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Ethnic Rhinoplasty Still a Growing Trend

The nose is an incredibly noticeable part of a person’s face. After all, it does draw a lot of attention by sitting right in the center of the face. With that said, it’s not surprising that rhinoplasty, or nose surgery, is among the most commonly performed cosmetic surgery procedures for the face. Statistics collected by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery in 2016 indicate that over 148,000 rhinoplasty procedures were performed in the US just last year.

Ethnic Rhinoplasty Still a Growing Trend

As the years have gone on and surgical techniques have become more precise, we have seen numerous breakthroughs in the ways cosmetic surgeries can be customized to a patient’s specific preferences. Ethnic rhinoplasty is a term used to describe cosmetic nose surgery performed on patients of ethnic groups other than Caucasian. Specialized rhinoplasty techniques have become more in-demand in recent years as cosmetic surgery has become more popular among ethnic minorities.

In the past, standards for the “perfect” nose were based on the facial characteristics of Caucasian men and women. But societal preferences have changed and the approach to rhinoplasty for many plastic surgeons has too. Today, many patients actually prefer to preserve and enhance their ethnic features. Here at Southern Plastic Surgery, I utilize expert precision to preserve cultural characteristics that each individual possesses during each ethnic rhinoplasty procedure.

African American

African American noses tend to be thicker with a wide tip, flat bridge and flared nostrils. To reduce the appearance of a flat nose, I focus on rebuilding the bridge of the nose to create a more defined appearance. It’s common for African American patients to have noses that contain weaker cartilage and shorter nasal bones that must be handled with extra precision. Additionally, African American skin is thicker and darker, meaning it is more susceptible to scarring, so I take special care and utilizes precise techniques to minimize scarring.

Asian

Many Asian rhinoplasty patients have smaller or shorter noses that have thicker skin and relatively lower bridges and wide bases. Asian rhinoplasty can also help resolve breathing problems that result from the natural structures of the nose that may obstruct breathing.

Latino

Latino rhinoplasty patients have their own unique features that must be considered in order to preserve their appearance. These patients typically have wider nasal bridges and weaker cartilage that creates a slightly wider nose with a low tip. Some Latino facial features can also appear larger than most other patients, so it is important to make sure that the new nose fits proportionately into a more rounded face.

If you are considering modifying your nasal features, you may be a candidate for rhinoplasty or ethnic rhinoplasty at Southern Plastic Surgery. Before any rhinoplasty, I provide all my patients with a complimentary consultation where we will discuss your concerns and help you determine the correct cosmetic surgery path for you. To schedule your plastic surgery consultation, please contact Dr. David Whiteman at Southern Plastic Surgery today. For more information, special offers, and more you can follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google+.

Top Reasons to Choose Rhinoplasty

Myth: Plastic surgery is purely cosmetic.  Fact: It’s not.  I’m not sure exactly how this misconception started but it’s simply not the case.  Plastic surgery has the ability to dramatically change a person’s life for the better.  For the woman who beat breast cancer and chooses to rebuild her breast with breast reconstruction to the man who fears taking off his shirt because of his man-boobs and chooses breast reduction – is it fair to judge the motivations of a person choosing to do something that will genuinely make them happy?  As a double-board certified plastic surgeon having had the fortune to work with Atlanta-area patients for over 22 years, the motivations are endless but the absence of judgment remains the same.  Today I wanted to share some of the top reasons my patients choose rhinoplasty, or nose surgery, in hopes that it’ll inspire anyone considering this procedure to find common ground with previous patients of mine.

I hear a lot of discussions in the media about this celebrity getting cosmetic injections or that celebrity getting body contouring and facial plastic surgery.  I’m not one to preach (I prefer to think of it as teach), but why does it matter?  Just because we have lumped breast and body procedures into the category of plastic surgery doesn’t mean it’s purely cosmetic.  Rhinoplasty patients can fall into two categories: cosmetic rhinoplasty and reconstructive rhinoplasty.  Let’s start with reasons to consider rhinoplasty:

  • You’re unhappy with the shape, size, or projection of your nose
  • Your nose does not proportionately fit your face (meaning it’s too big or too small in relation to your overall profile)
  • You have breathing issues related to a deviated septum
  • Your nose is crooked, misshapen, or out of alignment due to trauma
  • You have a birth defect
  • You simply want to improve the nose you already have

The face is such a prominent feature and the nose, eyes, and mouth tend to be some of the first things we notice about one another.  It’s not like you can go through life covering your face with a bag just because you’re unhappy with the way you look, so rhinoplasty is a great way to address the biggest concerns plaguing patients.  Rhinoplasty reshapes the nose, smooths bumps on the bridge, enhances the angles of the contours, and can reduce enlarged tips when performed by a doctor who understands the finesse required for such a delicate procedure.  Depending on your reasoning for electing to have a nose job, there are several techniques that are used but the end result is to improve what you already have.

