 |
|
  |
|
The Ethnic Nose The Ethnic Nose In rhinoplasty discussions one commonly hears reference to the ethnic nose. This is a very general term that draws in many characteristics outside the narrow projecting, Northern European Caucasian nose. Even today’s casual observer living in a multicultural society such as the United States can see the beauty in many facial types and nasal shapes. So many fashion magazines now reflect this. There are very beautiful Oriental noses, African American noses and Middle Eastern noses. However, with the extreme variability of nasal shapes within a family (let alone an ethnic group), there are often nice esthetic changes that can be brought about by refining one’s nose to match nasal shape to the face. The plethora of modern rhinoplasty techniques today provide more choices than ever bringing about these changes reliably. Clearly with modern rhinoplasty there is not one certain operation for each subcategory of ethnic nose. It is still valuable though to discuss trends. Many African American noses have a flaring of the nostrils that may need wedge excision. Some are candidates for building up the bridge but others have a dorsal hump that needs reduction. Often the skin is thick and this may require tip grafting to bring about nice aesthetic changes. On the other hand, some African American noses have skin as thin as northern European Caucasians and this must also be evaluated and recognized. Oriental rhinoplasty often involves building up the bridge and techniques that bring about nice tip aesthetic improvement. The Oriental rhinoplasty is similar to the African American rhinoplasty in that suturing techniques alone are often inadequate and grafting then becomes necessary. Oriental noses often need the nostril shape and size addressed as well. The Middle Eastern nose may be somewhat long and drooping. A careful discussion is necessary to determine what degree of shortening is appropriate. With measurement and structural techniques there are many choices in the degree of change in nasal length. Special consideration should be taken of the thickness of the skin as this often plays a role in the decision making process.
|