The Black American Nose

Abstract

A study of 201 black American noses has led us to divide the black American nose into three groups, i.e., Groups A, B, and C, which we have called the “African,” the “Afro-Caucasian,” and the “Afro-Indian.” Belonging to the African group (Group A) were 44% of the noses, 37% were Afro-Caucasian (Group B), and 19% were Afro-Indian (Group C). Fifty-three percent of the African noses had a concave dorsum, whereas only 10% of the Afro-Caucasian and 8% of the Afro-Indian group had a concave dorsum. On the other hand, 36% of the Afro-Caucasian group had a hump as did 63% of the Afro-Indian group. Only 18% of the African group had a hump. The most common nostril types were type IV (20%), type V (27%), and type VI (25%), the distribution of which varied with the nasal type. Anthropometric measurements showed variations according to type, with the African noses being the shortest and widest, the Afro-Caucasian the narrowest, and the Afro-Indian being the longest. Cadaver dissection showed that the alar cartilages varied from small and thin in the African group to large and thick in the Afro-Indian. All were covered by a heavy layer of fibrofatty tissue. The value of this grouping in the evaluation and surgery of the black American nose is discussed.