Effect of esthetic illusions on rhinoplasty assessment.
OBJECTIVE
Esthetic assessment in rhinoplasty represents a balance between art and science. The result of surgical maneuvres in creating esthetic illusions has been alluded to, but has never been scientifically reported. This project analyzed the effect of optical illusions in esthetic assessment.


METHODS
Eight rhinoplasty case studies were designed using computer imaging. Two hundred and ten judges analyzed the apparent differences in one parameter, such as tip projection, tip rotation, dorsal hump, and nasal size, when a different parameter was altered.


RESULTS
This study confirms the validity of nasal esthetic illusions. These results indicate how surgical maneuvres that vary one parameter can create the illusion of a variation in tip projection or tip rotation.


CONCLUSIONS
The surgeon can exploit esthetic illusions to provide greater control over rhinoplasty dynamics.
Mendelsohn
M S
MS
Department of Otolaryngology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
Tew
P
P
D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004954:Esthetics; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D015588:Observer Variation; D009903:Optical Illusions; D012225:Rhinoplasty; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires