Key takeaways
Swan neck surgery case: an inherited receding chin with no clear line between the jaw and neck in profile, and no wish for an implant. Surgery followed an assessment by the doctor. There was no significant pain afterward, with bruising and numbness from the jaw to the neck, and a head wrap worn for three days. Two months later the profile was clearly improved, with some neck tightness when looking up.
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"I'm Abby, I'm 31, and I'm a nurse. My chin has actually bothered me for 30 years. My whole family looks like this, but mine is on the more severe side..."
I've been self-conscious about my chin since I was little. Lots of people might compliment you on being pretty, but I always knew my chin didn't look good, and I'd think, if I'm already pretty, why is my chin so imperfect? I always wanted to fix it but never acted. What held me back most was probably the words "surgery" and "cosmetic surgery." And when people took candid photos of me, in profile my chin seemed to merge into my neck, all round and ugly
I came in for a pico laser and asked on the side, and decided on surgery that same day
It took only half a month from consultation to surgery. At first I only came to NAISS for a Star Walker PQX pico laser and to ask how the surgery works, but after the consultation on swan neck surgery, I decided to go ahead. It was a bit impulsive, but I felt NAISS was meant to be, like choosing the wedding dress that's the one: the moment I walked in I thought, "This is the place."
I was impressed from the moment I booked, because I booked at two or three in the morning, but NAISS's online team was still replying to messages, which showed how much they care. Then at the consultation I felt Dr. Chiu was the surgeon I wanted for this. It was love at first sight with everything, and after learning roughly how the surgery works and what it costs, I decided very quickly.
Why not hyaluronic acid, a chin implant or jaw surgery
I read quite a lot online, and I have friends with receding chins too. Hyaluronic acid only lasts a year or two before it's absorbed, so you have to keep getting it, and people online shared that it can form lumps or migrate, so I ruled it out first. I didn't choose a chin implant because a friend had bone cutting plus an implant and shared the whole process with me. Afterward the chin had a slight dent, and you could tell something was in there, which is why I'm so against implants. In the end, people with receding chins like ours really need jaw surgery, but it's very expensive, and the operation and recovery take a long time. If jaw surgery weren't so scary, I'd probably have chosen it.
The doctor actually offered other options from the start, recommending swan neck surgery plus a chin implant. But I was still against having an implant in my body, so I thought I'd do swan neck surgery first and add an implant later if it wasn't enough. I'd hesitated over surgery and an implant because of scarring, but after the surgery it seems nobody has noticed the scar
The complete hyaluronic acid guide: aftereffects, precautions, uses and side effects
Little discomfort after surgery, and very high satisfaction
I was quite nervous on the day, because I didn't know if it would work, and I was afraid it would look like nothing had been done. But three days after surgery, before the tape even came off, I could already see the difference, and best of all, there was no pain at all once the anesthesia wore off. There was bruising (from the jawline to the neck), but I only felt numbness. On day one I still had to wear the head wrap, so my whole face felt tight, with just bruising and numbness; it only hurt if I actually touched the wound. There's not much aftercare needed either. I just went to follow-ups and applied scar cream.
It's been about two months, and I give it a 9, because one side still isn't fully down. The only thing to watch in daily life, I think, is looking up: my neck feels tight, so I can't tilt my head all the way back like before. I really feel a lot has changed since surgery, and now every profile photo shows a chin, which makes me very happy. Before, I'd refuse to let people photograph my profile, or I'd have to cover it, but not anymore.
If you're thinking about swan neck surgery too...
If you want it, do it soon, because I somewhat regret not doing it in my twenties. I'd suggest avoiding the hottest part of summer, because the head wrap stays on for three days and can be a bit uncomfortable, though I took those first days off and stayed home with the air conditioning on, so it was fine. As for the doctor, I think it has to be someone who wants their work to be perfect and cares about it, not a doctor just doing a job. Dr. Chiu checked on my recovery and even showed me the fat that was removed
If you're interested, I think it's worth getting a consultation first to see whether a chin implant suits you better or whether swan neck liposuction can solve it.
This story reflects one patient's experience. Results and recovery vary from person to person; please consult a doctor in person about your own treatment plan.
