Ultrasonographic Assessment of Nasal Skin Thickness in Three Regions and Its Associations With Age, Sex, and Ethnicity in an Iranian Population Publisher



Alipour S ; Heidari F ; Kazemi M A ; Mousavi P ; Sedighi E ; Bastaninejad S ; Hatami N ; Tajdini A
Source: European Journal of Plastic Surgery Published:2026

Abstract

Background: Nasal skin thickness influences rhinoplasty outcomes and may vary across anatomical regions and ethnic groups. This study evaluated regional and inter-ethnic differences in nasal skin thickness among Iranian adults using ultrasonography. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 188 participants underwent ultrasound measurement of skin thickness at the tip, supratip, and keystone regions. Linear regression assessed associations with age, and ANCOVA evaluated ethnic differences adjusting for age and sex. Results: Significant differences were observed among nasal regions (F(2,374)=333.4, p<0.001), with the supratip being the thickest and the keystone the thinnest. No significant differences were found between males and females. An inverse age-related trend was noted in the supratip and keystone areas but did not reach statistical significance. No significant differences were detected among ethnic groups after adjustment for age and sex. Conclusions: Nasal skin thickness varies by anatomical subunit but not by sex or ethnicity within this population. These findings highlight the importance of subunit-specific evaluation rather than reliance on demographic assumptions when planning rhinoplasty to facilitate surgical planning and expectation management. Level of Evidence: Level III, diagnostic study. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2026.