Question: "How does the thickness of my skin affect the results of my rhinoplasty surgery?"

Answer: "Understanding skin thickness is vital in rhinoplasty. Skin thickness is important because it can adversely affect the final result of your nose surgery, if not taken into account by your surgeon. The skin of the nose varies in thickness from the bridge, where it is generally thin, to the tip and nostrils, where it can become thicker. Some ethnicities tend to have thicker skin on the nose than others.

Thick skin can limit the amount of narrowing or refinement one can obtain in the tip of the nose. On the other hand, it can also disguise slight asymmetries in the underlying cartilage and bone framework of the nose. Thick skin can be made thinner by adding more projection to the nose (the way the lining of a balloon thins as it is inflated) or by carefully removing fat from underneath the skin. Thin skin allows a more refined nasal tip. However, irregularities or asymmetries in the underlying framework can become more visible over time. Thin skin can be thickened by placing soft tissue grafts underneath the thin portion of skin. These techniques to thin or thicken the skin only work to a limited extent."

Dr. Anand Patel specializes in procedures of the face and neck, with a philosophy of natural and long-lasting rejuvenation. Browse our gallery to see before & after images of patients treated with rhinoplasty. To schedule a free phone consultation, click here.