Cleft Chin & Mental Crease Treatment Melbourne
Consultation-Led OptionsA cleft chin, a mental crease and chin dimpling all sit in the same small area below the lower lip, and most are shaped by one muscle: the mentalis, which lifts and puckers the chin. Treatment pairs muscle activity treatments, which ease how hard the mentalis pulls, with volume-based treatments that support the skin over a deep fold or cleft.
Your AHPRA-registered nurse watches your chin at rest, while you speak and as you close your lips. A crease or dimple that only shows in motion comes from the mentalis pulling, while one that stays visible at rest has lost support underneath.
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Understanding Cleft Chin & the Mental Crease
Three separate features show up in this small area. A cleft is a vertical dimple at the centre of the chin, present from birth. The mental crease, or labiomental fold, is the horizontal line between the lower lip and the chin. Dimpling is an uneven, orange-peel texture across the chinโs surface that appears or worsens with movement. They often appear together, but each has its own cause.
MENTALIS OVERACTIVITY
a strong or habitual pull that puckers and dimples the chin
CHIN STRUCTURE
a gap where the two sides of the jaw or muscle meet
BITE AND LIP SUPPORT
a deep bite rolls the lower lip out and deepens the fold
SKIN AND SOFT TISSUE
thinning fat and skin over the chin let lines etch in at rest
A cleft is the only one of the three thatโs there from birth. A crease and dimpling tend to deepen over the years as muscle habit, bite and thinning skin add up.
Cleft Chin / Mental Crease Treatment Areas / Options
A cleft, a crease and dimpling often appear on the same chin, and a chin that sits back can make all three more visible. Each one is assessed at rest and in motion, so treatment is aimed at the feature you notice most.
A cleft chin is a vertical dimple or groove at the centre of the chin. It forms where the two halves of the lower jaw, or of the mentalis, donโt fully meet in the middle, so itโs usually inherited and visible from early life. Some clefts are shallow and only show in certain light, while others are deep enough to split the front of the chin in two.
Volume-based treatments are introduced to the groove to soften its depth while keeping the chinโs natural shape. Where the mentalis pulls the cleft deeper as you move, a muscle activity treatment can ease that pull. A cleft formed in the bone may be softened, but it stays part of the chinโs structure.
How deep and how long the cleft runs at rest Whether it deepens when you speak, smile or pout Whether the groove follows the bone or the soft tissue The thickness of the skin over the centre of the chin Whether you want the cleft softened or kept as a feature - โCan a cleft chin be removed completely?โ A cleft formed in the bone can be made shallower, but the shape underneath remains.
- โI like my cleft, just not how deep it is.โ Treatment can stay light, so the cleft is still visible but less pronounced.
- โWill my chin look flat afterwards?โ Volume is placed only beneath the groove, so the chin keeps its curve on either side.
- โWhy does it look deeper when I talk?โ The mentalis pulls on the cleft as it moves, so easing that pull is part of the plan.
- A shallower groove at the centre of the chin
- A cleft that may look softer in photos and side light
- Less deepening of the cleft when you speak or smile
- A chin that keeps its natural curve on either side of the cleft
- A cleft that has deepened with age points to soft-tissue loss as well as structure
- Thin skin over the cleft calls for small, careful amounts
- A previous chin implant or genioplasty is reviewed before planning
- Projection is checked, since a set-back chin can make a cleft look deeper
- A vertical dimple at the centre of the chin
- A cleft that deepens noticeably as you talk or smile
- Wanting a cleft softened without losing it entirely
The mental crease, or labiomental fold, is the horizontal groove between the lower lip and the chin. Everyone has one, but how deep it is varies. It deepens when the mentalis pushes the chin pad up, when a deep bite lets the lower lip roll outward, and when the soft tissue in the fold thins with age. A deep crease can make the chin look separate from the lip and cast a shadow in overhead light.
Treatment usually combines two approaches. A muscle activity treatment eases the upward pull that folds the skin, and volume-based treatment is placed beneath the crease to support it from below. A crease driven mainly by the bite can be softened, but tooth and jaw position partly set its depth.
How deep and how long the crease is at rest How much it deepens when you close your lips or pout Where your lower lip sits over your bite How thick the soft tissue is in the fold How the crease shadows under overhead light - โWill it look puffy under my lip?โ Support is placed deep in the fold in small amounts, so the area between lip and chin keeps its shape.
- โWill it change how my lower lip moves?โ Muscle activity treatments are designed to ease the chinโs pull while leaving the lower lip free to move and speak.
