Quick Facts
The V-line jaw surgery changes your jawline and chin so they appear narrower and more contoured.
- This procedure is considered a major surgery.
- Although the risk of complications is low, infection and other serious side effects can occur.
- Not every plastic surgeon is trained to perform V-line jaw surgery.
- Finding a trained and experienced provider is vital to the success of this procedure.
- Not every plastic surgeon is trained to perform V-line jaw surgery.
- The cost of this procedure is approximately $10,000. Your final cost is dependent on many factors.
- Insurance usually doesn’t cover it.
- The results after healing vary.
- Some people may need a further “revision” surgery to be happy with their results.
What is V-line jaw surgery?
V-line jaw surgery, also known as mandibuloplasty, is used to make the jaw line look narrower. The surgery removes parts of your jaw and chin, reshaping them so that your jaw will heal in a more pointed shape like the letter “V”.”
Some cultures associate a V-shaped jaw and chin shape with femininity and female beauty. More often than not, people interested in this procedure are usually those who identify as a woman or as nonbinary and wish to have a more “feminine” jaw and chin shape.
The ideal candidate for V-line jaw surgery is a nonsmoker with an active lifestyle without any health history of bleeding or autoimmune conditions.
As with any type of surgery, V-line jaw surgery has risks.
Procedure for V-line jaw surgery
Before surgery, you will have an extensive consultation with your surgeon about your results and expectations. Your face may be marked with a marker just before surgery in order to confirm the surgery sites.
During surgery, you will feel no pain because you will be under general anesthesia. The surgeon will make incisions along your jawline and on your chin to begin the procedure. During this procedure, they will place your jaw at a sharper angle and shave down your mandible (jaw bone) and may also shave and sharpen your chin.
Some people choose to include a chin implant (genioplasty) as part of this procedure, although it’s not always necessary. Your surgeon will stitch the incisions together and dress your wounds. They may insert temporary drains to assist in your healing.
One to two hours should be required to complete this surgery. After the procedure, you will be taken to a recovery room while you wake up from anesthesia.
Targeted areas
V-line surgery targets a very specific area. The surgery affects both your chin and jawbone. It may also target the upper part of your neck, as incisions may occur in that area to help shape your jawbone.
Risks and side effects
There are risks and side effects to V-line jaw surgery, just like any other surgery. Common side effects involve:
- headache following general anesthesia
- pain and bruising
- bleeding and drainage
- swelling and inflammation
- nerve damage causing numbness of the lip or asymmetric smiling
- uneven healing or asymmetry of the jaw
In rare cases, V-line surgery can result in an infection. If you have any of the following symptoms of infection, contact your healthcare provider and seek emergency medical care:
- fever
- green, yellow, or black drainage from your wound
- dizziness
- nausea
What to expect after V-line surgery
Recovery after V-line surgery often takes several weeks. Your face will feel swollen at first. Feeling some pain and discomfort is common. To manage your recovery, your provider may prescribe anti-inflammatory pain relievers.
You will need a compression garment to wear around your chin, jaw, and neck to ensure your incisions heal correctly.
After about 1 week, the swelling will begin to go down, and you may be able to catch a peek of the surgery results. You won’t be able to see fully how your new jawline and chin look until your recovery is completed. This can take as long as 3 weeks.
The results of this procedure are permanent. At a follow-up appointment, your provider will discuss your results and clear you to return to regular activities.
Before and after pictures
Here’s an example of someone before and after getting V-line surgery at Radiance Surgery & Aesthetic Medicine
This surgery is done by cutting and shaving parts of the jaw and chinbone to give them a narrower shape.
Preparing for V-line surgery
How much does V-line surgery cost?
V-line jaw surgery is considered to be an elective surgery. That means health insurance doesn’t cover any of the associated costs.
Even if you have a V-line jaw surgery as part of your healthcare for a gender transition, insurance will generally consider it an optional procedure. It seems that some insurers are working to change that regulation, as more and more facial confirmation surgical procedures are being covered.
In the United States, the average cost of V-line surgery is around $10,000. Your actual out-of-pocket expenses may vary based on factors such as:
- your provider’s level of experience
- prescription drugs to help recovery
- anesthesia
- The cost of living in your area
The costs associated with this surgery can also be increased by recovery time. The initial recovery period lasts 7 to 10 days, after which you can return to work and resume most of your normal activities You will need to wear a compression garment over your face and cover your incisions from your surgery for up to a month after surgery.
At Radiance Surgery & Aesthetic Medicine, we believe that V-line facial contouring should be an affordable option for residents in and around Atlanta. Our excellent services have enhanced the lives of individuals throughout the area, including V-line facial contouring patients in Sandy Springs, Buckhead, Dunwoody, Alpharetta, Roswell, Johns Creek, Marietta, and Brookhaven, GA.
V-line surgery vs. contouring or other noninvasive procedures
Noninvasive contouring options are available if you’re not comfortable with surgery but are interested in giving your chin, jaw, and neck a narrower look.
Nonsurgical Facial Contouring options include:
- Dermal fillers to temporarily soften a broad jawline
- Botox injections to make the jaw and chin look more pronounced
- Botox injections at the corners of the jaw to weaken the masseter muscle and slim the face
- a nonsurgical thread lifts to pull back the skin in the jaw and chin area
- CoolSculpting to fade fat from the chin and jaw area and create a more narrow look
These procedures are less invasive than V-line surgery, but they are not covered by insurance and may be expensive.
Noninvasive contouring is not as noticeable as V-line surgery, and the results are temporary.
How to choose a provider
For best results, you’ll likely want a surgeon who often performs V-line surgery and understand your unique aesthetic goals.
If you are ready to find out if V-line surgery is right for you, the first step is to find a licensed and board-certified provider in your area.
If you live in the metro areas of Atlanta, Miami, or New York City and are looking to have V-line surgery performed by a top surgeon then you may want to consider Dr. C. Carson Huynh
People around the country travel to see Dr.C Carson Huynh at Radiance Surgery & Aesthetic Medicine because he is one of the few facial aesthetic surgeons worldwide who is double board certified. Highly awarded and nationally recognized, he has successfully performed numerous V-line surgeries on various patients of diverse ethnicities.
You’ll probably want a surgeon with a good reputation among patients and other doctors. If your doctor has published many papers in medical literature and is invited to speak at conferences, that is usually a sign that their peers recognize their expertise in rhinoplasty.
Dr. Carson Huynh is recognized as a leading plastic surgeon who has been both published and awarded numerous prestigious honors and fellowships. You can read more about his highly decorated career and surgical practice here.
Finally, make sure that your surgery will be performed in an accredited surgical facility. You should feel comfortable with your surgeon. Try to find a surgeon who can explain to you what will happen during surgery in understandable terms.
Understanding that each patient has unique requirements and desires, Dr. Huynh uses his top-tier skills and services to help improve the lives of people from in and around Atlanta and Sandy Springs. Besides performing popular facial procedures such as facelift and rhinoplasty, Dr. Huynh specializes in performing facial contouring surgery and facial rejuvenation. If you are looking for self-improvement in the form of facial plastic surgery, Asian plastic surgery, Korean plastic surgery, Ethnic plastic surgery, maxillofacial surgery, or facial contouring surgery, then Dr. Huynh and his professional team will accommodate your needs. Please contact us today to schedule your private consultation!