Surgery of the non-Indo-European face

The authors' experience with the non-Indo-European face relates mainly to a mixed race of Spanish and Amerindian (Mestizo) backgrounds. The Mestizo nose is typically small with a low radix, a slightly convex dorsum, a broad base, round nostrils, and short and thin alar cartilages, which result in limited tip projection and an acute nasolabial angle. Compared with the Indo-European group, there is a greater convexity of the face and skeletal biprotusion of the alveolar ridges, which contribute to the acute nasolabial angle. This article discusses the characteristics of the non-Indo-European face and the surgical objectives of rhinoplasty and jaw osteotomies to achieve results that compare favorably with the current aesthetic Indo-European ideal.