Generalized ideas about African American Rhinoplasty that may not relate to you

The term "African American rhinoplasty" does not adequately reflect the significant diversity of nasal types that are often found within this population.

The African American population comes from a wide background of countries and geographic regions of the world. Patients' noses and their overall appearance often reflect this multicultural history.

However, most African American patients seeking rhinoplasty want a generalized narrowing of the nose, with more tip definition and a narrower bridge. Included in this is usually narrowing of the nostrils.

Due to the fact that African American patients often have thicker skin and small or thin cartilage components, different types of grafts are usually required in order to provide strength and definition to the nose. This technique is generally referred to as Augmentation Rhinoplasty and may include grafts to the nasal tip, the bridge of the nose, and the base of the nose. These techniques are also used in non-African American operations with great success.

With that in mind, most patients want a natural result that retains the essence of their ethnicity and pre-operative appearance. The balance between a patient's aesthetic desires and the increasing complexity of the maneuvers required to achieve a certain result is the most important decision that both the surgeon and patient need to make.

African American Rhinoplasty is a specialized form of rhinoplasty that is becoming more and more popular among the African American Community. African American Rhinoplasty falls under the surgical category of Ethnic rhinoplasty, including Asian rhinoplasty and Hispanic rhinoplasty. 

African American rhinoplasty is unique because the anatomy of a black nose is different than a caucasion nose:

General Characteristics of  an African American Nose :

1. Wide vertical and horizontal nostril dimensions.
2. Lower and wider bridge.
3. Bulbous and fatty tip.

General Desires of African American Patients:

1. Narrowing of the nostrils.
2. Narrowing and elevation of the bridge.
3. Refinement of the tip and reduction of bulbosity.

In order to achieve the desire results open rhinoplasty must be used as well as other surgical maneuvers not typically taught in plastic surgery programs. The reason for this is that in the past, most emphasis was placed on rhinoplasty techniques used in caucasion rhinoplasty. Now that more African Americans and Hispanics are seeking rhinoplasty, there is a growing interest in learning techniques that will deliver desired results.

When you choose a surgeon make sure they can show many examples of their work, talk to previous patients and request computer imaging. Computer imaging can show you what your results will look like after.

Thanks, Dr. S.

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