Silicone implants vs. your own cartilage
Silicone is easy to shape and relatively simple to remove. Your own cartilage is your own tissue, so there is less worry about a foreign-body reaction, but it has to be taken from another part of the body. Neither is simply better. The material is chosen, or the two are combined, based on the height you want, your skin thickness and any previous surgery.
01Silicone
A man-made implant, carved to shape in advance, is placed along the bridge. It makes it easy to create the height and shape you want, and if a problem comes up, it can be taken out relatively easily.
Over time it can show through the skin or shift, and the capsule around it can thicken and shorten the nose (contracture). If your skin is thin, show-through needs more attention.
02Your own cartilage
Cartilage is taken from your own body and used in the nose. Ear, septal and rib cartilage are the usual sources, and they are often used to shape the tip.
Because it is your own tissue, there is less concern about a foreign-body reaction, but the donor site can scar or hurt. The cartilage can also warp or change shape slightly over time.
03Side by side
| Silicone | Your own cartilage | |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Man-made implant | Ear, septal or rib cartilage |
| Shaping | Easy to carve in advance | Limited by amount and shape |
| Extra scar | None | At the donor site |
| Watch for | Show-through, shifting, contracture | Warping, pain at the donor site |
| Removal | Relatively easy | Difficult, as it bonds to the tissue |
04What to weigh when choosing
- Height you want: the higher the bridge, the more often an implant is used as well.
- Skin thickness: thin skin raises the question of show-through, and thick skin can hide the shape, so both are weighed.
- Previous surgery: in a revision, the material may be decided by how much cartilage is left and the state of the scarring.
It is also common to combine the two, for example silicone for the bridge and your own cartilage for the tip.
05FAQ
Is it a problem to keep a silicone implant for a long time?
Many people have no trouble, but over time the implant can show through, shift or cause contracture. If something feels wrong, have it checked at the clinic that did the surgery.
How do ear, septal and rib cartilage differ?
They differ in how much can be taken and how firm they are. Ear cartilage is soft and limited in amount, septal cartilage is straight and firm, and rib cartilage is plentiful, so it is used when a lot of cartilage is needed, as in revisions.
Edit
Rankings
Sources
- Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (Korea), medical device information ↗
- Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, patient information
History
Rev. 1 · show 1 entries
| Rev. | Time | Editor | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2026-10-12 11:10 | @translator | Translated from Korean rev. 2 |
Cite WikiDoc, 「Silicone implants vs. your own cartilage」, wikidoc.app/en/guide/nose/silicone-vs-cartilage/ (2026-10-12 retrieved)