There are many cosmetic surgical procedures available that relate more to Asians than Europeans. There are many different races of human beings on Earth each having some different characteristics. In Europeans reducing overly large noses is common with plastic surgeons, but in many Asians the bridge of the nose is not well developed so it is much more common for plastic surgeons to be augmenting the low nasal bridges of Asians. The following are some procedures more common in Asians.

1. Nasal bridge implants
These are done commonly in the big cities of South-East Asia, pre-shaped silicone implants being frequently used. They are put in under local anaesthetic on an outpatient basis, so the cost is low but there is one big problem. The infection and extrusion rate is high.
To do this surgery well, one has to be scrupulous with anti-sepsis and we prefer to fix the implants in place with a small titanium screw to help prevent extrusion.

"Porex" (medical grade porous polyethylene) nasal implants do not need fixation as the body's own fibrous tissue grows into the pores of the implants to lock them in place. They are more resistant to extrusion and infection but are more firm to touch than silicone.

Rib bone and cartilage which has to be harvested from the patient's own rib is carved by the surgeon and fixed temporarily with a small titanium screw. This gives the best results but due to the time taken (about 3 hours) and the need for a general anaesthetic the cost is relatively high. Resistance to infection and extrusion is high.

2. Asian eyelid surgery
Many Asians do not have a transverse upper eyelid skin fold like Europeans do, so it is quite popular in many Asian countries to have one's upper lids 'Europeanised'. A skin crease/fold is created by a simple technique that can be done under local anaesthetic as an outpatient. It takes about 1-1.5 hours to do.

Epicanthic folds are little skin creases that some Asians have at the inner corner of their eyes on the side of the base of the nose. These can easily be reduced by a z-plasty technique which is again quick and simple to do under local anaesthetic as an outpatient.

3. Reduction of excess cheek and jaw width
Many people of Korean, Thai and Cambodian nationality in particular have very wide faces due to excessive growth in the width of their cheek bones and the corners/angles of their mandible. The local surgeons have devised ways to surgically reduce this excess width which we have been taught by attending Cranio-maxillo-facial Conferences in Seoul, Bangkok, Shanghai etc. We can offer these procedures to Asians living in New Zealand.

4. Asian breast augmentation.
This is not a lot different to that for non-Asians, but Asian women tend to be more delicate with smaller stature and narrower chests so a special range of breast implants is available from several of the manufacturers to suit Asian women. We do a lot of breast implants for Asian women.