How High Can Nose Heightening Go? (photo)

Question

I am Asian, and I have protruding eyes where my eyes are higher than my nose bridge. I have a non existent nose bridge which makes my side profile look really abnormal. Is it possible to insert an implant to increase my nose bridge to 8-10mm? Would it stretch my skin too much? Thanks. (You can imagine how my profile has affected my life - people take one look at me from the side and avoid me).

Donald B. Yoo, MD, FACS · Answer

8 mm is probably pushing it, but dorsal augmentation with autologous grafts (your own body) will be able to consistently provide 5-7 mm of height to your bridge. I suspect that even with that amount of augmentation, you would be very pleased with your result. The limiting factor for the the appropriate amount of dorsal augmentation is probably your tip projection (how tall your tip is) because that will have to be increased to match your augmented dorsum. Achieiving significant tip projection safely and reliably is more challenging than dorsal augmentation.

Robert F. Centeno, MD, FACS · Answer

Dorsal Augmentation is a common maneuver in Asian Rhinoplasty.  This would definately be helpful in your case. The simplest way to see if you would be happy with this is to have a non-surgical dorsal augmentation with filler. This is a temporary treatment and I would not repeat it too often if you are considering a permanent solution such as surgery. While implants are commonly used in Asia, they have a very poor long term track record. Problems include extrusion through the skin and infection.  The best long term solution is to use cartilage from your septum, ear or rib to augment the dorsum and the tip.  Best wishes.

Eric In Choe, MD · Answer

First, there is nothing abnormal about your nose as I see many noses just like yours all the time and if anyone mistreats you because of your nose, you should definitely avoid them.

	Instead of focusing on the dorsal height in millimeters, you should think about what would make your nose aesthetically pleasing to you. Though the dorsal height plays an important role in achieving an attractive nose, the aesthetic evaluation is much more sophisticated. 

	In general, raising nose dorsal height 8-10mm in primary Asian nose surgery is not common.

William Portuese, MD · Answer

4-5 millimeters is about all that can be safely augmented with a silastic implant to the bridge of the nose.

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

A large graft like the one you desribe does not sound reasonable and your skin would probably not accommodate it.

Benjamin Chu, MD, FACS · Answer

The height of the Asian rhinoplasty really does depend on the individual. I think where the main curvature of the radix depends on how high your nose is to begin with. A pleasing height and believable height is approximately the mid-pupil level. Remember the tip height has be be higher than the bridge to look natural. Your bridge height is very low and I would think it would take an implant height of approximately 5.5 mm to acheive a nice natural nose. 8-10 would be way too high and you would look like a Greek statue. I feel implants such as the Rizzo nasal implant designed for Asian looks best with the tip created using cartilage from the ear as the best way to achieve stable results. There are many surgeons who use diced cartilage for the bridge. This may be OK but preserving the height may be unpredictable as some of the cartilage may shrink with time. You should never use an L-shaped nasal implant when going that high as the tip of the nasal skin will be placed under a lot of tension and extrusion of the nasal implant may occur.

Kimberly Lee, MD · Answer

Asian Rhinoplasty is a very common request in my practice.  What most patients are looking for is to heighten their noses as high as possible while still maintaining a natural appearing result.  This is dependent on a few factors, including the amount of height the skin can tolerate.

	I prefer to use your own cartilage for results that are natural appearaing and balanced with the rest of your face instead of implants which can give an unnatural appearance.  Please consult with a board certified specialist who can assist you in achieving the results you seek.

How High Can Nose Heightening Go? (photo)

Answers (7)

More Asian Rhinoplasty Questions

WE SEND PRETTY
EMAILS

Answers (7)

More Asian Rhinoplasty Questions

How Does Cartilage Recover from Rhinoplasty, Especially for Nose Graft? Do They Stay Permanent?

Should I Go for L Shape Silicone Rhinoplasty?

Hanging Alar and Columella? (photo)

Are my Alae Still Swollen After 7 Months Post Op? (photo)

Making Asian Thinner and Pointier- Is This Nose Possible for Me? (photo)

Columella Too Low Upper Lips Too High Teeth Showing? (photo)

WE SEND PRETTY EMAILS

WE SEND PRETTY
EMAILS