Why Does Skin Thickness Matter for Nose Surgery?

Skin thickness is important for rhinoplasty surgery because differences in the thickness of the skin can change the way the nose will appear with time. Patients with very thin skin are prone to show more minor irregularities, while patients with skin that is too thick my have less definition to the nose. The thickness of the skin on your nose is one of many factors your surgeon needs to consider in an in-person consultation.

Skin thickness is an essential component of evaluation for rhinoplasty.  Thick skin will take longer to  contract over the cartilaginous/bony framework and will limit how much smaller one can make the nose.  Think of a comforter (thick skin) wrapped tightly around a statue.  You would not be able to delineate the details of the statue very well. Now think of a bed sheet (thin skin) wrapped tightly around it.   Those details are now more apparent.  Thick skinned noses CAN be made smaller, just not quite like thin skinned noses.

The advantage to thicker skin is that any minor irregularity is easily hidden.  Thinner skinned patients do not have that luxury.  

 

 

When performing rhinoplasty, it is important to take skin thickness into consideration. The best way to illustrate this is with an example. If you have a diamond ring and I cover it with a fine silk sheet, you will likely see the shape transmitted through the sheet. If,  however, you cover it with a comforter, you are not likely to see anytning other than possibly a small bump. The same goes for your nose.