The use of race-based terminology in the rhinoplasty literature

Purpose of review: To provide an overview of the use of race-based terminology in the rhinoplasty literature.

Recent findings: The rhinoplasty literature is often indexed by race, with common usage of the terms Ethnic/Non-Caucasian/Nonwhite; African American/of African descent; Hispanic/Latinx; and Asian to refer to certain patient populations. There are wide variations in facial features within these populations, but specific traits may be more prevalent in patients with certain backgrounds. More recently, in particular within the 'Asian rhinoplasty' literature, titles have pivoted to include specific anatomic characteristics of interest, which offers a more objective way of discussing this topic.

Summary: The use of race and ethnicity to describe facial and nasal anatomy in the rhinoplasty literature introduces subjectivity and diminishes the validity of the rhinoplasty literature. We advocate the usage of specific physical and anatomic descriptions rather than race and ethnicity within the rhinoplasty literature.