Is it better to have thick or thin skin for a Rhinoplasty? (photos)

When it comes to Rhinoplasty surgery, thinner skin has the advantage of showing nasal definition better and have swelling resolve faster after the surgery.  The disadvantage of thinner skin is that it is more likely to show the most minor imperfection.  Thicker skin on the other hand, does not show minor imperfections as much, but it has the disadvantage of taking a longer time for complete resolution of swelling and also may camouflage the precision with which the nose was refined beneath the thicker skin. Medium thickness skin falls somewhere in between in all categories. Dr. B.

The answer to your question depends on what you mean by better.  Having thin skin will allow the changes performed under the skin, meaning changes to your cartilage and bone, to be more readily visible. However, it will also show asymmetries and irregularities more easily. For someone with thin skin, almost any modification yields an obvious change. 

Those with thick skin have the opposite.  Subtle modifications may not show at all due to the thick overlying tissue.  Even dramatic changes to the bone and cartilage may only yield a subtle result at times. 

Of course all of this depends on the anatomy of the specific person's nose since skin is just one of many factors.  

I recommend that you see a plastic surgeon for an evaluation so that you know what is and is not possible for you. 

Thick and thin skins have advantages and disadvantages during rhinoplasty. In general, skin is like a cover over the nasal structures like a cover. Too thin of a skin is like a sheet will show all the definitions including imperfections underneath the way a sheet covering a person will show the definition of that individual's body. A thick skin is like a thick blanket that does not show definition of nasal tissue underneath. Medium thinness skin is ideal for rhinoplasty. 

Great question!  There are advantages and disadvantages of thick and thin skin - however this is genetic and there is not much the surgeon can do to alter this.  During a rhinoplasty, the bones and cartilages are altered to create an improved framework.  Thicker skin tend to hide some of the framework, but it also hides any tiny imperfections.  The surgeon can be more aggressive with sculpting the framework.  Thinner skin you tend to see more improvement of the framework, but also tend to notice more of the tiny imperfections.  The surgeon will need to be more careful with sculpting the framework.  But again, there is nothing you or the surgeon can do to alter this component, but there are little tweaks that can be performed with each skin type to improve the appearance.Best of luck and hope this information helps!- Dr. Roger Tsai

Both thick and thin skin types have their advantages when it comes to rhinoplasty - it depends on the clinical situation. Thicker nasal skin will conceal some of the anatomic changes in the nasal tip that rhinoplasty surgeons work so carefully to create. On the other hand, very thin nasal skin will show any and all imbalances and asymmetries of a nose that has been operated upon.