You have decided to have rhinoplasty surgery. You have read a lot of informative content about it before the process. Now you feel almost as knowledgeable about rhinoplasty as a board certified plastic surgeon. Nothing can surprise you anymore!
We advise you not to be so sure about this…
Did you know that rhinoplasty for men is a different process than for women?
Considering the anatomical differences between the two genders, it is not surprising that rhinoplasty for men and women are different. But it is interesting nonetheless.
As West Aesthetics, a clinic specialized in rhinoplasty in Turkey, in this article we will talk about the differences between rhinoplasty for men and women in all details and try to fully enlighten the process for you gentlemen.
Differences Between Rhinoplasty For Men And Women
Women and men are anatomically different. This difference creates the necessity to adopt different approaches for both genders in rhinoplasty surgery. It requires setting different goals for the outcome of it. It is very important to be informed about these different approaches and goals, as this will enable you to ask the right questions about how your doctor will proceed.
Facial Feautures And Proportions
Men’s noses are usually robust and large. The bridge of the nose is wide and straight. This large and flat structure of their noses gives them a more masculine appearance.
Rhinoplasty for men can aim to enhance a man’s masculine appearance. For this purpose, the specialist may consider increasing the flatness of the nose even more and making the tip of the nose sharper and pointed. One should of course not forget the balance in this process. It is more important than anything else to create a nose that harmonizes with the face.
The situation is completely different in women than in men. They have a smaller and more delicate nasal structure. Their nasal bridge is narrow and soft.
Women rhinoplasty patients can aim to achieve a more feminine appearance in their surgery. In order to do this, the bridge of the nose can be curved a little more to achieve a more delicate appearance that complements the facial contours. Also a more youthful and feminine appearance can be achieved with a nasal tip pointing upwards.
As in the process of rhinoplasty for men, it is very important to achieve a harmonious appearance in the process of women. The most important thing is to ensure that the nose is proportional to the facial contours. A disproportionate but perfect nose will not give the patient satisfactory results.
Nasal Dorsum
In the process of rhinoplasty for men, a flatter nasal ridge line is generally aimed . The straight dorsal line provides a sharper and masculine appearance.
A more curvy and elegant dorsal line may be preferred in women. It is aimed to have a smooth transition from the forehead to the tip of the nose. This results in a more aesthetic and feminine appearance.
There are points to be considered in the nasal dorsum, just like in facial feautres, regardless of gender. The height of the dorsum should be considered during plastic surgery. A dorsum height that is in harmony with the face and complements the facial proportions should be chosen for both genders.
Whether rhinoplasty for men or women, the symmetry of the bridge of the nose is also very important for both genders in the process. Doctors should take nasal bridge measurements to match facial proportions.
Overall Size
For men who will have rhinoplasty, a relatively large nose that will adapt to wide facial features can be targeted. A wide nasal bone will give men a more masculine and hard look. Plastic surgeons should pay attention to the general facial contours when adjusting the size of the nose and nasal bridge.
In women, unlike men, a smaller nose is preferred. Narrowing the bridge of the nose will result in a more elegant and feminine appearance.
When adjusting the size of the nose, it is of great importance that specialist doctors do not damage the nasal functions. Damaging the nasal functions in order to achieve a more beautiful appearance is irreversible and can have bad consequences for the patient.
Rhinoplasty Procedure Differences
The surgical techniques used in male rhinoplasty aim to enlarge or enhance the structure of the nose. A cartilage graft can be used to make the nasal tip and nasal bone more prominent. This also gives the nose a harder and sharper appearance. The cartilage graft used can be septal or rib.
Incisions are made strategically in order to minimize scarring in the male rhinoplasty process. During the nose tip refinement procedure in men, it is important to maintain the overall size. Type sutures and grafts can be used for this. During the nasal bridge reduction procedure in men, special attention is paid not to damage the breathing functions. Graft adjustment can be performed to achieve a balanced result.
More complex refinement techniques are used in female rhinoplasty. Cartilage reshaping and reduction can be used to achieve the patient’s aesthetically desired results. While adjusting the nose, it is aimed to emphasize small changes rather than augmentation. Therefore, it may be sufficient to add smaller grafts to the cartilage. In opening the incisions, it is aimed to minimize scarring in the same way as men. Scarring is performed in such a way that the nose looks more elegant and beautiful.
Another difference in female rhinoplasty is that the nose is preferred to look upwards in nose type adjustment. This is popularly called a “slide nose”. Slide-shaped nose is aesthetically preferred among women. Bridge narrowing in female rhinoplasty also utilizes different techniques compared to men. Hump reduction can be used to achieve a narrower and more elegant nasal bridge.
Post Operative Differences
In the process after rhinoplasty surgery, changes can also be observed depending on gender. This is caused by anatomical differences. Let’s take a look at the differences that may occur in the post-operative phase.
Swelling
Swelling is an expected effect of surgical trauma and tissue manipulation during rhinoplasty surgery, and involves an accumulation of fluids, cells, proteins and fluid at the surgical site. While swelling should be taken as part of a journey to healing, its duration, intensity and resolution depend on factors like gender.
Men tend to have larger nasal structures and thicker skin compared to women, leading them to experience prolonged and more noticeable post-rhinoplasty swelling than their female counterparts. Robust nasal framework also has an impact on this prolonged sweeling. Since the nasal tissues are more robust, they can hold fluid for a long time and require patience during the healing process.
Rhinoplasty post-operative care for men may involve more proactive measures to manage edema. Specialists may recommend elevated head positioning, cold compresses, and anti-inflammatory medications to mitigate swelling effectively.
The fact that the nasal structure and skin are relatively smaller in women than in men may cause swelling to last shorter. More slender nasal features contribute to a more delicate appearance, but can lead to faster resolution of oedema. Swelling tends to decrease faster in women due to the smaller tissue volume and faster lymphatic drainage system. This often results in female rhinoplasty patients observing a more defined and refined nasal appearance early in the healing process.
Although swelling goes away more quickly in women, post-op care is still of great importance. In this process, it is necessary to avoid too much exposure to sunlight and to follow all kinds of advice given by the specialist plastic surgeon.
Scar Management
The scars that occur after the nose job can create more disturbing images because of men’s facial hair. To avoid this, the plastic surgeon should open the incisions during rhinoplasty in a way that is compatible with the natural hairline. Wounds may also take longer to heal because men’s skin is usually thicker. It is very important to be patient during this process. You should not follow hearsay methods that are not recommended by a doctor.
Scarring after rhinoplasty can be a bigger problem for women. Therefore, the plastic surgeon needs to perform this procedure carefully with much more complex methods.
It is a great advantage for women to be able to use makeup to hide scars. But this should definitely be done under the control of a board certified plastic surgeon. Make-up materials containing chemicals harmful to the body can cause infection and cause the patient to face unwanted and unexpected consequences.
You can take a look at this article from the University of Mississippi Medical Center to learn what to do and what not to do after the rhinoplasty process as a list. You can also read our article on the side effects and complications of rhinoplasty.
General Reminder
Patients should not take precautions of their own accord in situations that may differ depending on gender. Any measures to be taken should be carried out under the supervision of a doctor. It is very important to have an open communication with your plastic surgeon. Every action you will take regarding post-operative care should be shared with the specialist.
