Objective To observe the application effect of auricular cartilage transplantation combined with high density porous polyethylene in rhinoplasty. Methods A total of 80 patients who underwent rhinoplasty in Hezhou Miaoshanmei Medical Cosmetic Clinic from January to December 2023 were selected as the research objects. They were divided into control group and observation group by random number table method, with 40 patients in each group. The control group was treated with autologous cartilage scaffold technology, and the observation group was treated with auricular cartilage transplantation combined with high density porous polyethylene. The nasal status indicators, pain degree (VAS), incision healing, nasal aesthetic satisfaction and incidence of complications were compared between the two groups. Results The nasolabial angle and nasal tip angle of the two groups after operation were smaller than those before operation, and the nasal height was larger than that before operation, while the nasolabial angle and nasal tip angle of the observation group were smaller than those of the control group, and the nasal height was larger than that of the control group (P <0.05). The VAS score of the observation group was lower than that of the control group at 3 days after operation (P <0.05). The incision healing time of the observation group was shorter than that of the control group, the proportion of grade Ⅰ incision healing was higher than that of the control group, and the proportion of grade Ⅲ incision healing was lower than that of the control group (P <0.05). The satisfaction scores of nasal tip height, nasal width, nasal dorsum height and nasal shape beauty in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P <0.05). The incidence of complications in the observation group was 7.50%, which was lower than 17.50% in the control group (P <0.05). Conclusion Auricular cartilage transplantation combined with high density porous polyethylene is effective in rhinoplasty, and the incision healing is good. Meanwhile, it can improve the nasal state, shorten the incision healing time, reduce the VAS score and the incidence of complications, and improve the nasal aesthetic satisfaction score. It is worthy of clinical application.