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African American Rhinoplasty

(Nose Reshaping Surgery, Nosejob, Plastic Surgery of the Nose)


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Introduction
Every year, half a million people who are interested in improving the appearance of their noses seek consultation with facial plastic surgeons. Some are unhappy with the noses they were born with, and some with the way aging has changed their nose. For others, an injury may have distorted the nose, or the goal may be improved breathing. But one thing is clear: nothing has a greater impact on how a person looks than the size and shape of the nose. Because the nose is the most defining characteristic of the face, a slight alteration can greatly improve one's appearance.


African American Rhinoplasty

For cosmetic rhinoplasty, the overarching goal is to achieve a nasal appearance that is in balance, proportion and harmony with one's surrounding facial features. Like faces, noses are unique to each individual. Likewise, an individual's age, gender, and ethnicity each factor in to the calculus regarding what constitutes an idea nose for that person. During your consultation, Dr. Pearson will listen to your concerns and goals and discuss how your goals may be accomplished. Dr. Pearson will educate you about his findings during your examination and he will make recommendations for you which incorporate your unique characteristics and preferences.

One's ethnicity often factors in to the decision making process. Most patients inquiring about rhinoplasty wish to improve their nasal appearance in a way that is natural looking and which preserves their ethnic identity. Individuals seeking rhinoplasty generally do not seek to 'westernize' their appearance or make nasal changes that conform to any particular 'western' ideal of beauty. In contrast, most rhinoplasty candidates specifically communicate their desire to improve their nasal appearance while maintaining their ethnic identity. Dr. Pearson understands these desires and is sensitive to these concerns. In each and every case, Dr. Pearson strives to impart changes to the nasal appearance in a way that establishes balance, refinement and beauty while carefully preserving ethnic identity as well as a natural nasal appearance.

Ethnic considerations are often helpful to frame the discussion about how the shape and size of the nose may be changed in a way that preserves one's ethnic identity and maintains balance and harmony between the nose and surrounding facial features. Nasal characteristics such as projection, length, width, dorsal height, and tip rotation do not exist independently in a vacuum. In order to achieve facial harmony, features of an ideal nose should be considered in relation to surrounding facial features during rhinoplasty planning.

Of course, members of the same ethnicity have different goals and preferences for their noses. However, common concerns often arise within each ethnic groups owing to the shared nasal attributes of the group.

In the case of African Americans, there is often a desire to narrow the appearance of the nasal bridge and to refine the shape of the nasal tip. In many cases, there is a concern about an overly wide nasal base or lower portion of the nose. Although there is no 'typical' African American Nose, there are often 'typical' African American nasal features. These features include:

  • a relatively low nasal dorsum or 'bridge' which may appear overly wide or flat
  • a relatively wide or 'bulbous' nasal tip which may detract from the appearance of surrounding facial features.
  • a relatively wide nasal base or lower portion of the nose which may exhibit 'flaring' of the nostrils which draws unwanted attention to the lower nose.
  • Dr. Pearson has substantial experience with African American noses and African American Rhinoplasty and he understands how significant changes can be attained while preserving one's ethnic identity and a natural nasal appearance.

    Before & After Photos

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    Sample Patient 1

    Sample Patient 2

    Sample Patient 3


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    Rhinoplasty Overview

    GOALS Improve nasal appearance (size, shape, symmetry, proportion, balance) or nasal breathing or restore an injured nose to its pre-injury state
    PROCEDURE Rhinoplasty / Nose Reshaping Surgery / Nosejob
    ANESTHESIA Local anesthesia with sedation or general anesthesia
    LENGTH 2-3 hours
    AFTER PROCEDURE Sutures are removed after a few days, splints are removed after 7 days.
    RECOVERY Resume normal activities after a couple of days, return to work in 7-10 days, resume full activity and exercise at 3 weeks.


    Dr. Pearson's practice offers cosmetic, functional and reconstructive rhinoplasty.

    Cosmetic Rhinoplasty is performed to improve the appearance of the nose. Although popular opinion does not consider the nose to be central to facial beauty, the nose's central facial location makes facial beauty elusive without nasal harmony with surrounding facial features. To that end, the goal of cosmetic rhinoplasty is to create a nose which is in balance with the rest of the face.

    Cosmetic rhinoplasty may include the removal of a dorsal hump, refinement of the nasal tip, straightening or narrowing of a deviated or widened nose, modification of nasal proportions, as well as countless subtle nasal refinements. A beautiful nose has less to do with subjective preference than with symmetry, proportion and balance. When a nose is in harmony with surrounding facial features, attention is directed away from it and towards the eyes.

    Functional Rhinoplasty involves improvement of nasal breathing problems. Functional rhinoplasty may include straightening a deviated nasal septum (septoplasty), turbinate surgery to reposition or reduce the size of the nasal turbinates (turbinoplasty) and surgical repair of incompetent nasal valves. Functional rhinoplasty may be covered partly or entirely by medical insurance.

    Reconstructive Rhinoplasty entails surgical treatment of a nasal injury in an effort to bring the nose back to its pre-injury state. If the nasal injury is very recent (within days), it may be possible to correct or improve nasal deviation without surgery. Reconstructive rhinoplasty may be covered partly or entirely by medical insurance.

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    Why Should You Choose Dr. Pearson to Perform Your Rhinoplasty?
    In the field of plastic surgery, rhinoplasty is regarded as the most technically challenging of all operations. Whether rhinoplasty is sought for cosmetic, functional or reconstructive reasons, your choice of a qualified facial plastic surgeon is of paramount importance. Dr. Pearson is trained in both facial plastic surgery, and ear, nose, throat surgery, which provides you as the patient with the highest level of training and expertise. Furthermore, Dr. Pearson is an expert in the field and has written numerous surgical book chapters and articles covering various aspects of this complex operation.

