Mexican American (Hispanic) Rhinoplasty in Indianapolis
Hispanics represent the largest minority in the U.S and continue to grow. In Indianapolis in 1990, the estinate of Hispanics was 5,000, by 2000 that estimated number had grown to 50,000, and I am certain that it is higher now. As a result, I have seen more Hispaniscs in the five years for cosmetic surgery than ever before. One of their most requested plastic surgery procedures is rhinoplasty (nose reshaping). Like Asians and African-Americans, rhinoplasty in Hispanic is uniquely different given their different nasal anatomy from Caucasians.
To be accurate, we must carefully differentiate the different types of Hispanic noses. In particular, I am talking mainly about Mexican Americans as South Americans, Spanish, and Caribbean noses are all different and don’t really look alike. With so much racial intermingling, there is less pure racial facial forms than ever before. But a great classification and treatment algorithm was established, from a plastic surgery viewpoint, in 2003 by plastic surgeon Rollin Daniel from California. He classified three main types of Hispanic noses; Type I (Castilian) with a high bridge and normal tip projection, Type II with low radix, normal bridge, and an underprojecting tip, and Type III with a broad base, wide tip and very thick skin (the true Mestizo nose). Knowing this classification is very important as the treatment of each of these types of Hispanic noses is radically different.
In the type I Hispanic nose, the rhinoplasty is done with emphasis on dorsal (bridge) reduction and tip modification. In type IIs (Mexican-American), the rhinoplasty approach is quite different with grafting of the radix/dorsum and tip modification with a columellar graft. In type III (Mestizo), the most challenging hispanic rhinoplasty, the dorsum is grafted, extensive tip grafting and tip modifications are done, and nasal base/nostril narrowing is necessary.
While Type II and III hispanic rhinoplasties are quite challenging, I have found the patients to be very pleasant to work with, non-demanding, and very grateful of my efforts to improve their nose and facial appearance.
Dr Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana