African-American Rhinoplasty
As it pertains to augmentation rhinoplasty, this process, in particular, may involve narrowing the nasal tip, reducing nostril size and in some cases lengthening the nose and raising the nasal bridge. Patients of an African -American background are not looking to make their nose ‘Caucasian’ but are rather looking to improve their nasal proportions and enhance their overall appearance.
Like with any rhinoplasty surgery, it is important for the patient and surgeon to share a common and realistic goal. It is also crucial that the surgeon has experience dealing with African-American noses as the techniques for this procedure are different than those used in Caucasian rhinoplasty surgery. Not only does Dr. Philip Solomon have nearly 20 years of experience in African-American rhinoplasty surgery, he also uses the most advanced and cutting edge surgical techniques available in order to restructure your nose to look natural and authentic to you.
What Is Different About An African-American Rhinoplasty
Patients that are seeking an African-American rhinoplasty should look for a skilled and experienced surgeon who will accentuate their features and not change their unique ethnic look. Generally, African-American noses have thicker nasal skin and weaker nasal tip cartilage. This intrinsic anatomy results in a flatter and wider appearing nasal tip and wider horizontally oriented nostrils. The size of this flatter lower bridge varies, as does the width of the nostrils.
Getting To Know The Different African American Rhinoplasty Techniques
The eyes and the nose are typically the first places we look at when talking with someone, making these areas highly common for facial cosmetic plastic surgery procedures. With regards to African-American rhinoplasty surgery, there are different cosmetic surgical rhinoplasty techniques commonly used to alter the nose and to rejuvenate and rebuild the look around the nose. The techniques vary depending on which characteristics of the African-American nose are being addressed; wide nostrils, a wide nose bridge, and/or a wide nasal tip. Due to the fact that every patient’s face is different, the techniques used will also vary for each African-American rhinoplasty surgery in order to achieve a very personalized result.
There are a number of rhinoplasty techniques available to rhinoplasty surgeons when dealing with the African-American nose. Among the most common procedure is cartilage grafting to strengthen and support the nasal tip. This process strengthens the nasal tip in a similar manner to elevating a tent with a post. Cartilage grafts can be taken from the nasal septum, ear cartilage, and in some cases rib cartilage. Sometimes, synthetic implants such as medpore are recommended to reconstruct the nasal tip.
African-American patients also often choose to have their nasal bridge raised as this gives a more proportioned and often narrower appearing nose. Again, cartilage grafting from the nose, rib cage, and ear can be used to raise the nasal bridge. In certain situations, Gortex (a synthetic medical grade surgical implant) can achieve a dramatic enhancement of the nasal bridge.
Watch a video of Dr. Philip Solomon performing a rhinoplasty on an African American woman, who sought to enhance her look through this procedure.