What is soft tissue onlay in rhinoplasty?

There are 2 main indications in temporalis fascia grafting:-skinny noses with transparent skin in which any dorsum maneuver leads to visible irregularity, requiring camouflage-dorsal irregularities non treatable with other methodsMany surgeons advocate the use of deep temporal fascia, I rather prefer the superficial one since it is richer in collagen and incorporates underneath a millefeuille tissue multilayer making it ideal to fill the gaps and smoothen the nose; the superficial temporalis fascia is literally like photoshopping the nose with a filter.See below cases in which I could use this technique.

Hi and thank you for your question.  Board certified facial plastic surgeons will use a technique called soft tissue on-lay during rhinoplasty to fill indentations or provide a smooth final contour line once the patient has fully healed.  The soft tissue used can consist of perichondrium (tissue which covers cartilage), fat or fascia (tissue which covers muscle) depending on your doctor’s specific preferences and your specific needs.  Your local, board-certified facial plastic surgeon can advise whether soft tissue on-lay, cartilage grafting or a combination of both techniques will best achieve the results you desire.  I hope this information helps.  Good luck with your procedure!
- Jacqueline T. Cheng, MD

This is when a tissue graft is used to place under the nose skin to raise a depressed area.  The tissue graft can come from the patient, or from a cadaver donor.  You should speak with your own surgeon about their preferences and their rationale for the choice.