Asian Rhinoplasty

ABSTRACT

Rhinoplasty for the Asian patient mandates an entirely different strategy than for the Occidental nose. The objective for Asian rhinoplasty is augmentation rather than reduction in which the dorsum is raised and the nasal tip projection and definition are enhanced. The watchword today is ethnic preservation rather than effacement for the Asian patient. An ethnically sensitive standard for aesthetic rhinoplasty for the Asian nose is proposed. Also, a thorough discussion of cultural issues that can be important when working with the Asian patient is undertaken to guide a surgeon through every phase of patient care. Finally, the technical details are elaborated on both rhinoplasty and revision rhinoplasty for the Asian nose with an emphasis on correcting previous silicone augmentation rhinoplasty, the most popular choice for material in the Far East but that has failed the author in achieving consistent results.

KEYWORDS

Asian - Oriental - nose - rhinoplasty - revision - silicone

SUGGESTED READINGS

• 1 McCurdy Jr J A, Lam S M. Cosmetic Surgery of the Asian Face. 2nd ed. New York, NY; Thieme Medical Publishers 2005
• 2 Lam S M. Aesthetic facial surgery for the Asian male.  Facial Plast Surg. 2005;  21 317-323
• 3 Pedroza F, Anjos G C, Patrocinio L G, Barreto J M, Cortes J, Quessep S H. Seagull wing graft: a technique for the replacement of lower lateral cartilages.  Arch Facial Plast Surg. 2006;  8 396-403
• 4 Jung D H, Moon H J, Choi S H, Lam S M. Secondary rhinoplasty of the Asian nose: correction of the contracted nose.  Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2004;  28 1-7
• 5 Lam S M, Kim Y K. Augmentation rhinoplasty of the Asian nose with the “bird” silicone implant.  Ann Plast Surg. 2003;  51 249-256
• 6 Shirakabe Y, Suzuki Y, Lam S M. A new paradigm for the aging Asian face.  Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2003;  27 397-402
• 7 Jung D H, Choi S H, Moon H J, Chung I H, Im J H, Lam S M. A cadaveric analysis of the ideal costal cartilage graft for Asian rhinoplasty.  Plast Reconstr Surg. 2004;  114 545-550