Ethnic Rhinoplasty in the Brazilian Population: Current Concepts

Ishida LC, Saban Y, Daronch OT, Gemperli R.

PubMed 39516419 Publisher (DOI)Free full text (PMC)

What this paper says

A narrative review of ten years of literature on the Brazilian nose, characterised by a low bridge, broad nasal bones, thick skin and a bulbous tip, and the techniques these features usually require.

Overview

Brazil's mixed ancestry produces a distinctive and varied nasal type. Ishida, Saban and colleagues reviewed the last decade's publications on ethnic nasal traits with emphasis on Brazilian patients and the main surgical approaches. It is a narrative overview without a patient series; Level of Evidence IV.

Sections of note

Primary features of the Brazilian nose: low dorsum, broad nasal bones, thick skin, bulbous tip.
Commonly required steps: lateral osteotomies, radix (root) grafting, isotretinoin for skin thickness, and "neodomus" (new dome) formation.
No single strategy works for all patients; each requires individual anatomical assessment.
Preservation rhinoplasty may be used in selected cases.

What it means for a patient

Brazilian and other mixed-heritage noses often need augmentation of the root and tip work rather than the reduction typical of Caucasian rhinoplasty.
Thick skin may be treated with isotretinoin before or after surgery to improve definition; this drug has significant side effects and requires medical supervision.
The review reflects the authors' practice and the literature, not comparative outcomes.

Why this paper matters

It is a concise reference on a population that is under-represented in the rhinoplasty literature, co-authored by a leading preservation surgeon. Limits: narrative review, no data.

Terms

Ethnic rhinoplasty: surgery that refines the nose while preserving features characteristic of the patient's heritage.
Lateral osteotomy: a bone cut along the side of the nose to narrow wide nasal bones.
Radix graft: cartilage or tissue placed at the root of the nose to raise it.
Isotretinoin: an oral retinoid used to thin oily, thick skin.
Neodomus: a surgically created new dome, the highest point of the tip cartilage.

Summary written by rhinoplasty.cc from the abstract, 2026-09-08; not medical advice. The authors' own abstract follows.

Abstract

Introduction: The large mixture of races in Brazil gives the nose its distinctive composition, which makes rhinoplasty difficult for these patients. Every patient should have their anatomy thoroughly examined on an individual basis, as there is no unique strategy that works for all situations.

Methodology: This is a narrative overview of the last 10 years' worth of literature that describes the ethnic traits of each nose, with a particular emphasis on the Brazilian nose, and talks about the major surgical approaches that can be applied in these situations.

Results: The low dorsum, broad nasal bones, thick skin, and bulbous tip are the primary features of the Brazilian nose. Many times, lateral osteotomies, root grafting, isotretinoin treatment for skin thickness, and neodomus formation are required.

Conclusion: The Brazilian nose presents a surgical challenge that calls for the mastery of multiple procedures, not simply structured rhinoplasty. In certain cases, preservation rhinoplasty may even be used.

Level Of Evidence Iv: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Abstract as indexed by PubMed; the article is open access (PubMed Central).