Differences between female and male rhinoplasties
Men and women are looking into rhinoplasties, or nose jobs. While each rhinoplasty is individualized for each patient, regardless of sex, there are some general considerations to consider when doing a rhinoplasty from the gender perspective. Before I proceed, I should clarify these factors relate to cosmetic surgery. From a functional perspective, there are really no differences between how one treats a female vs. male nose. But there are important differences when we are talking about the cosmetic goals of a rhinoplasty.
First, in my experience and observation, more females request cosmetic rhinoplasties than males. This may be because the nose is a major facial feature and determinant of beauty. Due to societal factors, women and cultures place more importance on their facial attractiveness. Facial beauty is a major determinant of a woman’s chances to find a partner. The desired nose needs to be attractive and in balance with the face. The most common nasal deformity is a “big” nose. This is often due to a dorsal hump. In addition, many women will be unhappy with their bulbous tip and the tip’s position. Sometimes, the nose may look crooked. When performing a cosmetic rhinoplasty on a woman, we want to get a nice straight profile. The profile may even lie a bit behind a direct line from tip of nose to the radix. The tip should be refined. Furthermore, we generally like a slightly upturned nose—the rotation of the nose. In females, ideal beauty standards dictate the tip should be rotated 95 degrees to 105-110 degrees. In general, we also like a slight supratip break. This means there is just a subtle slope up to the tip (very slight “ski slope”). The tip should not be overly projected—or sticking out. The nostril appearance also needs to be symmetric. All these deformities must be examined carefully and strategies developed to fix them, because no two noses are exactly the same.
Men are less likely to want a cosmetic rhinoplasty, but there are times when a nasal deformity is significant enough to motivate a guy to seek a nose job. Again, it’s more common to complain of a big nose than a little one. It’s more common for men to have a dorsal hump or even crooked nose. I think that’s because men have a higher incidence of nasal injuries—whether that be from contact sport injuries, car accidents (since men—especially younger men—tend to drive faster than women), or from physical altercations. However, when doing a rhinoplasty for men, we want to maintain a straight profile but can err on the side of a very small hump. We don’t want the scooped out shallow look that may look fine on women. Sometimes, men will have a bulbous tip, but these should be refined less when compared to women. This will maintain the balance between a male face and his nose. The nasal tip’s rotation also has a different standard than a woman’s. In men, the rotation should be at 90 degrees, and not more. Typically, we don’t like a guy’s nose to be over rotated, because this may create a feminine look.
After a rhinoplasty, both men and women should expect the same recovery process. There may be bruising and swelling for couple of weeks. If tip work was done, the swelling will last anywhere between two to four months. It’s also important to remind the patient that a nose will take at least an entire year to completely heal.
For more information about San Antonio rhinoplasty surgery, please visit our interactive website at www.dryuplasticsurgery.com. Dr. Kenneth Yu Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery is a qualified team of experts serving the San Antonio, Texas area. To schedule a consultation, please contact our Concierge Patient Coordinator at (210) 876-6868 or info@dryuplasticsurgery.com.
