Is ear cartilage better than rib cartilage for a rhinoplasty if someone has thin skin?

In most of my revision rhinoplasty, I use grafting for both cosmetic and functional purposes.  Whether you use ear or rib depends on surgeon preference and for what purpose the graft will serve.  Good luck!

The answer to your question depends on how the graft is managed and many technical factors.  Ear can show and rib can show, but they can also both be successfully used without showing.  Thickening your skin to help prevent, camouflage, and cover visible irregularities can be accomplished with acellular dermal matrix over the graft, Galatea mesh, fat grafting, dermal graft, and others.  Alloplast (porous polyethylene) is also a proven choice for low profile highly supportive tension free nasal grafting, but must be well covered by healthy vascularized tissue.