Question:
When performing nose jobs on Asian patients, what are some of the more common changes that you make to the nose?
Answer:
Asian patients usually present with a situation where the nasal bone in the upper area of the nose between the eyebrows tends to be less prominent and, in some Asian patients, we then put a bone graft in this area to help extend it. Also, sometimes dorsal nasal implants are used for Asian patients if they want a more Westernized look with the nose. I, however, do not particularly like to change the character of an Asian nose with regard to the tip. In other words, if an Asian nose tends to be more rounded and less sculpted looking than a Western nose, I tend to go with that particular look unless someone has a particular concern and says that they would like to specifically westernize the shape of their nose.
Again, the big difference is the lack of bony projection in most Asian noses, which can be enhanced with a dorsal nasal implant or with a bone graft from the scalp and whether you want to make the nasal tip more angulated like a northern European Westernized nose which can usually be done surgically or with cartilage grafts.