Rhinoplasty: Q&A

Ask a Question

Korean Rhinoplasty - Concerning Nose Bridge Augmentation Material

Hello I'm Korean male with bulbous nose tip and low nose bridge and it's wide at the same time. 50% of Korean doctors recommend silicone for nose bridge + own cartilage for nose tip and the other 50% gortex for nose bridge and own cartilage for nose tip. However most N. American surgeons tend to agree with patients cartilage for nose tip but not use silicone for nose bridge. If I use silicone will I have to remove it later anyway? Also I can't swim if I have silicone? Thank you~!

Tags:

Comment on this

11 Doctor Answers | Asked by Munchikens in BC

Doctor Answers (11)
Community Comments (0)

Nasal bridge augmentation material for Asian rhinoplasty

The best tissues for augmentation rhinoplasty is always the patient’s own natural cartilage. With Asian rhinoplasty there typically is not enough cartilage in the nose to create the proper augmentation. Silastic silicone plastic nasal dorsal augmentation is frequently used. Any tip work is done with the patient’s own natural cartilage. It is not recommended to have any synthetic implant in the tip of the nose. The silastic implant can always be removed if it becomes displaced... more

Augmenting the nasal bridge in Asian patients--silicone or not?

Many Asian patients have silicone in their nose without a problem! Having said that, in 35 years of rhinoplasty and rhinoplasty revision, I have seen several patients who have had an infection and required removal of the implant. You can swim with silicone in the nose. I prefer to augment the nasal bridge with your own septal or ear cartilage. I do not like gortex in the nose since it is difficult to remove if you have an infection.

Toby Mayer, MD

7 reviews

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.bevhills.com

Dorsal Bridge Augmentation in Asian Rhinoplasty

Optimally, it is better to use your own tissue such as your own septum, ear or even rib cartilage for dorsal augmentation rhinoplasty as this has the best long lasting results. However, silicone is commonly used globally as a dorsal solid silicone implant. If a soft silicone implant is placed just in the dorsum and not in the tip it can be long lasting.

Rod J. Rohrich, MD

10 reviews

Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Dorsal implant and Asian rhinoplasty - Material depends on surgeons preference and experience

Your question is one of the most common concerns for patients inquiring about augmentation rhinoplasty. Both silicone and Gore-Tex can be safely used for augmenting the nasal bridge. Any changes to the tip I would recommend strictly using cartilage grafts. Synthetic materials placed at the tip of the nose tend to have more long-term complications.

Edward S. Kwak, MD

3 reviews

Manhattan Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.eskfps.com

Using Silicone or Other Foreign Materials In Rhinoplasty

A low bridge is a very common concern among Asian patients seeking rhinoplasty. Unfortunately, it is a very challenging thing to change. As you might imagine, it is much easier to remove tissue from a nose than to add it. Far and away the simplest way to obtain that extra material is to buy it. Dorsal grafts are commonly made of silastic (a silicone product), or Gortex and are preshaped to produce very nice dorsal shape. These materials usually produce... more

Asian Rhinoplasty - Dorsum Augmentation

This is a common concern in the Asian Rhinoplasty patient. Besides the height of the nasal dorsum, one of the major differences between Asian and Caucasian noses is skin thickness. I think that most North American rhinoplasty surgeons have seen cases of silicone implant infection or extrusion (an implant poking through the skin). I believe the risk of infection, extrusion and complications is higher in thinner skin patients. So skin thickness is a very important factor that I look... more

Augmentation Rhinoplasty Options with Goretex or Silicone

Various types of implant materials have been used for nasal augmentation. You are right, silicone implants seem to be more commonly used in Asia than in North America. What’s probably more important than the type of implant material is the size of the implant. Too large an implant causing too much stretching of the skin simply will not last. I personally prefer to use Gortex for augmenting the bridge and a patient’s own cartilage for the tip. If you do end up having a... more

Thomas Buonassisi, MD

28 reviews

Vancouver Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.8west.ca

Korean Rhinoplasty

Great question! I have removed silicone and Gortex from the nose in Asians...many of which had their procedure performed abroad. I would recommend using your own tissue. Specifically , I would recommend a rhino-septoplasty with harvest of both superficial temporal fascia from just above your ear and rib cartilage. The rib and fascia will make a graft of diced cartilage with will augment your radix(bridge) and dorsum and the septal cartilage would be used at the tip. Bottom line more

Silicone versus rib for nose job

Silicone is occasionally used but rib cartilage is generally preferred in the US. Generally speaking there is a lifetime risk of implant infection, rotation, erosion with silicone that is not seen with cartilage. However, it involves no donor site and is relatively easy to place or remove so it does have its advantages. Problems arise generally when it is not removed and prolonged attempts at saving it are made ultimately without success and prolonged infection and scarring. more

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

32 reviews

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Nasal bridge augmentation for Asian rhinoplasty patients

Hi Munchikens in BC, Nasal augmentation of the bridge is a common part of rhinoplasty in Asian patients. Augmentation material is typically "plastic" material such as goretex or silicone. While one's own cartilage is generally preferred to augment the bridge, there may be insufficient nasal cartilage to provide adequate augmentation. Ear cartilage is another option. As a result, many plastic surgeons will use either of these materials. Both materials have... more

Silicone or Gortex for Nasal Augmentation

Hi, Silicone and gortex are both good options for nasal dorsal augmentation. I prefer Silicone because I can carve it to the shape that fits the patients nose. Every patient will have a different requirement for nasal augmentation from a size and shape perspective. My website has many examples of nasal dorsal augmentation using custom carved silastic implants. Again, gortex is also a good option, it just depends what the surgeon is comfortable using. Also, try to stay away from... more