NYC / New York Hispanic Rhinoplasty
Dr. Oleh Slupchynskyj, MD
Dr. Oleh Slupchynskyj, a dual board certified, New York City rhinoplasty surgeon offers his ethnic Hispanic patients 18 years of comprehensive experience, superior surgical skill and proven results with Hispanic nose surgery. Hispanic patients from within the United States and all over the world seek Dr. Slupchynskyj for their rhinoplasty.
The latest data available from the US Census Bureau shows that Hispanics are the largest minority in the United States today. Dr. Slupchynskyj believes that as the Hispanic population continues to grow, so too will their positive impact and influence on the field of cosmetic surgery. Latest statistics from the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery show Hispanics who chose to have facial plastic surgery, a large majority, 64%, had Nose Surgery, known as Rhinoplasty. Rhinoplasty surgery is one of the most popular among Dr. Slupchynskyj's Hispanic patients due to natural, subtle results.
If you are a Hispanic patient interested in a rhinoplasty procedure, you will find that most plastic surgeons have experience operating primarily on Caucasian noses. Of course, this is not an intentional slight, but instead is largely due to the fact that most surgeons do not have the proper formal training nor experience performing Hispanic and Ethnic cosmetic rhinoplasty. The paragraphs below discuss the challenges presented by the anatomical variations in Hispanic noses, requiring advanced surgical skills to achieve a desirable outcome. For that reason, it is in the best interest of the Hispanic patient seeking Ethnic Hispanic Rhinoplasty to select a Board Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon who is an ethnic rhinoplasty expert specifically trained and experienced in addressing the unique characteristics of their nasal anatomy. In addition to Board Certification and extensive training, the surgeon must have excellent proven results with many before and after photos of actual Hispanic and ethnic patients. Finally, it is important to note that cultural and ethnic perceptions of beauty can vary greatly, so it is essential that the rhinoplasty surgeon is sensitive to those differences and works closely with the patient to determine their aesthetic ideal.
To simply say that Hispanic rhinoplasty patients have unique nasal anatomy is an understatement. Hispanic Americans may have more anatomic variation than any other ethnic group due to their diverse origins that include a mixture of Native Americans, Africans, Spaniards and Portuguese. This heterogeneous blend of people makes generalizations about the Hispanic American nose difficult. However, in the broadest sense, most Hispanic noses can be loosely classified into three main categories or archetypes. These archetypes do not serve as a means for categorizing all Hispanic patients, but instead provide a framework for presenting different surgical techniques and the situations in which they are best used.
The first main category, which we will call Type I, represents the Hispanic patient who has a high and wide nasal bridge, often with a hump and normal nasal tip. The width of the alar base, or bottom of the nose, in the Type I category can vary. Dr. Slupchynskyj employs several techniques during a rhinoplasty procedure with a Type I nose. The bridge hump is typically reduced using a surgical file and scalpel to precisely remove the exact amount of bone and cartilage necessary to produce the desired effect. Osteotomies (changing of bone size, shape or alignment) are used to bring in the wide nasal bridge. Care must be taken to avoid a complication of rhinoplasty surgery called an Open Roof Deformity. In such a patient, particularly if a large bridge hump was removed or if the nasal bones are very wide set. Depending on nostril width and width of the alar base, Dr. Slupchynskyj may employ his innovative and advanced Nostril Narrowing technique that he developed especially for use in Ethnic patients with alar flare. The photos below show an actual patient of Dr. Slupchynskyj's who exhibits a Type I Hispanic nose. The patient is shown before and after their Hispanic Rhinoplasty procedure with Dr. Slupchynskyj.
The Type II category nose can be found in the Hispanic patient with a low or flat nasal bridge, normal bridge width yet a drooping, under projected nasal tip. As with Type I, the degree of alar base width and alar flare can vary. These features are very different than the Type I nose, so they require very different augmentation techniques. In order to raise the nasal bridge, Dr. Slupchynksyj utilizes a custom carved Silastic implant, the SLUPimplant™, sculpted for each patient, to raise the bridge precisely to the desired height. The drooping nasal tip is lifted with a combination of tip sutures (suturing together the medial walls of the cartilage that comprises the nasal tip) and supportive tip cartilage grafts. Cartilage grafts are only required in Type II noses that exhibit moderate to severe drooping and are discussed more in Type III noses. As before, the degree of alar flare will dictate whether or not Nostril Narrowing techniques are required. The photos below show an actual patient of Dr. Slupchynskyj's who exhibits a Type II Hispanic nose. The patient is shown before and after their Hispanic Rhinoplasty procedure with Dr. Slupchynskyj.
The final Ethnic Hispanic Nose category, Type III, represents patients who have a wide nasal base, wide nostrils and an under-projected, bulbous (rounded and undefined) nasal tip. In Type III noses, the nasal bridge can be either high or low. This type of nose is most similar to the African American nasal anatomy. The wide nasal base is typically corrected using Dr. Slupchynskyj's two-pronged Nostril Narrowing technique that employs the intrasill wedge excision in combination with his meticulous intra-alar excision. This is especially important in Type III noses because of the large disparity between the wide lower third of the nose and the comparatively short upper third of the nose. The bulbous nasal tip in the Type III nose is corrected by removing excess fatty tissue and using cartilage strut and shield grafts to support and refine the tip. If the nasal bridge is low, Dr. S will use the custom SLUPimplant™ to elevate it to the appropriate and aesthetically pleasing height. The photos below show an actual patient of Dr. Slupchynskyj's who exhibits a Type III Hispanic nose. The patient is shown before and after their Hispanic Rhinoplasty procedure with Dr. Slupchynskyj.
These three main categories serve mainly to illustrate commonly recurring patterns in the Hispanic nose and are not a blueprint for an operating surgeon. Each patient is individually examined and assessed by Dr. Slupchynskyj to determine the best techniques to reach their desired goal. Since Hispanic patients present such immense anatomical diversity, this assessment phase is especially important when formulating an operative plan. Detailed computer imaging is critical in showing the patient realistic results following surgery. See the photo below that demonstrates an actual Hispanic Rhinoplasty patient before surgery, the imaged photo created by Dr. S., and the same patient after rhinoplasty.
References:
1. Higuera, MD, Stephen; Hatef, MD, Daniel; Stal, MD, Samuel. "Rhinoplasty in the Hispanic Patient" Seminars in Plastic Surgery 23.3 (2009): 207-214
2. Patel, MD, Anand D.; Kridel, MD, FACS, Russell W.H. "Hispanic-American Rhinoplasty" Facial Plastic Surgery 26.2 (2010): 142-153
3. Cobo, Roxana. "Facial aesthetic surgery with emphasis on rhinoplasty in the Hispanic patient" Facial Plastic Surgery (2008): 369-375
4. US Census Bureau: http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/hispanic/files/Internet_Hispanic_in_US_2006.pdf
5. American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery: http://www.aafprs.org/media/stats_polls/aafprsMedia2010.pdf