For some patients this means wanting to look in a mirror and feel their nose isn’t the most noticeable feature of their face.  For other patients it’s wanting to have the ability to breathe clearly for the first time in their life or to reduce the memory of an injury to the face.  In the final results, your rhinoplasty results should best fit your face and look as natural as if you were born that way.  We’re not going for overdone in our practice, we’re going for improved.  If you’re interested in learning more about cosmetic and reconstructive rhinoplasty procedures performed at Southern Plastic Surgery, don’t hesitate to send us a message, reach out by telephone, or connect with us on social media to get the conversation started.  I’m here to listen to your concerns and help you get there; it’s a decision that is completely up to you and should lift your spirits in a way you may not have known possible.

What is Ethnic Plastic Surgery?

Facial plastic surgery is constantly evolving.  I say it’s ever-evolving because as a society, so are we.  Our opinion of what we consider beautiful now is a mosaic, largely attributed to a mix of worldwide travel diversity and the internet.  What we considered as ideal beauty 30 years ago is certainly not the case now, nor will it be the same 30 years into the future.  In direct correlation to shifting trends, there has also been a shift in ethnic plastic surgery procedures.  But what exactly is ethnic plastic surgery and what factors should be considered when exploring these various facial procedures?

Ethnic Plastic Surgery in Atlanta GAAs a double-board certified plastic surgeon with over 21 years of performing ethnic plastic surgery, I have seen the same evolution of patient goals occur among every cultural background; each one is different.  The reason it’s termed ethnic plastic surgery is centered largely around unique cultural identities and the vast diversity that is embodied within each culture (specifically African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino and Asian).  Each culture has distinct facial structures and features that are indigenous to that specific culture and it takes a great wealth of knowledge, in regards to the facial complexities, to be able to produce plastic surgery results that are directly in line with the patient and their goals.

Ethnic facial plastic surgery procedures have surged over the past decade as more men and women are seeking cosmetic results that cannot be achieved with makeup or over-the-counter pharmaceuticals.  For example, many of my African American/Black patients decide on a rhinoplasty to address the look of a large or flattened nose (think wider tip, flatter bridge and flared nostrils).  The main goal is to reduce the overall size, so I typically draw from several techniques to reshape the nose.  Typically, rhinoplasty involves removing cartilage or bone to create a thinner appearance.  With African Americans, the nose’s structure generally has weaker cartilage and shorter nasal bones in which we must augment the bridge to sculpt the narrower look the patient is going for.  Instead of using implants, I use a technique where I take the patient’s own cartilage and tissue from a donor area to add volume and reshape the nose.  To further augment the overall appearance, I might recommend facial fillers like Juvéderm® or Restylane® to restore lost volume and straighten the bridge (fillers can be safely injected into the tip, base or bridge of the nose, with repeated treatments to maintain final results).  In the same respect, rhinoplasty continues to vary even among Hispanic/Latino cultures (who tend to have wider bridges and bases of the nose as well as weaker cartilage) and Asians (who have thicker skin, lower bridges and a wider base).  On top of each person coming from a different ethnic background, each person also comes with a unique facial structure, all their own.

With every ethnicity, elective surgery is a choice.  The end result is to create natural-looking plastic surgery results that the patient has in mind.  There are many factors to consider when creating a patient’s rhinoplasty plan, one that accentuates their individual qualities but at the same time also focuses on maintaining cultural identity.  My job, as the surgeon, is to listen to my patient’s concerns and properly address them at surgery.  It’s not to put my “stamp” on their results because as with any ethnic representation, corrective measures should be individualized and ethnically appropriate to suit their face.  My patients, in the simplest of terms, want an improved version of themselves.  I’m just here to help them achieve that.

The face is delicate and should be handled by someone that knows the complex details to perform facial plastic surgery procedures in a safe and successful manner.  When it comes to choosing a plastic surgeon, do your homework to avoid disappointing results.  If you’re interested in ethnic plastic surgery or any of the plastic surgery procedures we perform at Southern Plastic Surgery, P.C., feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.  Stay connected with me, Dr. David Whiteman, on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube for more plastic surgery news and updates.

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