Consultation Column: Female Rhinoplasty with Cartilage Implants—For Patients Preferring No Artificial Implants > O.P Column

Hello, this is Dr. Kim Hyung-taek from Kowon Plastic Surgery Clinic.

Today, I’d like to discuss a case involving a patient who opted for rhinoplasty using cartilage implants, as opposed to silicone implants.

I’ll outline the surgical plan and methods used.

This patient had a strong aversion to silicone implants from the beginning but desired a natural-looking nose.

She wanted to achieve a high, slender nasal tip and a rounded, aesthetically pleasing nasal base.

Additionally, she preferred using ear cartilage rather than the septal cartilage for the procedure.

Examining the nose, we see some asymmetry from the front, with a rounded and relatively low nasal tip.

There is a slight dorsal hump, and although the nasal bridge is high, the space between the eyebrows is quite low. Without using implants, achieving the desired nose shape would be challenging.

The surgery was performed under sedation anesthesia with an open rhinoplasty approach.

Given the patient’s preferences, we used ear cartilage for the procedure, and we also corrected nasal deviation.

In the front view, you can observe some deviation between the glabella (the space between the eyebrows) and the center of the lips.

While this might not be noticeable when the nose is low, it becomes more apparent when the nose is elevated, making correction essential.

We performed rhinoplasty using cartilage implants. For those who dislike synthetic implants, cartilage grafts are an excellent alternative.

A small amount of rib cartilage was harvested (a procedure that can be done quickly under sedation at our clinic) and processed to create the implant, which is then used instead of synthetic materials.

Since cartilage is less absorbent compared to fat or dermal tissues, it is advantageous for achieving a more stable and aesthetically pleasing shape.

We create a slightly elevated shape initially to account for absorption, and the final result usually stabilizes within 3 to 6 months as the cartilage settles into its permanent form.