About

• V-line jaw surgery is a cosmetic procedure that changes your jawline and chin so they appear more contoured and narrow.

Safety

• This procedure is a major surgery.
• Though the risk of complications is low, sometimes infection and other serious side effects occur.

Convenience

• Finding a trained provider is key to the success of this procedure.
• Not every plastic surgeon has been trained in how to do a V-line jaw surgery.

Cost

• This procedure costs around $10,000. Your final cost depends on many factors.
• Insurance typically doesn’t cover it.

Efficacy

• Results after healing vary.
• Some people need a further “revision” surgery to be happy with their results.

V-line jaw surgery, also called a mandibuloplasty, is used to make your jawline look narrower. The surgery removes parts of your jawbone and chin so your jaw will heal in a more pointed shape that looks like the letter “V.”

Certain cultures associate a V-shaped jaw and chin with femininity and female beauty. People who are interested in this procedure are usually those who identify as a woman or as nonbinary and want to have a more “feminine” jaw and chin shape.

The ideal candidate for V-line jaw surgery is a nonsmoker with an active lifestyle who doesn’t have a health history of bleeding or autoimmune conditions.

V-line jaw surgery does have some risks, as does every type of surgery.

This article will cover the cost, procedure, risks, and what to expect during recovery from V-line jaw surgery.

V-line jaw surgery revises the angles of your jaw and chin. By removing the broader part of your mandible bones, your jaw takes on a more triangular shape.

The tip of your chin is also shaved down so it comes to a sharper tip at the bottom of your jaw.

Once the surgery is complete and you finish healing, these modifications to your jawbone and chin have fused together to give your jaw an elongated shape.

Before surgery, you’ll have an extensive consultation about your results and expectations with your surgeon. They may mark your face with a marker immediately before going in the operating room to confirm the surgery sites.

You will be under general anesthesia during surgery so you don’t feel any pain. Your surgeon will start the procedure by making incisions along your jawline and on your chin. They will place your jaw at a sharper angle and shave down your mandible (jaw) bone. They may shave and sharpen your chin.

Some people choose to have a chin implant (genioplasty) as an additional part of this procedure, but that’s not always necessary.

Your surgeon will then stitch together the incisions and dress your wounds. They may insert temporary drains to help you heal.

This surgery will take around 1 to 2 hours to complete.

After the procedure, you’ll be brought to a recovery room while you wake up from anesthesia. You may need to stay at least one night in the hospital to be monitored before you can go home to complete your recovery.

V-line surgery has a very specific targeted area. The surgery affects your jawbone and chin. It may also target the upper part of your neck, as incisions may occur in that area to help sculpt your jawbone.

Like any surgery, V-line jaw surgery does have risks and side effects. Common side effects include:

• pain and bruising
• headache following general anesthesia
• swelling and inflammation
• bleeding and drainage
• uneven healing or asymmetry of the jaw
• nerve damage causing numbness of the lip or asymmetric smiling

Less often, V-line surgery can result in an infection. Contact your healthcare provider and seek emergency medical help if you have any symptoms of infection, such as:

• fever
• nausea
• dizziness
• green, yellow, or black drainage from your wound

Recovery after V-line surgery takes several weeks. At first, your face will feel swollen. You may feel some pain and discomfort. Your provider may prescribe anti-inflammatory pain relievers to manage your recovery.

You’ll need to wear a compression garment around your chin, jaw, and neck to make sure your incisions heal correctly.

After about 1 week, the swelling will start to go down, and you may be able to catch a glimpse of the surgery results. You won’t be able to fully see how your new jawline and chin look until recovery is complete. This can take up to 3 weeks.

Results from this procedure are permanent. At a follow-up appointment, your provider will discuss your results as well as clear you for resuming your regular activities.

Here is an example of someone before and after getting V-line surgery.

Before V-line surgery, you may need to avoid taking blood-thinning medications for up to 2 weeks before your appointment. If you smoke, you’ll be advised to stop smoking, since it can delay healing and raise the risk of complications.

In the 48 hours before surgery, your provider will instruct you to not drink alcohol. Your provider may give you additional instructions to follow before your appointment. Be sure to follow them carefully.

V-line jaw surgery is considered elective surgery. That means none of the associated costs are covered by health insurance.

Even if your V-line jaw surgery is part of healthcare for a gender transition, insurance will typically consider it an optional procedure.

But some health insurers are moving to change that regulation, with more and more facial confirmation surgical procedures being covered.

In the United States, the average cost of V-line surgery is around $10,000, according to user reviews on RealSelf.com. But your exact out-of-pocket expenses may vary according to factors, like:

• anesthesia
• your provider’s level of experience
• prescription drugs to help recovery
• the cost of living in your area

Recovery time can add to the costs of this surgery, too. Initial recovery lasts 7 to 10 days, after which you can return to work and resume most of your normal activities.

You’ll need to wear a compression garment on your face and keep incisions from your surgery covered for up to a month after surgery.

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 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 lift 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 far less invasive than V-line surgery, but they’re not covered by insurance and can be expensive.

Results of noninvasive contouring aren’t as noticeable as V-line surgery, and any result is temporary.

If you’re ready to find out whether V-line surgery is a good option for you, the first step is finding a licensed and board certified provider in your area.

You can get started by using the American Society of Plastic Surgeon’s search engine.