Differences Between Male and Female Rhinoplasty

Often referred to as a “nose job,” rhinoplasty differs significantly in opposite-sex patients. Below trusted Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Charles S. Lee, MD discusses how the shape and size of male and female noses affects the procedure. 

Male Noses

The skin on male noses is thicker than that of their female counterparts. Male noses are generally larger and wider in the middle, with larger nostrils and greater facial projection. The average male’s nose is 10 percent larger than the average female’s nose. There’s a genetic reason for this size difference. While the nose size of girls and boys are similar, once puberty hits, the male nose increases proportionally because they have more lean muscle mass, requiring more oxygen. 

While the reason for rhinoplasty varies with each person, men competing in sports over the years often damage their noses, most frequently resulting in bridge crookedness they want corrected. 

Female Noses  

Even though many women undergo rhinoplasty because they feel their nose is too large, female noses are shorter and smaller, with tinier nostrils. Many women feel their nasal tips are too bulbous, and seek rhinoplasty to make the nose more delicate in appearance. As with men, female athletes may also suffer nose damage leading to crookedness, but it is seen more often in males. 

Rhinoplasty Differences 

In either sex, nose shape runs the gamut. Men tend to desire a nose indicating power, which means less rotation of the tip. Women tend to want more petite noses, and that involves an upward tip rotation. Of course, everything depends on the individual and their other facial features. While some men may want an overly large or crooked nose reduced, others want a more prominent nose adding strength to the appearance of the jaw and brow. Women may choose a supratip break, a slight indentation above the bridge. For both sexes, proportion is paramount. The end result should appear natural, not like you have had “work” done. 

The actual procedure is similar in men and women. The surgeon raises the nose bridge by adding grafted cartilage or an implant, and lowers it via cartilage removal. Nose tips are changed by implants or cartilage reshaping. The primary difference is that the surgeon may alter the size or angle depending on the patient’s gender. 

The number of women undergoing rhinoplasty exceeds the number of men by a factor of about four to one, but more men are becoming open to plastic surgery and the positive changes it can make in both appearance and confidence. Rhinoplasty is still among the top cosmetic surgery procedures performed on men. 

For More Information, Contact Enhance® Medical Center 

If you would like to learn more about rhinoplasty and a new nose best fitting your face, schedule a personal consultation with Charles S. Lee, MD, or contact the Beverly Hills office of Enhance® Medical Center today.  He will answer all of your questions and address any concerns about the procedure. 
