Asian rhinoplasty

UsefulRhinoplastyInformation.com is intended as a helpful resource for people considering nose surgery, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.

Rhinoplasty is consistently among the top three cosmetic surgeries requested by the Asian population. The needs and wants of a patient vary from person to person but Asian rhinoplasty patients typically seek the narrowing or augmentation of their nose. It is important to choose a surgeon with experience of operating on Asian patients and who is familiar with the differences in non-Caucasian physiology. As well as producing an aesthetically pleasing nose the surgeon will also need to take the necessary care to preserve the ethnicity of the face.

An Asian nose is flatter in appearance and generally wider than a typical Caucasian nose. Although an overly ‘Westernized’ nose should be avoided on an Asian face, a skilled plastic surgeon can augment the tip of the nose to increase projection or narrow the width of the nostrils in accordance with the patient’s wishes. To increase the likelihood of receiving a nose job where you are satisfied with the results it is best to opt for a rhinoplasty specialist who has carried out successful operations on non-Caucasian patients in the past. If you visit several websites you will see many surgeons place before and after pictures of rhinoplasty on their sites as examples of their skill. Once you have booked a consultation you can also request to see dossiers of their work.

If a patient is undergoing rhinoplasty to increase the projection of their nose then this will be done through the use of implants. Some surgeons use silicon for this purpose as it has been in use for many years and has proved very safe. Others, however, prefer to use tissue from the patient’s body - normally from the inner ear or the nasal septum - for the implant, as rejection of the implant is less likely.

To narrow the width of the nose, the nasal bones may be carefully broken and reset. If the patient wants a subtle increase in the projection of the nasal tip then this can be done at the same time, although an implant will be required for a more prominent effect. Narrowing the nostrils - if this is required - will cause some scarring but the scars will fade and should not be noticeable.

Although a majority of patients are very happy with the results of their rhinoplasty operation there are a minority of patients who have trouble adjusting to their new appearance. In severe cases this can trigger depression. In non-Caucasian patients there is an increased risk of negative feelings after a nose job and Asian men are statistically most likely to seek revision rhinoplasty. It is impossible to give an all encompassing reason as to why this may be, but in some cases this may be because the new nose does not fit the ethnic heritage of the face. Finding a good rhinoplasty surgeon should alleviate this risk.