- โWhy does it look worse in photos?โ Overhead light and camera flash catch the foldโs shadow, so depth is checked under more than one light.
- โWill the crease come back?โ Both treatments wear off gradually, so the crease returns slowly over time unless itโs maintained.
- A shallower fold between the lower lip and chin
- Less shadow under the lip in overhead light
- A chin pad that pulls up less when you close your lips
- A smoother line from lip to chin in profile
- A deep overbite may call for a dental opinion as part of planning
- Previous treatment to the lower lip is reviewed, as it changes the fold
- Lip strength and speech are checked before any muscle activity treatment
- Fine lines in the skin of the fold are assessed as a skin concern
- A horizontal line between the lower lip and chin
- A crease that deepens when you close your lips
- Shadowing under the lower lip in photos
Chin dimpling, or orange-peel chin, is a pebbled texture that spreads across the chin when the mentalis contracts. The muscleโs fibres attach to the underside of the skin at many small points, so each time it tightens it pulls the surface into tiny pits. It shows most when you talk, concentrate or close your lips firmly, and in some people it stays visible at rest.
Muscle activity treatments are designed to ease the mentalis so the skin is pulled less with each movement. Where the fat pad over the chin has thinned, small amounts of volume may be introduced between muscle and skin to smooth what remains. The effect eases the pull for a period, and the habit behind it returns as the treatment wears off.
Where and how widely the dimpling spreads across your chin Whether it shows at rest or only when you move How hard your chin works to close your lips The thickness of the fat pad over your chin How your lower lip moves as you speak - โWill it affect how I speak?โ The amount is matched to your chinโs strength, aiming to ease the dimpling while keeping lip movement for speech.
- โIs chin dimpling genetic?โ Muscle strength and fat-pad thickness are partly inherited, and habit adds to both over time.
- โWhy is it worse when I concentrate?โ Many people tense the chin without noticing when theyโre focused, and that brings the pitting out.
- โWill my chin look frozen?โ The aim is to soften the pull, so your chin still moves when you pout or speak.
- A smoother chin surface when you talk and close your lips
- Less pebbling when you concentrate or tense your chin
- A chin pad that bunches less as your lips meet
- Lip movement that stays as close to normal as possible
- A chin that strains to close the lips is checked for projection
- Previous muscle activity treatments and their timing are reviewed
- Uneven dimpling is mapped side by side before treatment
- Neuromuscular conditions are screened before any muscle activity treatment
- An orange-peel texture that appears when you talk
- A chin pad that bunches when your lips close
- Dimpling that has become more visible over time
When the chin sits back, the lower lip has less to rest against and the lips sit slightly apart when relaxed. To close them, the mentalis has to push the chin pad and lower lip upward, often many times an hour without you noticing. That constant strain bunches the chin into dimples and folds the crease deeper, so an under-projected chin can make both look worse than the soft tissue alone would.
Treatment combines a muscle activity treatment to ease the strain with volume-based support at the front of the chin, giving the lower lip a firmer base so the mentalis has less work to do. Projection is only added as far as it eases strain on the crease and dimpling. Larger changes to the profile may need chin correction and reshaping.
How far apart your lips sit when your face is relaxed How hard your chin pad works as you close your lips How the crease and dimpling change as your lips meet Where your lower lip rests against your teeth and chin Whether your bite adds to the strain - โWhy does my chin dimple when I close my mouth?โ A set-back chin makes the mentalis push up to seal the lips, and that push dimples the skin.
- โDo I need my chin made bigger?โ Support is limited to what eases the strain, so your profile stays close to how it is now.
- โWill treating the crease on its own work?โ If strain is behind it, the crease may return sooner when the chinโs support isnโt addressed.
- โIs this the same as chin augmentation?โ The aim here is easing strain on the lips and chin. Reshaping the profile is a separate plan.
- Lips that close with less effort from the chin
- Less bunching of the chin pad as your lips meet
- A crease and dimpling that may look softer in motion
- A profile with subtle changes
- A large overbite may need an orthodontic opinion first
- Habitual mouth breathing can keep the lips apart and add to the strain
- Support at the chin is kept below the point where your profile changes
- Previous chin or lip treatment is reviewed before planning
- A chin that bunches and dimples as your lips close
- Lips that sit apart at rest over a set-back chin
- A crease or dimpling that returns quickly after treatment
Your Chin, Assessed in Motion
Most of your assessment happens while you move: speaking, smiling, pouting and closing your lips. A crease or dimple can look very different from one expression to the next, so your chin is evaluated at rest and in motion to plan from and to compare at review. Thereโs no obligation to go ahead after your consultation.
