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Is It Difficult to Get Better Results when the Nose is Thick?

asked 11 months ago by alonaxis in Israel
Latest answer by Rod J. Rohrich, MD
Question viewed 822 times
Tags: male, big nose, bulbous

Hello, I'm considering to undergo a rhinoplasty surgery. My nose is pretty thick, and the tip is bulbous. Is it more difficult to get good results in such a case? Many Thanks Mark

21 answers to Is It Difficult to Get Better Results when the Nose is Thick?

+3

Nasal surgery with thicker skin

In a word, yes, it is more difficult to achieve certain effects with thicker skin; it is a "double-edged sword", thicker skin can hide certain imperfections and defects, but it is also more difficult to project the underlying improvements through the thicker skin. This however should not discourage you, as you can still realize nice improvements about the dorsum and the tip; sometimes ironically it is advantageous to add some tissue or grafts to alter the relationships about... more
Jerry Lugger, MD

Dallas Plastic Surgeon
+3

Rhinoplasty (Nose job) with thick skin

Rhinoplasty, or nasal surgery, can be performed regardless of the thickness of the skin. Nevertheless, understand that a nose with thicker skin may not be as easy to refine as one with thin skin. Thick skin, however, can hide any cartilaginous irregularities where thin skin may be unforgiving. Think of a statue with a thin sheet wrapped tightly around it and then with a comforter around it. With a thin sheet, all the details of the statue may be delineated as opposed... more
Etai Funk, MD

Houston Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.funkfacialplastics.com

+2

Rhinoplasty and skin thickness

Hi Alonaxis. Obtaining a good rhinoplasty result can be more challenging in patients with thick skin. In addition to skin thickness, another factor which often contributes to a bulbous nasal tip is the size / shape of the underlying cartilage. Your surgeon will evaluate both your nasal cartilage and your skin thickness during your consultation. He or she can then advise you about what you can reasonably expect to achieve with rhinoplasty. Good luck.
James M. Pearson, MD

Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon
+2

Thick skin rhinoplasty just means different rules for the surgeon

Your skin is thick and will not shrink. Therefore your surgeon cannot use a strategy that requires your skin to shrink. Instead, if he or she reduces your bump, raises the upper third of your nose to change proportion and make the bottom seem smaller, and supports your tip, you can have a straight profile. You are lucky that thicker skin hides underlying imperfections, so your chance of a visible postoperative irregularity is lower than in thin-skinned patients. Find an... more
Mark B. Constantian, MD

Nashua Plastic Surgeon

drconstantian.com

+2

Based on your photos, Rhinoplasty Surgery may lead to narrowing of your tip and nasal profile refinement.

I read your concern and reviewed your photos: You appear to be a good candidate for Rhinoplasty Surgery. With well-performed nose job surgery, you could achieve tip narrowing and rotation, nostril narrowing, and a straighter appearance of your nasal profile. You may have thick oily skin on the tip of your nose that may limit the amount of tip refinement you achieve. This would be determined pre-operatively by your surgeon, and does not appear to be severe. All the best to you and... more
Eric M. Joseph, MD

West Orange Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.ericmjoseph.com

+2

Thick nose more difficult to get good result after Rhinoplasty

Yes, it's much more difficult to get the same aesthetic result after Rhinoplasty with noses that have thick, oily skin. The amount of subcutaneous scar tissue that forms, in those cases, is many times that which forms under thin skin. This thickened scar tissue blunts the effects from being seen. IMHO, the nose can be improved but the results, most likely will be less than if your had thin skin.
Francis R. Palmer, III, MD

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon
+2

Thick skin doesn't show the nice results as well as thin skin but you have a nose that can have a wonderful improvement

The question about the thickness of your skin show great insight on your part. There is no question that thick skin on the nose doesn't allow for as fine a definition of the nose as thin skin. Looking at your photos, I don't think the thickness of your skin is a problem. You have a very low nasal radix (where your nose attaches to you face), a large dorsal hump, a thick tip and a tip with lack of projection. In the hands of an experienced plastic surgeon you can get a great... more
Carl W. "Rick" Lentz III, MD

Daytona Beach Plastic Surgeon
+2

Los Angeles Rhinoplasty

In thicker skin noses the improvement in the size and shape of the nasal tip is limited due to the fact that one cannot thin the skin and the changes in the cartilagenous structure of the tip are not visible through the thick skin. Therefore, your expectations from the surgery should take into account these facts about the nasal tip skin thickness.
Armen Vartany, MD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+2

Rhinoplasty with thick skin

There are some advantages and disadvantages to thick skin with a rhinoplasty. It makes it more difficult to appreciate changes that are made and they sometimes have to be exaggerated. However, if there is some asymmetry or imperfection, it is not as noticeable with thick skin. Swelling can be slower to resolve with thick skin and can take a full year.
Richard Dale Reynolds, MD

