Chin and jawline filler in Medellín

You'll see it called jawline filler, chin filler or non-surgical chin augmentation. It's the same hyaluronic acid filler used on other areas of the face, placed in the chin and along the jawline. According to an article from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), filler can add volume and definition to the jawline and more projection to the chin. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists the chin and jawline among approved uses, for people 22 and older, and notes that these fillers are temporary: your body breaks them down and absorbs them over time.

Filler involves no incisions and no operating room. It's a single session of 30 to 60 minutes with a topical anesthetic, and you see the change right away. You may have mild swelling for 2 to 5 days, and the effect lasts 6 to 18 months depending on the area. Chin surgery is different: a 1- to 2-hour operation that changes the structure, with an implant over the bone or by reshaping the bone, followed by 7 to 10 days off work. Your aesthetic physician decides where and how much to inject when she examines your face.

According to the FDA, before treatment you should tell your doctor if:

• The skin in the area is inflamed or infected: treatment is postponed.
• You have a bleeding disorder.
• You have severe allergies or have had anaphylaxis, or you're allergic to lidocaine or other local anesthetics.

The FDA also notes that safety is not known during pregnancy or breastfeeding, in people under 22 or in people who tend to form keloids. With that information, your doctor will tell you whether it's right for you or whether it's better to wait.

Every procedure has risks, and this one does too. The FDA and the ASPS list these, among others:

• Bruising, redness, swelling or pain.
• Bumps, or filler you can feel under the skin.
• Asymmetry, or a correction that falls short or goes too far.
• Infection or an allergic reaction.
• Rarely, filler getting into a blood vessel and causing skin loss, blindness or a stroke.

According to the FDA, if you feel unusual pain, notice changes in your vision or see that the skin looks white, gray or bluish, get medical care right away.

Tell your doctor about any medications and herbal supplements you take, your allergies, whether you smoke and whether you've had fillers or botulinum toxin before, as the ASPS suggests. Ask for the product name: INVIMA, Colombia's national health regulator, recommends checking that it has a current registration in its online registry (in Spanish). Afterward, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends:

• Holding off on strenuous exercise.
• Not touching the area, unless you're told to massage it.
• Protecting your skin from the sun and staying away from tanning beds.

Filler doesn't solve everything. That same ASPS article, written for men, explains that filler alone is enough for some, while others need surgery, especially if they have loose skin. Depending on what bothers you, we look at:

• A chin that needs much more projection, or sticks out too much: chin surgery, with our plastic surgeon.
• Fat under the chin: chin liposuction or, without surgery, cryolipolysis (in Spanish).
• Mild sagging along the jawline: a thread lift or HIFU; if it's more pronounced, a facelift.
• Clenching or grinding your teeth (bruxism): botulinum toxin.