Lifestyle

Want a pointy chin? Here’s a how-to guide

Pointier chins have long been a popular feature in Western beauty standards, with many people seeking out surgical procedures or makeup techniques to give the appearance of a more defined and angular chin. However, the trend towards pointier chins is not limited to just one culture or time period. In fact, the desire for a more pronounced chin has been documented throughout history and across various cultures.

One of the earliest examples of a pointier chin can be found in ancient Egyptian art, where the pharaohs and other elites were often depicted with chins that were long and sharp. This was seen as a sign of power and strength, and it was believed that the shape of a person’s chin could reveal their character and social status.

Although often overlooked, the chin is an essential constituent of our overall appearance. When it comes to their chins, the preference of men and women differ. While men like square chins, women prefer pointer chins.

A well-defined jawline along with a pointy chin can provide a balanced look to the face. A pointier chin can enhance the feminine look which is why women strive to have a more pointed chin.

There are various ways to make the chin look pointier. One can try facial exercises, make-up, or simple rubbing can also help make the chin appear more pointy.

There are also a few surgeries you can opt for, that are aimed to create the appearance of having a pointy chin; but they can be both expensive and invasive.

Editors Suggestion:

Chin Implant for pointer chin

Facial chin augmentation plastic surgery, known as genioplasty, is a kind of cosmetic surgery that enhances facial aesthetics by augmenting the chin.

After precisely evaluating the patient’s facial anatomy plastic surgeons use a chin implant made of silicone, which helps to rectify a convex facial shape and a narrow chin. The surgery gives the face a more triangle-like appearance.

This procedure is only applicable to those, who have a short mandible and do not have any dental deformities. Moreover, candidates for this procedure must not have any history of implant rejection.

Surgeons either use local or general anaesthesia, based on the patient’s pain tolerance.

Mainly there are two different techniques to perform genioplasty

  1. Intraoral approach: This technique has a low risk of nerve injuries near the brain. However, it only works on the lower section of the mandible and can cause more scarring.
  2. Transcutaneous submental approach: This technique involves going in through the skin from under the jaw therefore it provides better access and is generally the surgeon’s favourite.

Although chin implant augmentation is a straightforward procedure, the risk of complications like infections and implant rejection is never zero. Hence, it is always advisable to make thorough preparation and consult only board-certified plastic surgeons.

Surgical Procedure of Bone Shaving

Bone shaving is another rising trend in the field of aesthetics. In this procedure, the surgeon uses a laser saw to cut some parts of the jaw bone to correct any deformities. General anaesthesia is generally used during this procedure.

In an article published in springer, Igor Niechajev studied reductive genioplasty, a surgery that corrects a protruding mandible and long chin.

In his research, he used Riedel’s line as a guide to compare the chin position against the facial appearance. Riedel’s line is a facial harmony line that connects the projecting chin point and the most prominent points of the lips.

Igor used an air-driven pneumatic chisel to reduce the mandible and cloxacillin solution to keep the surgery sterility followed by antibiotic treatment with flucloxacillin.

As the mandible is near the oral cavity, which may hold microorganisms, it increases the chance of infection. He used Vicryl Rapide sutures for tight closure. Vicryl Rapide suture prevents contamination of the mandibular bone. The dressing was done using Microfoam which is good for about three days. After that, an elastic garment was worn for a few weeks to support the chin.

Proper oral hygiene is a must for patients who underwent surgery using an intraoral approach. Additionally, patients should also avoid foods containing allergens.

Generally, a follow-up visit or an interview over the phone is done as a part of post-operation care with special attention to the smoothness of the chin, disturbances in taste, and chewing movements.

The risk of nerve damage and infection is part of most surgical procedures. However, this risk can be minimized through thorough preparation and consulting a skilled and certified surgeon.

In his study, Igor noted and addressed all the complications appropriately. The bone curves after the procedures were smooth in the X-rays obtained from particular patients. There was not a single sign of any bone fragments around the soft tissues.

Out of forty-seven participants in the study only two patients had an uneven chin as a result of bone regrowth. This study helped to prove that chin reduction surgery is safe when performed by skilful surgeons. The aesthetic improvements on patients achieved by this process were impressive.

Facial Fillers

A pointer chin and a more V-shaped jaw can also be achieved using facial fillers. Facial fillers are also safe and temporary. As, hyaluronic acid, a substance produced by our own body is one of the main constituents of these fillers; this makes them temporary and usually reaction free.

Facial fillers generally last for a couple of months and have to be redone. This is an expensive process and can cost somewhere between a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, depending on the patient’s requirements.

However, if the result of this procedure is unsatisfactory, the fillers can be easily broken down with the help of an enzyme called hyaluronidase. This makes fillers safe and can serve as a trial run should you decide you ever want an implant.