How We Help โ Your Consultation and Journey
Consultations for cleft chin and mental crease are performed at our Camberwell, Moonee Ponds and Brighton clinics. Your nurse studies how your chin moves before anything else, because a crease or dimple that looks deep in a photo can soften or deepen as you speak.
What we cover in your consultation
MEDICAL AND TREATMENT HISTORY
medications, conditions and past chin treatment
MOVEMENT AND ANATOMY MAPPING
of the chin and lower face (rest vs expression)
CLEFT AND CREASE DEPTH
depth of each groove, at rest and in motion
LIP SEAL
how hard your chin works to close your lips
RISK AND DOWNTIME EDUCATION
whatโs common, whatโs less common, what to watch for
A TAILORED PLAN AND QUOTE
including whether a staged approach is best
Most appointments are a single visit, with a review booked once your chin has settled.
Before Your Appointment
WHAT TO BRING & KNOWYour chin is assessed while it moves, so arrive able to talk, pout and close your lips naturally, without heavy makeup on the lower face.
Skip alcohol for 24 hours beforehand to limit bruising
Bring a list of any previous chin, lip or dental treatment
Mention any events, photos or travel in the next two weeks
Allow around 30 minutes for the consultation
During Treatment
WHAT TO EXPECTYour nurse maps the cleft, crease and dimpling at rest and in motion, marks reference points, and works in small amounts, checking your expressions between each step. Most appointments take around 30 minutes.
Topical numbing applied to the chin first
Reference points marked at rest and in motion
Expressions checked between each step
Stop or pause whenever you need to
Aftercare & Follow-Up
WHAT HAPPENS NEXTMild redness, swelling or small bumps along the crease are common for a day or two. Changes settle over one to two weeks, and your follow-up review checks your chin at rest and in motion. Our team is reachable 24/7 if anything feels unexpected.
Keep your head upright and avoid lying face-down for the rest of the day
Avoid rubbing or massaging the chin for two weeks
Skip saunas, hot yoga and strenuous exercise for 24 hours
Hold off facials or skin treatments on the chin for two weeks
Treatment Is a Process, Not a Single Decision
A cleft usually stays the same through life, while a mental crease and chin dimpling often become more noticeable from the 30s and 40s. The fold under the lip deepens as the soft tissue thins, and the skin of the chin starts to show more of the movement beneath it.
Anatomy references describe the mentalis as inserting directly into the skin of the chin, so its pull shows on the surface. As the fat pad between muscle and skin thins with age, there is less cushioning between the two, which is one reason dimpling and the crease tend to show more over time.
A consultation shows which of these is driving your concern, whether that’s muscle pull, thinning tissue, your bite or the chin’s structure, and how much of each is present.
CLIENT REVIEWS
What our clients say
Explore More Treatment Options
Lines and grooves around the mouth tend to deepen together: the fold from nose to mouth, the groove beside the chin and the crease below the lip all lose support as the soft tissue thins.
Wrinkle Treatments
expression lines across the forehead, brows, eyes, and cheeks
Facial Contouring
balance and proportion from the cheeks to the chin
PRF
fibrin matrix from your own blood for crepey skin
Exosomes Treatment
topical exosomes after microneedling for texture
PRP
concentrated platelets for skin quality and texture
3 accessible clinic locations across Melbourne
All locations
Camberwell
1172 Toorak Rd, Camberwell VIC 3124, Australia
+61 477 441 340 Book an in-clinic consultationMoonee Ponds
30-32 Holmes Rd, Moonee Ponds VIC 3039, Australia
+61 477 441 340 Book an in-clinic consultationHave Questions? Your Consultation Is a Good Place to Start.
Frequently Asked Questions
SAFETY & SUITABILITY
Is cleft chin / mental crease treatment safe? 
Who is a good candidate for treating a mental crease or chin dimpling?
What are the most common side effects?
RESULTS & TIMELINE
How soon will I see changes in my chin crease or dimpling?
How long do results last?
What does a โnatural-lookingโ result mean for chin treatments?
AFTERCARE & LOGISTICS
Is there downtime after mental crease treatment?
Can I exercise after chin treatments?
Why isnโt a price listed for this treatment?
WHERE TO START
Whatโs the most common starting approach at Luxe Lips?
Should I treat the crease, the dimpling, or the chin shape first?
MYTHS, WORRIES & 'WHAT IF'
Will I look unnatural or โoverdoneโ?
Iโve read scary stories online โ should I be worried?
What if I donโt like the outcome?
COMPARISON
Cleft chin / mental crease treatment vs chin implant surgery โ whatโs the difference?
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