Can you still remember the swarm of people for Korean-style plastic surgeries when Korean dramas were so popular a couple years ago? Korean-style rhinoplasty is the treatment most demanded of plastic surgeries. Taiwanese beauty chasers, who have flat noses with round nasal tips, look to have narrow noses and high nasal tips, or small nostrils, just the same as Korean celebrities. They go to plastic surgeons for rhinoplasty with their favorite celebrities’ photographs, but do not even consider if that type of nose really fits their faces. This trend seems to be another unexpected phenomenon in plastic surgery history!

In fact, there is no such thing as “Korean-style rhinoplasty” in textbooks, and the correct name for the procedure is “open approach rhinoplasty.” This treatment has existed for a while, but the media coverage of Korean celebrities who have received rhinoplasty has made the title “Korean-style rhinoplasty” recognizable. Actually, Taiwanese and Korean surgeons perform the same procedure. However, differences in aesthetic standards and culture mean that Koreans and Taiwanese have different expectations for nasal beauty. Korea people focus more on proportion, which means small nostrils, a high nose ridge and high nose tip. As a result, they do not really care if they are classified as “artificial beauties.” However, it may not be the same case in Taiwan.

According to the author’s experience in executing Korean-style rhinoplasty, patients here are concerned more with a “natural look” than with “perfect proportion.” People in Taiwan are not only more conservative than Korean people, but aesthetic mindset and choices of nose styles are different as well.

For example:

1. The Ridge of the Nose should Look Natural
The height of the nose ridge determines the 3-D look of a nose. Also, it is necessary to pay attention to the nasal frontal corner and columella corner. Although a nose looks the best with a golden ratio ridge, most patients here are not comfortable with that height and look. As a result, the procedure for making a higher nose ridge should be conservative.

2. Do Not Make the Nasal Tip Too High
A small and high nasal tip is the main character of Korean-style rhinoplasty. However, people in Taiwan belong to a southern Asian race that tends to have a wide-and-flat face and round-and-thick nose. It is hard to adapt to a high nasal tip, which may seem out of proportion visually.

3. Moderate Reduction of Nose Alas and Nostrils
Nostrils function for breathing, so the author does not recommend narrowing the nose alas or nostrils like Korean celebrities do. Moreover, the width of the nose alas and nasal dorsum are tied with the proportion of nose reduction. Thus, nasal functionality must be considered in order to remodel a natural looking nose. You may have poor results if a patient only insists on alas reduction, without considering functionality.

What we learn from the above is that, in order to remodel a suitable nose for a local patient, one Korean-style does not fit all. The appearance of nose is very subjective, and the percentage of patients asking for surgery to undo their rhinoplasty is high. So the author recommends the consumers spend time consulting with plastic surgeons before surgery. It is helpful to show the doctor what style the patient likes. Once a surgeon has a better idea about the style, then he or she will be able to tailor the most suitable and satisfying nose for you!