Planning a chin or jaw implant abroad: what should I check first?

Step 1: Questions to ask any clinic

These apply to any clinic. Clear, written answers are a good sign.

• Who will perform my surgery, and are they a board-certified plastic surgeon?
• Will I speak with the surgeon by video before I travel, and meet them in person before the operation?
• Where is the surgery performed, and is the hospital accredited?
• Who gives the anesthesia, and what type is planned?
• Which implant do you recommend, stock or patient-specific, which material, and why?
• Is imaging such as a CT scan needed, and is it included in the price?
• What exactly does the quotation include and exclude?
• How long should I stay, and who decides when I can fly?
• What happens if I have a problem after I return home, and who covers the cost of treating it?
• How do I reach the team outside working hours?

Step 2: Photographs to send

Good photographs let a surgeon give a realistic opinion before you book. Use natural light, a plain background, and no filters. Hold the camera at face height, about an arm's length away.

• Straight on, face relaxed, teeth together
• Left and right profile, lips relaxed
• Left and right three-quarter views
• From below, looking at the jawline and under the chin
• Smiling, straight on
• Any previous result you want changed, and any reference image of the change you hope for

A reference image shows your goal, but the plan is made from your own anatomy.

Step 3: How long to stay

Your surgeon confirms when you may fly at your final review. A patient-specific jaw implant is designed from your scan and made for you, which takes several weeks, so your dates are planned around it. See stock vs patient-specific jaw implants. The chin implant recovery timeline shows what each week usually looks like.

Step 4: Travel insurance

Many standard travel policies exclude complications of elective cosmetic surgery. Read the wording before you book, and look for cover that specifically includes elective surgery abroad, treatment of complications, and changes to flights if you need to stay longer. Keep your policy details with your hospital documents.

Step 5: Aftercare once you are home

• Let your own doctor know you have had surgery.
• Know the warning signs, explained in chin and jaw implant risks, and how to reach the team.

How YOUNIFY Clinic handles each step

A surgeon reviews your photographs with you by video before you travel. Surgery is performed by one of the clinic's two board-certified plastic surgeons at a JCI- or AACI-accredited partner private hospital in Bangkok. The clinic is open daily from 11:00 to 20:00, and WhatsApp is answered 24 hours a day. For the wider picture, read about facial implants for men. The clinic also plans facial masculinization for transgender and non-binary patients.

A note from our medical team

The patients who travel most comfortably are the ones who planned the boring parts: a clear quotation, enough days in Bangkok, insurance that covers surgery, and a follow-up plan for home. We would rather spend an extra video call before you book than have you arrive unsure. If your photographs suggest the change you want is not realistic, we will tell you before you travel.

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