Ethnic rhinoplasty

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

The ‘perfect’ nose is one which looks well-balanced with the other facial features. Therefore, when it comes to non-Caucasian rhinoplasty it is essential that the surgeon is aware of the subtle differences in surgery which are essential for preserving the ethnicity of a face. The requirements a patient has of a nose job will vary between individuals, but there are trends among ethnic groups as to what procedures are most commonly requested.

Asian Rhinoplasty

Asian rhinoplasty patients generally have poorly protruding tips, which gives the nose its characteristic ‘flat’ appearance. While an overly straightened, more pronounced Caucasian-style nose can look out of place on an Asian face, many patients in this ethnic group seek subtle changes to increase the projection of their nose. This can be achieved through the use of implants. Some rhinoplasty surgeons use silicon for this purpose, but bodily tissue from the septum or inner ear may also be used. If the patient is also having their nose narrowed a slight enhancement of the projection can be achieved by breaking and re-setting the nasal bones.

African American Rhinoplasty

African Americans undergoing rhinoplasty often have similar requirements to Asian rhinoplasty patients - namely, the reduction in the width of the nose and an increase in projection. A surgeon will trim down the sides of the nose or re-set the bones to give a narrower look while adding an implant to the tip. Some patients may also require the filing down of the cartilage to reduce a hump. It is best to opt for a surgeon with experience in performing black rhinoplasty as the naturally thicker skin of an African American patient can affect the results of the nose job.

Hispanic Rhinoplasty

In Hispanic rhinoplasty patients, the most popular request is for the surgeon to reduce a dorsal hump. Depending on the degree of the hump, cartilage may be sculpted or removed to elevate the projection and narrow the appearance of the tip of the nose. As with any form of ethnic rhinoplasty, a surgeon should be wary of changing the appearance of the nose too significantly as the ethnicity of the face may be lost, but in Hispanic patients there is the added consideration the altering the structure of the nose too significantly may lead to breathing difficulties. If breathing is impaired, this can often be corrected through revision rhinoplasty.

The correction of a dorsal hump in order to reduce the hooked appearance of the nose is also commonly requested by those with Mediterranean heritage, Arabic descent and also by Jewish patients.

An experienced surgeon is a necessity as the different requirements between Caucasian and non-Caucasian patients extend beyond aesthetic variations. The difference in physiology has a bearing on how the rhinoplasty operation should be performed. Most plastic surgeons favour the open rhinoplasty technique in non-Caucasian patients as this allows the surgeon to carry out more intricate work. The fact that an operation in a non-Caucasian patient can take twice as long to perform as it would in a Caucasian patient is testament to the additional skill and experience required in carrying out the operation.

Always take the time to find a good rhinoplasty specialist. Rhinoplasty has a high rate of revision surgeries and making the initial effort to find a capable surgeon will increase the likelihood that you will be happy with the results.