Rhinoplasty - can you keep your cultural identity?
Posted on Fri, Dec 02, 2011
The way you look is largely determined by the appearance of your nose, and the anatomy of your nose is influenced by your genetic and personal traits. For many people, the size, shape and appearance of the nose is an important piece of their identity. Whether you’re Caucasian, Asian, Pacific Islander or a combination, the appearance of your nose can be heavily influenced by your ethnic background. That’s why it’s so important to work with an experienced cosmetic surgeon with experience in multicultural rhinoplasty.
Nasal characteristics and rhinoplasty
Many cultural groups share distinctive nasal characteristics. For example, the slope and shape of the nasal bridge, the volume of the nasal tip, the size and distance of the nostrils, the thickness of the skin -- all of these can be expressed as genetic traits based on our ethnic background.
There is a biological reason for these differences. One explanation is that low and flat-shaped noses are helpful for those living in very hot, tropical climates, while noses with higher features are more useful in colder, more northern global areas where the air needs to be warmed before entering the lungs.
Ethnic rhinoplasty in Hawaii.
Cultural rhinoplasty, or ethnic rhinoplasty, refers to the ability of a surgeon to successfully perform rhinoplasty on patients from multi-ethnic backgrounds. Hawaii is one of the most culturally diverse societies in the world. On Hawaii Island, local census figures estimate that about 33% of the population is white, 24% Asian and about 12% Pacific Islander. Importantly, about one in four residents identifies themselves as a mix of these ethnic backgrounds.
That’s why it’s so important to choose a cosmetic surgeon who understands how to best match the surgical techniques of intricate nose surgery to the individual physical characteristics of the patient.
In some cases a patient’s ethnic background may influence some of the choices available during rhinoplasty. For example, the strength of a person’s nasal cartilage is an important factor to consider when shaping the nasal tip.
Patients of Asian, Polynesian and other Pacific Islander descent often have weaker cartilage than other ethnicities. In that case, suturing cartilage may be ineffective—the foundational cartilage may simply be too weak to support the desired projection. It may be necessary to buttress the foundational cartilage with additional cartilage to support an outward tip.
We work with you to get the results you want.
During your consultation we will discuss how the thickness of your skin and your cartilage strength will affect your procedure, if at all. We will also talk about how your skin pigmentation may influence scaring and what options are available to you to produce a virtually scarless result. I’ll help you to better understand your nasal anatomy, and how any changes might affect your overall appearance.
In many cases, just one or two small changes can lead to the results you desire, with very minimal impact on your overall cultural appearance.
We understand everyone's idea of beauty is different. That's why we work with your unique features and your specific goals and desired outcomes to create the impression you most desire.
Rhinoplasty is one of the most common surgical procedures in the United States.
