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This article is about the use of plastic surgery to modify perceived racialised body characteristics. For transracial identity, see Transracial (identity).

Ethnic plastic surgery, or ethnic modification, refers to the types of plastic surgery performed frequently due to certain racial or ethnic traits, or with the intention of making one’s appearance more similar or less similar to people of a particular race or ethnicity.[1]

Psychosocial aspects

Michael Jackson‘s plastic surgery has been discussed in the context of ethnic plastic surgery.[2] In her book, Venus Envy: A History of Cosmetic Surgery, Elizabeth Haiken devotes a chapter to “The Michael Jackson Factor” presenting “Black, Asian, and Jewish women who seek WASP noses and Playboy breasts. They are caught in the vexed immigrants’ dilemma of struggling not only to keep up with the Joneses but to look like them, too.”[3]

Common forms

East Asian blepharoplasty

Blepharoplasty is very commonly performed on people of Asian or Pacific island descent living in the united states representing over 11% of all blepharoplasties performed in the united states in 2020.[4] East Asian blepharoplasty is commonly referred to ‘double-eyelid surgery’ [5] surgeries of the eyelid were the most commonly performed surgeries in both Japan and Taiwan.[6] People reported as having higher levels of media exposure, lower self-esteem, and negative stereotypes related to eye shape have been shown to have lower rates of post-operative satisfaction[7]

Rhinoplasty

Rhinoplasty is commonly performed in African Asian and Hispanic-descendant individuals in the united states[8][4] and may be motivated or influenced by western standards of beauty[9] however, there has been a recent focus on ethnic-conscious rhinoplasties designed to provide desired outcomes while preserving perceived ethnic characteristics,[10] which has been demonstrated to provide increased patient satisfaction in non-white individuals and a lower rate of surgical complications[8] graft-associated techniques are commonly instrumented for African or Hispanic descendant individuals.[11]

Precedence and epidemiology

There has been a significant increase in cosmetic and aesthetic procedures by non-white and minority ethnic people living in the united states when compared to the general population representing an additional 8% increase per year.[12]

See also

References

  1. ^ O’Connor, Maureen; O’Connor, Maureen (2014-07-27). “Is Race Plastic? My Trip Into the ‘Ethnic Plastic Surgery’ Minefield”. The Cut. Retrieved 2023-10-09.
  2. ^ Mann, Denise (21 August 2014). “From the Editor: Ethnic Plastic Surgery: What’s in a Name? – Plastic Surgery Practice”. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  3. ^ America’s Paint and Body Shop
  4. ^ a b “PLASTIC SURGERY STATISTICS REPORT” (PDF). American Society of Plastic Surgeons. 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  5. ^ Nguyen, Marilyn Q.; Hsu, Patrick W.; Dinh, Tue A. (August 2009). “Asian blepharoplasty”. Seminars in Plastic Surgery. 23 (3): 185–197. doi:10.1055/s-0029-1224798. ISSN 1536-0067. PMC 2884917. PMID 20676313.
  6. ^ Kwon, Soo-Ha; Lao, William Wei-Kai; Lee, Che-Hsiung; Hsu, Angela Ting-Wei; Koide, Satomi; Chen, Hsing-Yu; Cho, Ki-Hyun; Tanaka, Eiko; Cheon, Young-Woo; Chang, Tommy Nai-Jen (November 2021). “Experiences and attitudes toward aesthetic procedures in East Asia: a cross-sectional survey of five geographical regions”. Archives of Plastic Surgery. 48 (06): 660–669. doi:10.5999/aps.2020.02565. ISSN 2234-6163. PMC 8627936. PMID 34818714.
  7. ^ Huynh, Pauline P.; Ishii, Masaru; Juarez, Michelle; Fung, Nicholas; Bater, Kristin; Darrach, Halley; Nellis, Jason C.; Bonham, Luke W.; Lay, P. Chase; Ishii, Lisa E. (June 2020). “Exploring Patient Motivations and Impact of Asian Blepharoplasty”. Facial Plastic Surgery. 36 (03): 242–248. doi:10.1055/s-0039-3401804. ISSN 0736-6825.
  8. ^ a b Hashemipour, Yaldasadat; Danesh, Hosein Ali (2026-02-01). “Ethnic Considerations in Rhinoplasty: A Meta-Analysis of Outcomes and Complications in Caucasian Versus Non-Caucasian Patients”. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. 50 (4): 1537–1546. doi:10.1007/s00266-025-05189-w. ISSN 1432-5241.
  9. ^ O’Connor, Kate; Brissett, Anthony E. (2020-04-01). “The Changing Face of America”. Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America. 53 (2): 299–308. doi:10.1016/j.otc.2019.12.009. ISSN 0030-6665. PMID 32057407.
  10. ^ Pozzi, Mirco; Fàdel, Cinthia; Bolletta, Alberto; Cuomo, Roberto; Roxo, Carlos Weck (December 2023). “Ethnic rhinoplasty: Preliminary results of our technique in the pursuit of the harmonious nose”. Journal of plastic, reconstructive & aesthetic surgery: JPRAS. 87: 135–146. doi:10.1016/j.bjps.2023.09.036. ISSN 1878-0539. PMID 37839388.
  11. ^ Reid, Devaun; Sejour, Philenchy Monfiston; Kahlon, Sunny; Porterfield, J. Zachary; Toman, Julia (2025-12-01). “Ethnic Variations and Surgical Outcomes in Rhinoplasty: A Systematic Review”. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. 49 (24): 6877–6885. doi:10.1007/s00266-025-04939-0. ISSN 1432-5241.
  12. ^ Wednesday, February 25. “Rising Rates of Cosmetic Surgery in Non-White Patients”. American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Retrieved 2026-04-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)