Comparison of the Pros and Cons of Rhinoplasty Implants: Artificial Implants vs. Autologous Tissue Implants

For people who want to upgrade their appearance through plastic surgery,

one of the most popular procedures is rhinoplasty.

Because the nose is located in the center of the face and has a major influence on the overall impression,

it naturally receives a lot of attention.

There are many different nose shapes. Bulbous nose, hump nose, crooked nose, upturned nose, and bridged nose, among others.

Depending on the shape and condition, the surgical method can vary greatly,

and the implants used will also differ.

Therefore, at Diva Plastic Surgery, we accurately diagnose each individual’s current condition

before proceeding with surgery. In particular, great care is taken when selecting rhinoplasty implants. Today, let’s look at the characteristics of artificial implants and autologous tissue implants through a comparison of the pros and cons of rhinoplasty implants.

The implants used in the nose are basically materials with minimal tissue reaction and are safe. However, each material has its own advantages and disadvantages, and which material to use is determined by the patient’s condition.

Classification of rhinoplasty implants

Rhinoplasty implants are largely divided into artificial implants, autologous tissue, and homologous tissue.

Just because autologous tissue uses the individual’s own tissue does not mean it should be blindly trusted,

and it is also not true that artificial implants are unsafe. It is safest to look at the basics and decide after consulting with a specialist.

Therefore, it is important to check which surgical method is applied to which type of nose,

and what kind of material is used.

Artificial rhinoplasty implants Silicone This is the most commonly used implant in nose surgery. It has been approved by the U.S. FDA and is harmless to the human body. It does not change or get absorbed inside the body and has the advantage of being able to create a shape more precisely than Gore-Tex. In some cases, it may show through if the skin is thin, so it is mainly used when the skin is thick and the nose is low.

Gore-Tex This is a fibrous material that is very soft, and after insertion it adheres to the surrounding tissue and remains immobile after surgery. It has been used to make artificial blood vessels in the surgical field, and these days it is widely used as a material for nose surgery that can replace silicone. Compared with silicone, its softer feel comes from Gore-Tex’s fine porous structure, and it also has the drawback of possibly settling slightly lower over time after grafting. It is suitable for cases with thin skin or for surgery focused on the bridge of the nose rather than creating a sharp tip shape.

Medpor Medpor is an implant commonly called “artificial bone” and is mainly used in augmentation rhinoplasty, temple augmentation, and jaw augmentation. Due to its material, it can feel harder than other materials.

Autologous tissue implants for rhinoplasty

Ear cartilage This is the most commonly used autologous tissue material in nose surgery and is mainly used for tip surgery. It also serves to protect the skin from the implant inserted into the nose.

Septal cartilage This is cartilage that forms the firm, thin wall located between the two nostrils. It is mainly used to raise the tip of the nose or in tip lengthening surgery for short noses.

Rib cartilage The cartilage from the front part of the 6th to 8th ribs is used. It is the most important material in rhinoplasty using only autologous tissue, and is mainly used in short-nose surgery when septal cartilage is insufficient.

Dermis-fat Dermis-fat is an autologous tissue that can be used for patients who avoid implants, or when the subcutaneous tissue of the nose is too insufficient because of multiple surgeries, or in cases where there was severe inflammation in the past. It can be said to be the safest tissue among materials that can raise the bridge of the nose, but because about 30–40% is absorbed within the first year after grafting, it should be grafted relatively large during surgery in anticipation of a decrease in volume after a few months. As a result, for several months after surgery, the nose may appear larger than expected and look unnatural. Because this is far from the nature of cosmetic surgery, which should become natural quickly and make the surgical area less noticeable, it is not commonly used despite the quality of the material.

Homologous tissue implants for rhinoplasty Homologous tissue refers to tissue from another person that is not your own, but is the same as your own tissue except for immunological differences. The most representative example is AlloDerm. Because it is best to perform surgery with materials comparable to autologous tissue, autologous cartilage and AlloDerm are used most often. AlloDerm is a material made by specially processing human dermis. Unlike artificial implants, it is soft without foreign-body reactions and is effective for creating a smooth bridge or tip of the nose.

Advantages and disadvantages of autologous tissue

After cosmetic surgery, there is no need for separate hospitalization, and by removing stitches after 5 to 7 days, autologous tissue rhinoplasty helps provide satisfying results over a long period. The procedure involves selecting the autologous tissue appropriate for each individual, then harvesting tissue from the selected area, performing delicate suturing, designing the shape of the autologous implant to fit the surgical area, incising and dissecting the surgical area, and then grafting the autologous implant into the surgical site.

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