Ear cartilage is used very infrequently for Rhinoplasty in our practice. This is due to the fact that ear cartilage is both soft and thick. In the nose, we want cartilage that is thin and strong. The latter is what allows us to open the airways without simultaneously adding excessive size or width to the nose. Rarely, ear cartilage can be used for “camouflage”.
If used, this cartilage is taken from a small incision in the front of the ear. This causes no changes to the function or the appearance of the ear and is typically invisible by 4-6 weeks.