Most people of non-Caucasian ethnicities, who undergo cosmetic surgery procedures, do not do so to change the ethnicity of their features. A Caucasian nose on someone of Oriental or Asian origin will never look natural. Therefore, it takes a specialized approach on the part of the surgeon to achieve the desired outcome. It also requires an understanding of the different physical features of each ethnic group.
Features of the Asian Nose
Asian skin is normally heavy, thick and sebaceous. The nasal bridge on oriental noses can often be low, wide, and flat. The base is also often wide. The nasal bones are usually short. Like African-American noses, they lack of the sharp definition of the Caucasian nose. As an Asian patient considering rhinoplasty, you may find you want to increase the amount of definition to some degree, while not seeking a “Caucasian nose”. One common reason to want to increase the definition of the nasal bridge is purely a practical reason. It is often done to provide better support for eyeglasses. This increased definition can be achieved by grafting cartilage from elsewhere in the body. It can also be created by the use of an implant, such as silicone. The bridge is not the only place where some increased definition might be the goal. It is also often desirable on the tip of the nose.
Noses of South-Asian descent are often quite opposite to Oriental noses. South-Asian noses often have bumps on the bridge. These can be flattened by removing a small amount of bone in the nose.
It is always important, before any cosmetic surgery, for the surgeon to fully understand the patient’s goals. This is even more important with ethnic rhinoplasty. In addition to your goals, as the patient, the surgeon must understand, and be sensitive to, the physical differences of each ethnic group. He must have the experience to know how to work with these features to achieve a natural-looking result.
