Hispanic Rhinoplasty in Miami, FL

The Hispanic/Latino Nose

Being of Hispanic descent himself, Dr. Bared understands that there is a multitude of different nasal types within the Hispanic population, depending on the individual’s background and country of origin. In some cases, Hispanic noses resemble the Caucasian nose in anatomy and skin thickness. These patients may tend to have longer nasal bones, adequate septal cartilage, and thin nasal skin. 

In other cases, Hispanic patients may have a more Mestizo-type nose, where the nasal bones may be shorter, the septal cartilage may be smaller, and the skin may be thicker. Each of these characteristics has to be considered to produce aesthetically pleasing results that adapt to the patient’s facial anatomy and cosmetic goals.

The term Hispanic is used to describe individuals of many Spanish and Latino backgrounds, including people from Central and South America, Mexico, Spain, Brazil, and the Caribbean. There’s usually a lot of diversity in terms of anatomical traits within people of Hispanic heritage, including a range of different skin types and nasal shapes. Generally, there are three main types of Hispanic noses:

Castilian Nose

Often found in people of Spanish descent, the Castilian nose has a high bridge and average tip projecting. Individuals seeking nose surgery for this type of nose usually benefit from dorsal alignments and tip refinements. 

Mestizo Nose

This type features a mixture of Native-American and European characteristics and it’s the most predominant nasal type in the Hispanic/Latino population. Generally, patients with Mestizo noses seek a smaller and more defined profile. 

Mexican American Nose

A combination of the Mestizo and Castilian nose, people who have predominantly Mexican American noses tend to have thicker skin with visible pores (sebaceous glands) and may have flared or wide nostrils, a shorter bridge, and a drooping tip.

Facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Anthony Bared, MD, FACS, describes his techniques for a female Hispanic patient who desired to decrease the projection of her tip and bridge from the profile while preserving very natural appearing results from the frontal view of the nose.

*Each patient is unique and individual results may vary.

What Can a Hispanic Rhinoplasty Do?

While every person seeking plastic surgery has different functional or aesthetic objectives, the goal of a Hispanic rhinoplasty is to modify the shape and size of the nostrils, bridge, nasal tip, and/or other structures to create harmony between the nose and the rest of the facial features. In some cases, rhinoplasty can also correct a deviated septum or weakened nostrils to improve breathing. 

Other common requests of a Hispanic rhinoplasty include:

Dorsal alignment with Hispanic Nose Job

The dorsum or bridge of the nose of Hispanic patients varies according to the unique anatomical characteristic of each person and their specific Hispanic background. In some cases, the Hispanic patient may have a hump that needs to be reduced to align their profile. In other cases, the dorsum may need to be raised to provide proper alignment. 

Although there is no exact formula for proper dorsal height, the dorsum of the nose should start at about the level of the eyelashes on the profile view. For some patients, this means reducing a visible nasal hump, while for others, this means elevating the dorsum itself. If the patient features a hump due to a rather poorly projected tip and a low radix (the area between the eyes known as the root of the nose), Dr. Bared may elect to raise the radix and the tip only to “reduce” the appearance of a hump. 

Hispanic Nose Surgery Tip refinements

Dr. Bared takes a very systematic approach to nasal refinements. Although each specific case is different, he elects to not vary this systematic approach in surgery. Dr. Bared refines the nose from ‘top to bottom.’ He starts by aligning the nasal bones and the upper third of the nose. Then, he aligns the middle third of the nose called the middle vault. Only once these two areas have been aligned, he proceeds to make the necessary final tip refinements. 

Tip refinement surgery has the most variability in all aspects of rhinoplasty. Adequate pre-operative assessment of the cartilages through the physical examination and proper photography gives Dr. Bared a generally good idea of what to expect in surgery and helps him develop an operative plan. But the final assessments, including the size, shape, and strength of the cartilages, are made continuously throughout the surgery. 

After taking these assessments into consideration, Dr. Bared employs specialized techniques to help create the desired tip shape and refinements. For example, Hispanic patients with very weak tip cartilages may need adequate projection and grafting, while patients with very strong and large cartilages may need suturing and careful reduction of their cartilages. 

In general, Dr. Bared employs a cartilage-sparing technique for tip refinement. In his thorough understanding of the nose, he makes reductions in very safe areas of the tip cartilages to help prevent long-term problems while providing for natural-appearing tip refinements.

Nostril reduction with Hispanic Nose Job

Some Hispanic patients are unhappy with the width of the base of their nose and the size of their nostrils. They come in with the traditional understanding that they need their nostril size reduced. Dr. Bared treads these waters very cautiously with his patients. He reserves actual nostril reduction surgery to only certain cases. And in cases where nostril reduction is actually advisable, most of the time a flare reduction may suffice over an actual base reduction. 

A flare reduction involves small incisions hidden within the creases on the outside of the nostrils without entering into the nostrils. This has the effect of reducing the width of the base without reducing the size of the nostrils themselves. In an actual base reduction (traditionally referred to as Weir incisions), the incisions are actually carried into the nostrils, thus reducing the size of the nostrils. 

On the occasions when Dr. Bared performs these incisions, he makes careful calculations using a caliper to help prevent asymmetries. These incisions are also beveled in such a manner so that when they heal, they don’t turn into depressed scars, which are each the telltale signs of a poorly executed nostril reduction.

The Hispanic Rhinoplasty Procedure

Nasal surgery is one of the most complicated plastic surgery procedures and allows very little room for error, which is why finding a skilled and talented surgeon that matches your aesthetic style is critical. A Hispanic rhinoplasty can involve any number of corrective procedures, such as sculpting or reshaping cartilages, making changes to the overlying skin, and resetting nasal bones.

Regarding the procedure itself, Dr. Bared usually performs Latino rhinoplasties using an external or “open” approach. This technique warrants the surgeon a full visualization of all nasal structures, allowing him to sculpt cartilages and bones in their original position to maintain their strength and natural appearance. 

Click here to read more about Dr. Bared’s approach to nasal surgery. 

Hispanic Rhinoplasty Frequently Asked Questions