The process to dissolve the fillers can take months, and some fillers might stay in your body for years even though most of them have dissolved.

V-line Surgery (Mandibuloplasty)

V-line Jaw Surgery is another surgical procedure aimed at making the jaw look more pointed by sharpening the mandible (jaw) bone and chin. It generally takes two hours or less to complete and is done under general anaesthesia.

Post-surgery, the patient must watch out for any bleeding, bruising or inflammation. In case of any inflammation, over-the-counter pain medicines can provide relief.

It takes around 3 weeks to completely recover after this procedure. Any discomfort beyond this recovery time should be immediately reported to the surgeon. 

Natural Ways To Get Pointy Chin

Although beneficial, surgeries are often invasive and expensive. The natural methods may be worth a shot if you think you’d not benefit from chin surgery.

You can make use of make-up tricks to alter the appearance of your chin. Make-up artists and YouTube tutorials can provide a comprehensive guide on how to create facial contours. Additionally, you can try the products recommended by them to get the best results. Highlight your best facial features using your hair and other parts of your face.

With age, the shape of our face also goes through change. As we get older the fat in our body increases and muscle shrinks. Maintaining a sedentary lifestyle and having a poor diet will result in excess fat and can make this worse.

Retraining exercises could improve facial appearance by controlling muscle movements in most cases. In their research “Enhancing Facial Aesthetics with Muscle Retraining Exercises” author D’ Souza et al. (2014) explored the benefits of doing this activity regularly. It strengthens the muscles around the mandible (jaw) to look firmer.

Retraining exercises also make the face look more natural and livelier as they increase the blood flow around the neck and cheeks. There are several muscle retraining exercises:

Smile Exercise

  • Relax your mouth.
  • Stretch the corners of your mouth and hold for 10 seconds.
  • Now, make your smile slightly wider and taller and hold for another 10 seconds.
  • Make your grin even wider and taller and maintain your stance for 10 seconds
  • This time widen your grin so that the edges of the teeth are visible. Use full muscle tension for 10 seconds.
  • Now go the other way. For the next 10 seconds make your smile narrower and shorter.
  • Finally, make your smile even narrower and shorter and hold for 10 more seconds.
  • Relax the mouth for a few more seconds.
  • Smile wide and apply finger pressure on each side.
  • Try to narrow the smile halfway with your fingers resisting the pull. Hold it there for ten seconds.
  • For the next ten seconds, close the smile completely with your fingers resisting the pull.
  • Now, let’s reverse the exercise. Place the fingers on the outside of the lips and smile halfway and hold it there for 10 seconds.
  • Smile as wide as you can while resisting with your fingers and hold this posture for ten seconds.
  • Finally, expand the smile while slowly releasing finger pressure.
  • Relax.
Smile Exercise for Pointy Chin
Smile Exercise for Pointy Chin
Smile Exercise for Pointy Chin

Facelift Exercise

  • Open the mouth and flare the nostrils.
  • Wrinkle the nose as far as possible and relax the upper lip.
  • Gently draw the upper lip upward as high as possible and maintain for 10s.
  • Now, concentrate on the upper lip and slowly bring it down and relax.
  • Slightly open the mouth. Apply the middle, index, or annular fingers under the eye on the cheekbone and relax the upper lip
  • For the next 10 seconds, curl the upper lip up slowly while maintaining finger pressure and hold.
  • Gently return to the initial position, remove the fingers and relax.
Facelift Exercise for pointier chin
Facelift Exercise for pointier chin

Strengthening the mandibular shape

To maintain facial harmony, it is advisable not only to focus attention on the muscles exerting a lifting motion but, also to strengthen and condition the muscles and the skin of the mandibular area.

  • Separate the teeth as much as possible while keeping the lip slightly closed.
  • Bring the mandible slowly and continuously forward.
  • Stretch the lower lip towards the upper lips and hold this position for 5 seconds.
  • Finally, come back slowly to the initial position by bringing the lip and mandible back.
  • Relax and breathe.
Strengthening the mandibular shape

Conclusion

There are a variety of additional exercises that may also be beneficial.

The fish face exercise can potentially make a person’s chin look more prominent and pointier. The downside is it will take you weeks, months, or years to see noticeable results.

Our sense of what constitutes ideal face proportions is heavily influenced by the size and shape of the chin.

The projection and vertical length of the chin are two of the main components of its aesthetics.

The Mandibular bone, muscles and the overlying soft tissue everything needs to be enhanced to improve the appearance of the chin and maintain facial harmony.

While the trend towards pointier chins may come and go, it is clear that this feature has been coveted by people throughout history. Whether it is achieved through makeup techniques or surgical procedures, a pointier chin can be a striking and attractive feature that many people strive to achieve.

Back to top button