant size, where exactly to place it, how the chin implant should relate to the cheek implants, whether the patient needs a custom-shaped implant instead of a standard one. These are the conversations that happen at consultation, and they matter more than the surgery itself.
You may want to consider chin or cheek implants if any of these sound familiar:
Facial implants for the chin, cheek, and jaw are made of solid medical grade silicone. They sit on the natural bone underneath the skin and integrate with the surrounding tissue over time. They do not move, do not dissolve, and do not need to be replaced under normal circumstances.
Standard implants come in three sizes, chosen based on what your face needs:
For patients with specific anatomical needs or significant asymmetry, custom-designed implants can be made. These take more time to plan and cost more, but produce a result tailored precisely to your face. For some patients, fat injections to the chin and cheeks are a suitable alternative or complement, particularly when natural volume restoration is preferred over a structural implant. Dr. Vasu will recommend the right approach based on what you want changed, your bone structure, and the look you are aiming for.
A 30 to 45 minute conversation, in person or virtual. We talk through what you want changed, examine your facial structure, and recommend the implant size and approach that suits you. You leave knowing what the procedure would involve and what it would cost, in writing. No pressure to book.
Once you have decided, we prepare you properly. Photographs from standardised angles. Blood work and a fitness clearance. You will be asked to stop smoking at least 6 weeks before surgery to support better healing and to avoid aspirin, certain anti-inflammatory medications, and some herbal supplements that can increase bleeding. We walk you through what to expect on surgery day, what to bring, who should come along (someone to drive you home and ideally stay with you the first night), and how to set up your home for the recovery week. By the time surgery day arrives, you should feel ready, not anxious.
Performed in the hospital under general anaesthesia or deep sedation. The procedure typically takes 1 to 2 hours. Incisions are made inside the mouth where possible, so there is no visible scar on the face. The implant is placed precisely in a pocket created on the bone, then secured. Most patients are discharged the same day.
You wake up with a soft compression dressing supporting the face. Mild swelling and tightness are expected and managed with medication. Most patients walk out on their own and go home the same day. The compression dressing stays on for a few days, after which you continue the rest of the recovery from home.
Mild swelling and tightness around the chin and cheeks. Easily managed with simple painkillers. A soft diet for the first 5 to 7 days, because of the incisions inside the mouth. Most patients can return to a sedentary desk job within the first week.
Visible swelling settles significantly. Most patients feel confident enough to be in social settings. Eating returns to normal. You may notice some mild changes in sensation around the implant area, which is normal and gradually resolves.
You are back to normal activity, including light exercise, once cleared. The implant has integrated with the underlying bone and tissue. The face looks like itself to other people, though you may notice fine residual swelling that they will not.
By 3 to 6 months, all the swelling has settled and the final result is showing. The implant becomes a permanent part of your facial framework. With careful surgical technique, facial implants are essentially permanent and most patients can expect to enjoy the result for a lifetime.
Take an active role in your surgery. These are the questions worth asking any plastic surgeon you consult with, including Dr. Vasu. A surgeon who can answer all of them in plain language, without sounding defensive, is one worth listening to.
Facial implant surgery is technically straightforward but aesthetically demanding. A few millimetres of difference in implant size or placement produces a substantially different result that you live with for life. A chin implant that projects too much, a cheek implant that sits too high, or implants that do not balance each other can change a face in ways the patient never wanted. The decision of which implant, where, and how, is what separates a result that looks like you from one that looks operated on. So it is worth knowing who you are trusting with the decision.
MS in General Surgery from AIIMS New Delhi. MCh in Plastic Surgery from NIMS Hyderabad. Fellowship in Aesthetic Surgery at the Dr. Javier de Benito Institute, Barcelona. Fellowship in Hair Transplantation at Knudsen Clinic, Sydney. Specialist training in facial aesthetic surgery across two continents.
Over 30 years in plastic and aesthetic surgery. Thousands of procedures performed personally across face, body, breast, and reconstructive work. Chin and cheek implant surgery is regularly performed in the practice, both as standalone work and as part of comprehensive facial rejuvenation alongside rhinoplasty, facelift, or fat grafting. Dr. Vasu also takes on patients who have had unsatisfactory facial implant work elsewhere and want corrective surgery, which is technically more demanding than primary work.
A consultation here unfolds in its own time. We listen to what brought you in. We understand the change you are hoping for. We examine your facial proportions, explain what the right implant size and placement would do for your face specifically, and walk you through how the surgery would actually work. If you decide to go ahead, our team prepares you properly, including financial counselling so there are no surprises, and gets you ready for the day of surgery.