    Which Nasal Attributes Can Rhinoplasty Change or Improve?
    Rhinoplasty can change:

    • Nasal asymmetry and deviation
    • Nose size, in relation to the other facial structures
    • Nose width, at the bridge
    • Nose profile, with visible humps or depressions on the bridge
    • Nasal tip, that is large or bulbous, drooping, or too upturned
    • Nostrils that are large, wide or upturned

    Candidates for Rhinoplasty Surgery
    Some of the indications that you may be a good candidate for rhinoplasty:

    • Your nose is off-center or crooked
    • Previous injury has made your nose asymmetrical
    • Your nose appears too large for your face
    • There is a bump on the nasal bridge when viewed in profile
    • Your nose seems too wide when viewed from the front
    • The nasal tip droops or plunges
    • The tip is thickened or enlarged
    • Your nostrils are excessively flared

    You may be a candidate for Cosmetic Rhinoplasty if you are dissatisfied with the appearance of the size or shape of the nose. If you experience breathing difficulty and the structure of the nose is determined to contribute to this problem, you may be a candidate for Functional Rhinoplasty. If you have recently sustained an injury to your nose which has affected its appearance, you may be a candidate for Reconstructive Rhinoplasty.

    Rhinoplasty Surgery
    The nose is a complex three-dimensional structure composed of multiple tissue types including bone, cartilage, skin, mucosa, and muscle. Rhinoplasty entails making surgical changes to the nasal tissues in order to affect the size, shape, and/or function of the nose. In many cases, the goals of rhinoplasty are neither entirely cosmetic, functional or reconstructive but some combination of these.

    Possible Non-Surgical Alternative Treatments
    For subtle improvements, non invasive methods may be considered to improve the appearance of the nose. For those who do not wish to consider surgery, injectable fillers may be employed by Dr. Pearson to improve nasal appearance. Call us for a consultation to learn if you may be a candidate for a non-surgical nasal treatment.

    Recovery after Rhinoplasty Surgery
    Following rhinoplasty, you can expect a few days of swelling and soreness which is well controlled with oral pain medications. Any nasal packing is removed after 1 day. Any external nasal sutures are removed after a few days. Internal and external nasal splints are typically removed after 7 days. By then, much of the nasal swelling is resolved and nasal breathing is improving. The nasal bones heal over several weeks. You can resume most normal activities after a couple of days, except for intense exercise, which may be resumed at about 3 weeks. Most people are able to return to work in 7-10 days. Contact sports should be avoided for at least 6 weeks.



    Rhinoplasty Publications by Dr. Pearson

    Dr. Pearson is a Rhinoplasty specialist and a published author who has written numerous articles and plastic surgery textbook chapters on this topic. Learn more here.

    • Quatela VC, Pearson JM. Management of the Aging Nose. Rhinoplasty The Experts' Reference. Ed. Sclafani, AP. Thieme. 2015.
    • Quatela VC, Pearson JM. The Underprojected Nose / Ptotic Tip. Master Techniques in Rhinoplasty and Nasal Reconstruction. Ed. Azizzadeh B, et al. Philadelphia, Elsevier. 2011
    • Sclafani AP, Pearson JM. Nasal Grafts & Implants. Advanced Therapy in Facial and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Ed. Thomas JR. PMPH-USA, Ltd. 2010
    • Quatela VC, Pearson JM. Management of the Aging Nose. Facial Plast Surg. 2009 Oct;25(4):215-221.
    • Romo T 3rd, Pearson JM. Nasal implants. Facial Plast Surg Clin North Am. 2008 Feb;16(1):123-32
    • Romo III T, Patel A, Pearson JM. Local Mucosal Flaps for Closure of Septal Perforations. Grabb’s Encyclopedia of Flaps, Volume I: Head and Neck, 3rd Edition. Eds. Strauch B, et al. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2009. 221-224.
    • Romo T 3rd, Pearson JM, Lin HS, Patel A, Presti P, Abraham MT, Yalamanchili H.  Rhinoplasty, Postrhinoplasty Nasal Obstruction. e-medicine article. https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/841574-overview. October 12, 2007.
    • Romo T 3rd, Yalamanchili H, Presti P, Pearson JM. Septal Perforation: Surgical Aspects. e-medicine article. https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/878817-overview. July 24, 2007.
    Rhinoplasty Experts Reference

    Rhinoplasty: The Experts' Reference

    Management of the Aging Nose

    Master Techniques in Rhinoplasty

    Master Techniques in Rhinoplasty and Nasal Reconstruction

    The Underprojected Nose / Ptotic Tip

    Encyclopedia of Flaps

    Grabb’s Encyclopedia of Flaps
    Local Mucosal Flaps for Septal Perforation

    Management of the Aging Nose

    Facial Plastic Surgery
    Management of the Aging Nose

    Facial Plastic surgery clinics - nasal implants

    Facial Plastic Surgery Clinics of North America

    Nasal implants

    Advanced Therapies in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

    Advanced Therapy in Facial and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

    Nasal Grafts & Implants

    Why Dr. Pearson ?
    Frequently Asked Questions
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    Dr. Pearson sees patients from the following Southern California locations: Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Burbank, Culver City, El Segundo, Glendale, Hermosa Beach, Hollywood, Huntington Beach, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, Orange County, Pacific Palisades, Palos Verdes, Rancho Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, San Pedro, Santa Monica, Seal Beach, South Bay, Torrance, Venice, Ventura, West Hollywood

     

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