Left with a severely lopsided lower lip 2 months into Genioplasty. Do I have any options? Fillers, Steroids, etc?

Dec 21, 2022
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Recovery has been really slow from a Genioplasty in South two months ago., My lower lip is severely lopsided right now in relaxed, speaking and smiling context.
Things may get better over time but I have seen zero to very little improvement in the last month.
Right now it is heavily impacting my career and personal life.
With that, are there any options I have for a temporary / long term fix? Could fillers or steroids help while recovery progresses (if it does?) ?

Not looking for sympathy or reminders that recovery is a long process but instead advice on what is actionable. TIA!
 
Recovery has been really slow from a Genioplasty in South two months ago., My lower lip is severely lopsided right now in relaxed, speaking and smiling context.
Things may get better over time but I have seen zero to very little improvement in the last month.
Right now it is heavily impacting my career and personal life.
With that, are there any options I have for a temporary / long term fix? Could fillers or steroids help while recovery progresses (if it does?) ?

Not looking for sympathy or reminders that recovery is a long process but instead advice on what is actionable. TIA!

What does your doctor recommend? 2 months isn't very long...
 
What does your doctor recommend? 2 months isn't very long...
Funny you ask; it has been really hard to get any meaningful and actionable input despite several attempts. It was done at a factory clinic in Seoul because the doctor had a strong reputation. What would you consider a healing period to change into action mode for FC?
 
I've had surgeries and I know at 8 weeks post op I've been no where near the finish line.
I'd request an appointment with the surgeon, or consult another reputable doc.
Thank you for the input; I will see if there is a way for a remote consultation. I have reached out to other clinics to get their input. If this community has any additional pointers I will gladly take them.
 
Personally I do not think it is a good idea to have fillers put in while one is recovering from any surgical procedure.
Adding something new to something that already has had invasive surgery, it just adding more fuel to the fire and may lead to results you may not expect or want.

However, whether it be steroids, fillers, or additional procedures, that is a personal decision to be made by yourself including the risks and consequences that come with that decision.

I agree with @Swanky . The preferred way is to go back for a follow-up with the surgeon who did your procedure but since it was done in South Korea, that is difficult.
Best is to go see another plastic surgeon for a consult and ask about your options. Make sure that plastic surgeon is currently board certified and preferably specializes in chin surgeries, especially in chin or facial reconstruction procedures and/or revision procedures.
(there are some plastics who are great at their specific niche [ie. rhinoplasty, breast augmentation, etc.], but a revision or additional surgery on top of one that has already been performed takes a little more special skill and experience.)

Adding on my 2 cents:
I also agree that 2 months is too short, genioplasty is quite an invasive surgery (especially when compared to less invasive options like chin implants or using only fillers in the chin.)
There are certain types of surgeries in which a revision is better until full recovery or better done during the recovery process. It really will depend on what the consulting surgeon thinks of the results of your current procedure and potential outcome/prognosis.

Good luck, I wish the best possible outcome for you in whatever decision you make!

Disclaimer:
These are just my thoughts and personal opinions. This is just based on my personal experience working with plastic surgeons and general surgeons. I am not your primary care physician nor your surgeon. I have no knowledge of your personal medical history or surgical procedures. Please do not take this a serious medical advise or as some kind of medical recommendation but as honest thoughts from a person on the internet. I am not liable for any decisions that you make for yourself.
 
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Grea input @lill_canele and much appreciated. I agree with all and have reached out to some local plastic surgeons. One so far has mentioned that thread lifting may be an option but to your point you are adding drama to an already dramatized area so outcomes are very hard to predict. Generally mentally not doing anything when there is daily impact and consequences is a hard strategy to accept, especially when it feels like there is no to little progress and it is hard to see how it resolve by itself at this point.

Question, how come a chin implant is less invasive than a Genioplasty and hence recovery timelines not comparable? Is it because no bones usually get broken during a chin implant? For me the chin was reduced and with that broken and some slight shaving happened on the sides. I haven't shared those prior, but attached are my frontal 3D scans before and after in case it helps qualify the expected recovery.

 
Grea input @lill_canele and much appreciated. I agree with all and have reached out to some local plastic surgeons. One so far has mentioned that thread lifting may be an option but to your point you are adding drama to an already dramatized area so outcomes are very hard to predict. Generally mentally not doing anything when there is daily impact and consequences is a hard strategy to accept, especially when it feels like there is no to little progress and it is hard to see how it resolve by itself at this point.

Question, how come a chin implant is less invasive than a Genioplasty and hence recovery timelines not comparable? Is it because no bones usually get broken during a chin implant? For me the chin was reduced and with that broken and some slight shaving happened on the sides. I haven't shared those prior, but attached are my frontal 3D scans before and after in case it helps qualify the expected recovery.



Yes, that's the general gist of it.
The degree of invasiveness depends on how deep the surgery goes into the body and how much the tissue and/or bone gets altered.

A chin implant is still invasive but it's putting a foreign material in the body. None of the original structure gets permanently altered, maybe moved around a bit or excess tissue removed if the surgeon feels it leads to a better outcome.
Also a chin implant can be removed if necessary. A genioplasty is basically permanent because you cannot put back bone that has been shaved and the bone has been rebroke and reset.
(technically the bone could be rebroken and reset again, but that may potentially lead to more complications depending on the process and outcome of the initial procedure....I've had to help assist remove a titanium plate that was put in an arm bone from a previous procedure, but it was further complicated by the fact that the titanium plate had been there for so long that it had basically fused to the bone and the bone started to grow around it.)

Apologies, but I cannot see those photos, they are just gray boxes. I am no ENT doctor, ear nose throat, or facial plastic surgeon, so my understanding and expertise would be minimal to say the least.

Personally with any plastic surgery, I believe a minimum of a full year of recovery (including the settling in, and natural-ness of the result) is required. More invasive ones (like a face lift) or multiple procedures done at once may need 2-3 years until the final outcome is reached.

But, again, it's probably best if you go see a specialized plastic surgeon who has the knowledge, skill and expertise to give you his or her recommendations. The surgeon would also be able to physically evaluate you in-person which is essential for any kind of surgical procedure.
 
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Grea input @lill_canele and much appreciated. I agree with all and have reached out to some local plastic surgeons. One so far has mentioned that thread lifting may be an option but to your point you are adding drama to an already dramatized area so outcomes are very hard to predict. Generally mentally not doing anything when there is daily impact and consequences is a hard strategy to accept, especially when it feels like there is no to little progress and it is hard to see how it resolve by itself at this point.

Question, how come a chin implant is less invasive than a Genioplasty and hence recovery timelines not comparable? Is it because no bones usually get broken during a chin implant? For me the chin was reduced and with that broken and some slight shaving happened on the sides. I haven't shared those prior, but attached are my frontal 3D scans before and after in case it helps qualify the expected recovery.


is it your left side that is drooping?
 
Sorry to see you're dealing with this.
After 6 weeks you can get an idea of what it'll look like - forget waiting months on end. Soft tissue swelling aside, what you see is more or less what you get after this time period has elapsed. It doesn't sound like you have nerve damage, though. Your scans show a pre-existing mandibular asymmetry that likely wasn't taken into account when making the bone cut or shaping the chin thereafter. This could be the reason why your lower lip asymmetry is pronounced after surgery.
A clinic called Braun seem to deal with revision genioplasty cases - you may wish to get in touch with them (can't hurt): https://www.braunps.net/en/02_facial/facial06.php