Can African American Rhinoplasty Be Achieved with a More Nautral Ethnic Look?

There are a number of ways to strengthen a nasal tip, essentially working primarily on the cartilaginous portion of the nose. Other techniques can be utilized to further enhance the appearance of the nose, including nostril narrowing. The attached video shows an example of how ethnic characteristics can be preserved but aesthetic features achieved. see video

Hi Rod, Yes, a natural ethnic result can, and should be achieved in African American rhinoplasty. You are correct in that augmentation of the nose with an implant via an external rhinoplasty approach would help to support the flattening of your nose when you smile, as well as building up the bridge of your nose. It is most important to choose your rhinoplasty surgeon most carefully. In the Atlanta, Ga area, William Silver, MD has a very good reputation. Good luck and be well. Dr. P more

This is a very good question, and the key issue is that principles of an African-American rhinoplasty is quite different than a caucasian rhinoplasty. You can absolutely achieve a very natural result, but you want to find a surgeon who is experienced in rhinoplasties of all types. Ask him or her to describe in detail what they see when they analyze your nose, and what their plan is to improve it. Also, ask to see before and after pictures, and this will give you a very good idea of their... more

This is a great question. The most important thing is to find a surgeon who individualizes the procedure for each patient. Many surgeons have one way they approach rhinoplasty which is centered more on the caucasian nose. However, many people want a nose that matches their face and fits into their culture, rather than someone's preconceived ideas. Depending on the amount of cartilage and bone that you have, it may be possible to use your own tissue for the reconstruction. However,... more

Your concerns are important. It is possible to reshape the nose and still preserve ethnic features. It is important that you find a surgeon who is well experienced in Rhinoplasty for African Americans. Special skills and techniques are needed.

Rodoz0778, When rhinoplasty is performed today, ethnic variations should be considered and preserved.  Let's face it, a Caucasian nose does not look natural on an Asian individual.  What is crucial is to find a surgeon with experience in African-American rhinoplasty.  Not only is every nose different, every ethnicity is different.  In general, I am not a fan of nasal implants.  Your body recognizes this material as foreign.  This can work out... more

Yes, a surgery can be done such that the final nose has a nice, natural look. The surgeon must take care. Normally the problems that need to be addressed include: generally the tip needs to be more defined, the nasal bones may be wide, and the actual nostrils may also be too wide.  The tip can be raised with your own natural cartilage, and the base can be narrowed a bit with a permanent suture placed deep within the tissue. A slight reduction can be done of the nostrils and... more

Hi, A custom nasal implant can be fashioned to raise the bridge of your nose, this will improve your profile and decrease the widening effect when you smile. In a addition, your nostrils can be narrowed in a horizontal dimension which will also decrease the width when you smile. Best, Dr.S.

When approaching ethnic rhinoplasty patients, determining the preoperative goals and confirming the patient’s expectations is of paramount importance. The goals of ethnic rhinoplasty should therefore address the patient’s desire for preservation or alteration of ethnicity, balance of surrounding features, and adherence to patient desires. It is possible to improve the appearance and proportion of the nose while preserving features of their ethnicity.

We are in an exciting time for rhinoplasty on patients of African origin.  There are well trained surgeons with a great deal of experience in these techniques.  The results now are very natural and allow patients to achieve the result they desire.

Rhinoplasty is a popular and effective surgery to recontour the shape of your nose. As every patient is unique, so should every rhinoplasty. Here in Miami, we commonly perform rhinoplasty on Hispanic and African-American patients. As you know, there is a great deal of variation even within these races. For this reason, your best bet is to work with a board-certified plastic surgeon who has a great deal of experience in rhinoplasty and ethnic rhinoplasty. They will be able to examine you... more

There is no standard Rhinoplasty that everyone gets, it varies from patient to patient. Especially when wanting to keep certain features, talk to your surgeon and make sure they understand what you want. It is obtainable but you have to find a surgeon who tells you exactly what they are going to do and so there are no surprises.

Key step here is to work with an experienced rhinoplasty surgeon with African American noses.  When rhinoplasty is properly performed, racial identity should not be changed.