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Most people think of facelifts or liposuction when they hear the words cosmetic surgery – but statistics show that chin implants are fast becoming the treatment of choice in America, with a reported 71 percent increase in the number of procedures since 2010.

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the number of chin implant procedures carried out in the USA increased by 71 percent to 20,680 between 2010 and 2011, with treatment proving popular among men and women.

What is the aim of chin implant surgery?

Chin implants are designed to balance the proportions of the face and enhance the shape of the chin and jaw. Surgery is most commonly carried out in tandem with other treatments, such as a face lift and nose reshaping. British plastic surgeons claim that chin implants are a popular choice for people who are having other cosmetic work, as a means of balancing the overall look of the face and giving shape to the jaw line. Treatment is often used in combination with a nose job to improve the proportions of the facial features, as a small chin may make the nose look bigger.

Unlike other implants, such as breast implants, the aim of the game is not simply to increase the size of the chin. Instead, the goal is to enhance the aesthetics of the face by improving symmetry and balance of facial features. Patients who have had a ‘chin job’ often claim that they decided to go ahead with surgery after noticing a double chin.

What does treatment involve?

Chin implant treatment involves placing an implant under the skin. The surgeon marks the area, makes an incision in the skin underneath the chin or inside the mouth, and then places the implant. Once the implant is in position and the surgeon is happy, the incision will be stitched and left to heal. The recovery period takes around one to two weeks.

The rising popularity of chin implants

Most people are aware of cosmetic surgery, but some may not have even heard of chin implants. However, this is almost certainly going to change with chin jobs becoming increasingly popular. Although the number of procedures undertaken every year is small compared to other treatments, most notably breast augmentation and liposuction, the most recent statistics for chin implants represent huge growth.

Between 2010 and 2011, 325,332 liposuction procedures and 316,848 breast augmentations were carried out in the USA. Compared with these numbers, the figure of 20,680 chin implant procedures seems small, but the latest number is massive compared to just 12 months before. The procedure has grown in popularity by more than 70 percent and this trend looks set to continue, as people grow increasingly enamoured with the pursuit of perfection.

In the past, it seemed to be the general consensus that cosmetic surgical remedies were unmanly and reserved for the female species alone. This is no longer the case, however, and an increasing number of men are turning to cosmetic surgery to fix or improve areas of their bodies.

According to the 2011 report from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, cosmetic procedures performed on men accounted for around 800,000 of the total procedures reported for the year, which makes up only 8 percent. However, that 8 percent is a more than a 120 percent increase on statistics recorded back in 1997.

Among the top surgical procedures sought by men were liposuction (the removal of fatty deposits from different areas of the body), rhinoplasty (commonly known as a “nose job”), eyelid surgery (remove fatty deposits or fix sagging), ear surgery (to “pin back” larger ears), breast reduction (to remove excess fat) and even total facelifts.

Today’s men are really no different from the men one, ten or twenty years ago. However, attitudes toward work and casual, everyday life have changed. Men are more conscious of how they look, and how those looks are perceived by the world around them. According to the same research from the ASAPS, men are judged by what they look like more now than ever before. That translates into possible difficulty in finding jobs and maintaining relationships. Men today are more self-conscious of their flaws and how these flaws may be holding them back – and a growing number of men are seeking remedies to what they see as physical imperfections.

Cosmetic surgery among men is also becoming increasingly popular due to the emergence of more stylised male celebrities, openly expressing their strong desires for physical perfection. Celebrities such as Al Pacino and Robert Redford have spoken openly about undergoing facelifts in the past, while lifelong heartthrob Burt Reynolds has admitted to getting a hair transplant. The late Patrick Swayze was among the first male celebrities to seek porcelain veneers to improve the look of his teeth.

Men and women, rich and poor, celebrity and everyday Joe, have one thing in common, and that is the pursuit of perfection in all of its forms. There is no longer any shame in a member of the male species seeking that perfection through a cosmetic surgeon.