Most people who visit a plastic surgeon for rhinoplasty wish that their nose were smaller. Whether they desire a nose that is shorter, thinner, or not as prominent, issues such as these are corrected surgically by trimming away tissues. Some patients, however, wish that their nose was larger in size.
This is particularly true of many patients of Asian or African descent who find that the bridge of their nose is not defined enough. They may even have difficulty wearing glasses because there is nowhere for the nose piece to rest against the nose. Another reason to augment the nose would be in cases of trauma, birth defects, or repeated surgeries that have left the patient with a lack of cartilage and soft tissues in the nose.
Augmentation rhinoplasty is the process of making the nose larger through the insertion of artificial implants or tissue grafts. Most surgeons prefer to use natural tissue, such as cartilage from the ear or bone from the ribs. These are known as autologus grafts, and are less likely to be rejected by the body once placed in the nose. However, they must be harvested from the body before they can be transferred from the nose, which can lead to a longer surgical procedure and a donor site that must recover after the procedure.
An alternative to the use of natural tissue grafts for augmentation rhinoplasty is to use synthetic implants. These devices are made of silicone or other synthetic materials and come in a range of sizes and shapes.
The surgery to place either type of material in the nose is performed in the same manner. First, the surgeon makes incisions, either inside the nose or in the skin separating the nostrils. This enables the surgeon to insert the material into the targeted area of the nose – whether the tip, the sides, or the bridge – in order to build up an area that is less prominent than the patient wishes it to be.
Related Article
Tip rhinoplasty
Alloplastic