This is the approach because the aim has always been the same, results that look like the patient, just on their best day.
Across every procedure he performs, Dr. Vasu is particularly known for how he handles scars. Incisions are placed where they are least visible. Fine sutures close the skin cleanly. Months are spent paying attention to how the scar settles, long after the surgery is done.
For chin and cheek implants, this means incisions placed inside the mouth wherever possible, so there is no visible scar on the face at all. When external incisions are required (for some chin implant approaches), they are placed under the chin in the natural shadow, where they are barely visible at conversational distance.
Real patients. Photographs taken from standardised angles, before surgery and after the result has fully settled. All photographs published with written consent.
Patient 1 · Female, 34 3 months post
Patient 2 · Female, 34 3 months post
Patient 3 · Female, 34 3 months post
Individual results vary. Photographs are representative, not guaranteed outcomes. Consultation required to assess suitability.
Chin implant surgery, also called chin augmentation or genioplasty, is a procedure where a solid implant is placed on the chin bone to add projection, definition, and balance to your face. The procedure is short, done under general anaesthesia or sedation. The implant is usually placed through an incision inside the mouth, so there is no visible scar on the face.
Yes, often quite significantly. A receding or weak chin is one of the most common reasons the jawline looks undefined. Adding projection to the chin pulls the jawline forward visually and gives the lower face more structure. For some patients, the chin implant alone is enough. For others, the result is further refined with jaw implants or fat grafting along the jawline. At consultation we look at what your face needs and recommend accordingly.
Not very. The procedure is done under general anaesthesia or sedation, so you feel nothing during the surgery. The first 2 to 3 days afterwards may have some mild discomfort, tightness, and swelling around the chin or cheeks, easily managed with simple painkillers. Most patients describe it as a dull ache rather than sharp pain. By the end of the first week, the discomfort has settled significantly.
Yes. Your ability to talk is not affected by chin or cheek implant surgery. In the first few days, speech may feel slightly different because of swelling and tightness around the chin or cheeks. This settles within the first week. Eating soft food for the first 5 to 7 days is advised, to give the incisions inside the mouth time to heal properly.
In most cases, yes. Facial implants are essentially permanent. They can fracture as a result of significant facial trauma, and on rare occasions, they can become infected. These problems after facial implant surgery are very uncommon. Most patients can expect a lifetime of improvement from a facial implant performed with the right technique.
Most patients return to a sedentary desk job within a week. Visible swelling settles significantly within 2 to 4 weeks. Light exercise can resume around week 4. Heavier workouts and gym typically resume around week 6. Full recovery and final result is visible by 3 to 6 months as residual swelling settles.
Significant complications from facial implants are uncommon, but every surgery carries some degree of risk. The risks specific to facial implants include the implant shifting or sitting in the wrong position if the pocket is not made precisely, contour irregularities, and rarely, implant extrusion from excessive trauma or infection. General surgical risks include bleeding, infection, temporary changes in sensation, and the possibility of needing a small revision. Your specific risk profile is discussed honestly at consultation, including any factors specific to your anatomy or health history.
A chin implant is a soft tissue procedure where a solid implant is placed on the existing chin bone. It is shorter, less invasive, has minimal recovery, and is technically reversible if needed. Jaw surgery (orthognathic surgery) is a much bigger operation where the jaw bone itself is cut and repositioned, used when the jaw is significantly out of alignment or when there are functional problems with the bite. For most cosmetic concerns about chin or jawline projection, a chin implant achieves the result with far less surgery.
Cost varies based on the type of implant chosen (standard or custom), whether chin and cheek implants are being done together, and the complexity of the case. A transparent written treatment plan with full cost breakdown is provided after consultation. No pricing is committed before you have been examined in person or virtually, and there are no hidden charges.
Yes, regularly. A meaningful share of facial implant patients travel from Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, and internationally. Virtual consultations are available before you book travel. Coordination on scheduling, accommodation guidance, and follow-up after surgery means most patients can complete the procedure and the recovery in a single trip.
Most people who consider chin or cheek implants think about it for months, sometimes years, before they are ready to act. There is no right timeline and no wrong one. Whatever brought you here, a weak chin, undefined cheeks, profile concerns, or simply a face you want to feel more balanced in, we will help you understand what is achievable for you, what the procedure would actually involve, and what the result is likely to look like.
If you decide to go ahead, our team walks alongside you. That includes financial counselling so the cost side is clear from the start, and emotional preparation in the days before surgery. You leave the consultation with everything you need to decide in your own time.