You’re thinking about getting a chin augmentation or chin liposuction, but you’re not sure what to expect when it comes to swelling and recovery. How long will the swelling last? When will it start to go down? And what can you do to reduce it for a smoother healing process?
In this article, I’ll explain:
- Why swelling happens after chin liposuction or chin augmentation,
- How long it typically lasts, and
- What steps you can take to minimize it.
You’ll also learn when to contact your surgeon and how your diet and activity level can affect your recovery.
At Elite Facial Plastic Surgery, we focus exclusively on facial procedures, ensuring a comfortable experience from consultation through recovery. I’m Dr. Dominic Castellano, a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon, and I’ve helped hundreds of patients achieve a defined jawline with personalized chin liposuction and augmentation procedures.
Ready to contour your jawline and create a more sculpted profile? Book your consultation today.
If you’d like to learn more about these procedures, check out my chin augmentation and chin liposuction video playlist.
Why Does Swelling Happen After Chin Liposuction?
For the most part, whether you’re doing a chin augmentation (placing an implant on the chin) or chin liposuction (removing fat from under the chin, also called the submental area), you’re going to experience some swelling.
The reason that occurs is that when you undergo surgery, it’s basically controlled trauma. The body creates an inflammatory response, which leads to fluid accumulation in the area that was operated on. That fluid is the swelling that patients experience.
With both of these procedures, swelling occurs immediately at the time of surgery, and then additional swelling develops in the hours that follow.
During that early recovery period, there are some things you can do to reduce the swelling.
How You Can Reduce Swelling
First, your surgeon will most likely provide a garment or compression dressing, especially if you’ve had liposuction. In my practice, I normally don’t put a compression garment on chin augmentation patients unless I’m doing liposuction.
After the procedure, you can use simple methods like icing the area. Apply ice for about 20 to 30 minutes on, then 20 to 30 minutes off, and continue that cycle for the first 4 to 8 hours.
As long as you follow this process and wear your garment as advised, it should help to minimize the swelling.
How Long Will Swelling Last?
Swelling usually begins to settle out after about 24 to 48 hours. After this period, swelling will gradually go down over the next several weeks.
Typically:
- The first week is when things will feel the most tight.
- After each week that follows, the swelling continues to improve.
I usually tell my patients who have had either of these procedures that they will see their final results around the three-month mark.
Monitoring Your Recovery: When to Contact Your Surgeon
It’s always important to know what to watch for during recovery and when to reach out to your surgeon.
If you have any concerns at all, you should always call your surgeon to make sure everything is healing properly. It’s also important to attend all of your follow-up appointments.
Some issues that may need attention include:
Signs of Bleeding
If you start to experience:
- Increased pain after surgery, especially the night of the procedure
- Discomfort and swelling that worsens after the first night
This may indicate a bleeding issue.
Signs of Infection
Signs of infection can include:
- Redness
- Increased swelling
- Pain
- Fever
If you have any of these symptoms, I would advise you to call your physician immediately.
Diet and Activity Guidelines for Your Recovery
Diet is another important factor that’s often overlooked during recovery.
When you’re healing after surgery:
- Try to eat lean proteins like chicken or salmon.
- Avoid carbohydrates and sodium, since these can cause additional swelling and make it linger longer.
I also recommend limiting your activity level during the healing process.
For the most part, you shouldn’t be significantly laid up, like you might be with a facelift. After chin augmentation or chin liposuction, you should simply take it easy, and maybe do some light computer work or relax at home for a few days.
Again, always discuss your recovery plan with your surgeon to make sure you’re following their recommendations.
The most important thing I would say is to follow the directions given by your surgeon so you can get the best result possible.
Redefine Your Jawline with Elite Facial Plastic Surgery
If fullness under your chin or a lack of jawline definition is affecting your confidence, Dr. Dominic can help. With chin liposuction and chin augmentation, he customizes each procedure to refine your profile, reduce fullness, and create the balanced profile you’ve always wanted.
Book your consultation today. Let’s sculpt the defined, confident jawline you’ve always wanted.
