How to Get a Smaller African American Nose Tip?

Regardless of Race, it is important for rhinoplasty doctor to understand the patient's goals.  Most African American rhinoplasty patients desire increased tip definition, a slight decrease in nostril width or size and more definition of the nasal bridge.   They don't want a "Caucasian Nose".  

Tip definition is the most important change. This definition can be acheived by contolling skin thickness, shaping the existing  tip cartilage domes and finally adding more cartilage grafts to the  tip for greater definition, projection and shape.  

Nostril width reduction involves removing small wedge of nostril skin right where the nostril skin meets the cheek/lip skin.   

If the nasal bridge needs increased definition, cartilage grafts or implants can be used to enhance the profile.

It IS possible to get a smaller, more defined tip for African Americans; in general, it can't be as well defined as a caucasian nose, but a more defined tip is definitely possible.  Generally, adding height to the nose, with cartilage or implant, while creating a smaller tip creates definition to the African American tip.  A small portion of African Americans have very thick skin with a thicker fat pad and definition in these tips can be challenging but can definitely be improved.

By creating a smaller tip and more of a defined bridge, this does give an optical illusion that the entire nose is smaller. It appears smaller only because the tip is narrower and the bridge is higher. When the bridge is higher it gives the appearance that the nasal bones are narrower, even though they have not been narrowed. The amount of definition that can be obtained in African-American rhinoplasty depends on how thick the presenting skin is. Rhinoplasty surgery is not skin surgery; it is sculpting and reshaping cartilage of the tip. There are multiple different tip techniques that can be performed such as suturing of both cartilaginous nasal domes, which are part of the lower lateral cartilages, and multiple different tip grafts depending upon the patient’s needs, wants, and desires.