Chin Implant Types

Chin Implant Types

You hate leaks...gossip leaks, intel leaks, plot leaks, water leaks. You're afraid of silicone but you know the time has come to expand--not your chest, but your chin. You want chin implants. You were willing to spend a combined $23 million in 2004 with chin implant prices and surgeon's fees. Although chin augmentation has declined 41 percent in popularity from 2000 to 2004 (15,822 chin reduction and chin implant surgery procedures in 2004, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons), you still want a better chin. but do you risk mad cow disease or silicone leakage? Your chin implants could consist of:

• Bone grafts--they may be quickly reabsorbed and become infected, but they come from you
• Skin grafts--it's better if they don't come from you, since there's a high risk of absorption. You may be better off with chin implants from a cadaver or a family member.
• Infant and bovine collagen. This is primarily used in reconstructive surgery, so relax if you're afraid of baby surgeries, bovine hormones and mad cow. The baby cells usually come from the foreskin after circumcision, so you don't have to get into ethically tricky stem cell issues. Also, with bovine collagen, there's no evidence that mad cow disease can start in the skin.
• Silicone--Has the potential to leak, and hard implants fill out the skin, not the bone structure. However, silicone chin implants rarely cause chemical reactions.
• Hydroxyapatite Implants are made of porous coral that adheres strongly to the bone. Also available in an injectable filler.
• Injectable fillers--range from hyaluronic acid to bovine collagen to silicone (which the FDA hasn't approved for cosmetic use).