African American Rhinoplasty - can the tip be refined?

Question

I had a doctor answer another question on here saying the tip of an African American nose can not be refined because it's too thick. That seems false because I have seen countless before and after photos of black rhinoplasty results where the tip is smaller and more refined. This doctor has said the same thing to multiple different people, however it seems like he's never performed a rhinoplasty on a black patient, given his lack of photos.

David M. Kowalczyk, MD, MBA, FACS · Answer

Hi there! Absolutely, the tip can be refined in an African American patient. The process often involves projecting the nose with more support in the form of cartilage. This stretches the skin envelope to help create narrowness and refinement. Some tissue can be debulked or thinned, though great care should be taken in order to not compromise the blood supply of the skin. After surgery, taping, compressions, and steroid injections are key to help the refinement process. Hope this helps!

Bora Ok, MD · Answer

Hello from Istanbul; thank you for this question! All kinds of ethnic rhinoplasty surgeries, including African American rhinoplasty, are very nuanced and require special expertise and more advanced techniques. The same goes for thick-skinned patients since the skin is the part of the nose that can be manipulated the least.
In African American patients, the nasal bridge can be raised using extra cartilage tissue, nostrils can be reduced, nasal bones can be narrowed, and tip plasty can be performed to refine the bulbous tip.
However, it is important to point out that the degree of refinement changes from patient to patient &mdash; it is not possible to construct the same kind of nose for everyone, thick-skinned or not. 
From weight control to skin care before surgery to removing the excess fatty tissue under the skin at the tip of the nose during surgery, to post-op medical treatment and care, numerous steps should be followed to get the best results thick-skin rhinoplasty.
I recommend you seek a plastic surgeon with extensive experience specifically in this area.

Celal Alioglu, MD · Answer

Hello it depends on your bone structure in your nose also we have a limits during the surgery that we can change on your nose.

Zachary Farhood, MD · Answer

Rhinoplasty can be performed on any ethnicity however the degree of change will depend on skin thickness, which varies from person to person in all ethnicities. That being said, patients of Asian, African, or Indigenous origins more commonly have thick skin and that is why many patients cannot achieve significant refinement. There are certainly exceptions to the rule. I have seen thin-skinned African patients that obtain a good result.

Victor Manuel Agudelo, MD · Answer

Hello. 
Every tip is susceptible of refinement, but it is true that on thick skinned tips, changes are not that visible as in thinner skins. Thick skins are found on every skin color type. 
Usually in African American rhinoplasties, when strengthening nasal structure and narrowing it, a good tip refinement can be achieved. 
Ask your doctor for similar cases as yours, so you can have realistic expectations on your results.

African American Rhinoplasty - can the tip be refined?

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African American Rhinoplasty - can the tip be refined?

Answers (5)

Answer: African tip rhinoplasty

Answer: African tip rhinoplasty

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Everything you need to know about African American Rhinoplasty

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.