I apparently have very thick skin at the tip of my nose so I was told a more refined nasal tip and a slightly scooped profile would not be achievable. Apart from the width of my nose, these were the two main areas that I wanted corrected. Consultation photos attached. Could a more refined result be achieved than these photo simulations suggest?
August 3, 2017
Answer: Can I achieve a refined nasal tip and softer profile through rhinoplasty with thick skin? (photo) Individuals with thick skin are less likely to achieve a greater degree of tip refinement, but this does not mean that they can't still achieve significant improvement in nasal tip definition. In other words, I suspect that you could achieve significant refinement with traditional rhinoplasty techniques despite the thicker nasal skin, although I suspect that seeing such a large degree of tip refinement as illustrated might be challenging and difficult to predict with certainty by any surgeon. The reason why surgeons are unable to predict outcomes with as much certainty with rhinoplasty than other procedures, is because the nose tends to heal with many other factors in play outside of the surgeon's direct control, and thick nasal tip skin is one such big factor. Improving the definition of the nasal tip in individuals with thick nasal skin involves performing multiple suture-techniques on the nasal cartilage as well refinement of the alar cartilages by trimming excess width (known as cephalic trimming). Additional techniques would also need to be employed to rotate the nasal tip, release the depressor septi muscle, and remove the dorsal nasal hump. Despite this, expectations are critical to rhinoplasty, both from the surgeon's and patient's standpoint, and it's essential to be on the same page with your surgeon with regard to realistic results. In the end, your surgeon's expectations will matter the most. Best of luck!
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August 3, 2017
Answer: Can I achieve a refined nasal tip and softer profile through rhinoplasty with thick skin? (photo) Individuals with thick skin are less likely to achieve a greater degree of tip refinement, but this does not mean that they can't still achieve significant improvement in nasal tip definition. In other words, I suspect that you could achieve significant refinement with traditional rhinoplasty techniques despite the thicker nasal skin, although I suspect that seeing such a large degree of tip refinement as illustrated might be challenging and difficult to predict with certainty by any surgeon. The reason why surgeons are unable to predict outcomes with as much certainty with rhinoplasty than other procedures, is because the nose tends to heal with many other factors in play outside of the surgeon's direct control, and thick nasal tip skin is one such big factor. Improving the definition of the nasal tip in individuals with thick nasal skin involves performing multiple suture-techniques on the nasal cartilage as well refinement of the alar cartilages by trimming excess width (known as cephalic trimming). Additional techniques would also need to be employed to rotate the nasal tip, release the depressor septi muscle, and remove the dorsal nasal hump. Despite this, expectations are critical to rhinoplasty, both from the surgeon's and patient's standpoint, and it's essential to be on the same page with your surgeon with regard to realistic results. In the end, your surgeon's expectations will matter the most. Best of luck!
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