Microgenia: small chin
Quick facts
- Definition
- A chin of reduced size, usually because of an underdeveloped mental bone.
- Difference from retrogenia
- Microgenia is a small chin; retrogenia is a recessed chin (position). They can coexist.
- How to see it
- In profile, with the head level and the lips at rest.
- Relevance in HOF
- It is one of the concerns that most often leads to chin filler.
Microgenia is the term used for a chin of reduced size. It generally describes an underdeveloped mental bone (the tip of the mandible), in height, width or projection. It often shows up in the complaints of patients who feel their face is "missing a chin" or the lower third is "short". In practice, it is different from retrogenia, which describes a chin positioned back.
How do you tell it apart from retrogenia and micrognathia?
The terms look alike and the confusion gets in the way of planning:
| Term | What it describes |
|---|---|
| Microgenia | Small chin (size) |
| Retrogenia | Recessed chin (position) |
| Micrognathia | A small mandible as a whole |
The chin can be small and well positioned, or normal and look recessed because of a mandible positioned back. When assessing, also look at the bite: a malocclusion can produce the look of a small chin, and treating the cause may be dental.
How do you assess it in practice?
The assessment starts in profile, with the head level and the lips at rest. Observe:
- the relationship between the pogonion, the lower lip and the base of the nose;
- the height of the menton and the length of the lower third;
- the mentolabial angle, which shows the contour between the lower lip and the chin;
- the frontal view, because the chin also has width and symmetry.
When should filler be considered?
In mild to moderate cases, chin filler can improve apparent projection and the balance of the profile. Results depend on volume, product, anatomy and the patient's response, and are not guaranteed. In marked skeletal conditions, assessment for surgery or orthodontics is part of the counseling, and the patient must know that volume is an appearance solution.
The chin is an area with important nerves and vessels; risks include swelling, bruising, asymmetry, nodules and, more rarely, vascular occlusion. Hyaluronidase must be available when hyaluronic acid is used.
In Harmy
The Chin point of the marking simulates chin filler, seen from the front, with the volume in ml entered. The app uses only the frontal photo, so chin projection in profile is not represented. The simulation is illustrative.
Also called: small chin, mental hypoplasia.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between microgenia and retrogenia?
Microgenia describes the small size of the chin. Retrogenia describes the chin positioned back relative to the rest of the face. They do not always go together, and the approach may differ.