El Paso Plastic Surgeon
+2

Bulbous Tip Rhinoplasty With Thick Skin

The answer is that it is more of a challenge to create definition in the tip region with thick nasal skin. However, in experienced hands this type of rhinoplasty can lead to a very nice improvement in terms of a bulbous nasal tip. Your chosen rhinoplasty specialist does, however, have to be versed in reshaping the nose such that proper definition can be created while overcoming the thick skin issue.
John M. Hilinski, MD

San Diego Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.drhilinski.com

+2

Thick noses present a manageable challenge in Rhinoplasty

A good result depends on your expectations. Yes, a thick nose does present challenges if you want a much smaller refined nose. In thick noses the lower third can be refined by altering the cartilage. The thickness of the skin also determines how much the tip can be narrowed. When looking at your nose, the dorsum would also need to be lowered and the nasal bones narrowed to maintain a natural appearance. I do think you would see a nice improvement if you proceed with surgery. You should... more
William H. Sabbagh, MD

Detroit Plastic Surgeon

www.straithclinic.com

+2

Rhinoplasty for Thick Skin Noses

Thick skin noses are much more difficult to get a good result in via rhinoplasty work. The simple fact is that thick skin is harder to shape around the inner nasal cartilages and structures. Subtle changes to the underlying cartilages are not seen through thick skin. Very experienced and high quality rhinoplasty surgeons are usually adept at some degree of skin thinning to help promote the chances of a really nice rhinoplasty result.
Richard Galitz, MD

Miami Facial Plastic Surgeon
+2

Is It Difficult to Get Better Results when the Nose is Thick?

Yes, the thick skin prevents good redraping over the cartilagenous structures unless adequate thinning is done. This is not very popular with many surgeons but is the only way to get an adequate redraping. Post op steroid injection is a must.
Mohsen Tavoussi, MD, DO

Huntington Beach Facial Plastic Surgeon
+2

Thick skin rhinoplasty

The fundamental premise of rhinoplasty is the by reshaping the structural components such as cartilage and bone the skin will follow and shoe the desired result, The thicker the skin the more difficult it is to get this to happen
David A. Bray, Sr., MD

Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon
+2

It depends on your expctations

You have very thick skin and this will cover the cartilage framework. You can get good result and make sure your plastic surgeon is comfortable with with your expectations.
Kamran Khoobehi, MD

New Orleans Plastic Surgeon
+1

Rhinoplasty & Thick Skin

Rhinoplasty in a patient with thick skin is a completely different operative procedure. It is much more challenging as one has to do a different operative procedure in the underlying nasal framework. However, this works very well in the hands of an experienced rhinoplasty surgeon. Please choose your rhinoplasty surgeon carefully as this is the most complicated operative procedure we do in aesthetic surgery.
Rod J. Rohrich, MD

Dallas Plastic Surgeon
+1

Rhinoplasty for Thick Nose

There are both advantages and disadvantages to having thick nasal skin. The disadvantage is it becomes more difficult to achieve refined results, but the advantage is that little imperfections are not visible. To achieve aesthetic results with thick skin, the surgeon must take extra steps to create definition, but the experienced surgeon can do that.
Jeffrey Epstein MD, FACS

Miami Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.plasticsurgeryoftheface.com

+1

Noses, thick and thin.

Thin skin noses are easy to reduce (make smaller). Thick skin noses are easier to build up (make more shapely). Your nose needs both. The sides need to be reduced (made thinner) and that's easy. The tip needs to be reshaped (made more sculpted) and that's harder. The trick is to use a bridge filler of some sort or you will get a super tip deformity. That's the key problem with thick skinned noses. This bridge filler may be an implant, or your own tissue. I think that you... more
Ayman Hakki, MD

Washington Plastic Surgeon
+1

Is It Difficult to Get Better Rhinoplasty Surgery Results when the Nose has Thick Skin?

In general the thicker the nasal skin, the less refinement you can have. The benefit is that some imperfections won't show. You need measures to make your nose more triangular (more aesthetic) with profile adjustment and tip support. Your nose is not one that should be performed by the occasional rhinoplasty surgeon. Choose carefully. Ramtin Kassir, MD NY/NJ Facial Plastic Surgeon
Ramtin Kassir, MD

New York Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Yes

The thicker the nose skin, the more difficult to get a great result. Ther problem is that the skin needs to show the definition of the supporting structures-cartilage and bone. If the skin is too thick, the definition will be lost. Think about the difference between a sheet and a blanket draped over someone. Good definition with the sheet. Poor definition with the blanket. Thick nasal skin is like the blanket.
E. Anthony Musarra II, MD

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon
+1

Rhinoplasty Results with Thick Nasal Skin

Dear Alonaxis is Israel: A link and video are included below (click on "more). It is possible to get good results when the nasal skin is thick. Thicker skin is normally found on the lower third of the nose. Difficulty arises when a delicate refined tip is desired. The skin is supported by cartilage at the tip. The fine details of the supporting structure are lost when it is draped with thick skin; however, it is still possible to reduce the size of the tip. The skin is not usually... more
Joseph Mele, MD

Walnut Creek Plastic Surgeon

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