The Asian Rhinoplasty Procedure
No two Asian noses look alike, but there are three themes that are usually present: (1) the nasal dorsum, also commonly referred to as the “bridge,” does not project from the face adequately; (2) the tip of the nose is overly rounded, ill-defined, and under-projected; (3) the nasal base surrounding the nostrils is too wide. The extent to which these features exist vary from one individual to the next.
When the nasal dorsum is lacking height, it can be augmented in various ways with multiple materials. Although Dr. Okamoto uses the patient’s own cartilage for most other nasal areas, this is a situation where a dorsal silicone implant is often used, particularly when the nasal bridge is significantly under-projected. All other options will be thoroughly discussed during the consultation.
An Asian patient presenting with a poorly defined, under-projected, and rounded nasal tip is a rhinoplastic challenge. An open rhinoplasty approach is usually applied to alter this set of conditions. The existing tip cartilages are reshaped with sutures. Often, additional cartilage is harvested from the septum to support and enhance the tip.
Surgical correction for a nasal base that is overly wide requires an excision of a wedge of skin and subcutaneous tissues on each side. Although external scars are associated with this maneuver, it is often necessary to achieve the desired result. Moreover, it complements the changes accomplished with the tip alterations described above.
