The Asian face tends to be relatively large, wide, and flat when compared with the Occidental. The cheek bones (malar portion of the maxillary A and zygoma B) may be more prominent, as may be the jaw bone (mandible C). In females, an overdeveloped cheek bone or jaw bone is sometimes seen as making the face look more masculine.

At the same time, the forehead may be comparatively flat or even retruded, or pushed inward.

The chin may be less developed, flat, or retruded.

Asian facial plastic surgery bone contouring is undertaken to improve the balance between these four areas and make the face appear smaller and more delicate, both in lateral profile and also when viewed from straight ahead.

The profile of the face can be dramatically altered by augmenting deficient areas while reducing areas of prominence. Augmentation is usually undertaken by filling in or moving around the patient's own tissue or by inserting biocompatible implants, while reduction is accomplished by removing bone.

The primary objective is to harmonize facial proportion. The nose, cheek and chin form an anatomic triangle in the middle of the face. Balancing this complex may involve surgery on more than one anatomic structure.

For instance, the result after rhinoplasty, or plastic surgery for the nose, in a person with an underdeveloped chin will be better if accompanied by chin augmentation. Patients concerned about prominent cheek bones may discover that the cheek appears less prominent after augmentation rhinoplasty.

Facial bone contouring for "square face" is performed far more commonly in the Orient than in the United States or other Western countries.