Question:
Are there limitations to what can be achieved when performing rhinoplasty on African Americans?
Answer:
As with any rhinoplasty, the cosmetic and functional result can be limited by the thickness of the skin and the strength of the cartilages. Thick skin, present in many African American noses, can limit the ability to achieve fine detail. Thin cartilages also limits this quality, and many African American noses have thin or partially missing cartilages. That said, the addition of cartilage grafts from the nasal septum or the ears can often help to give better detail to such noses.