As enthusiasm for alloplastic grafts wanes, the use of biologic materials for facial reconstructive and esthetic surgery is regaining popularity. A plethora of methods exists for preservation of one of the most popular implants, human cartilage. The controversy over the efficacy of autologous vs. preserved homologous cartilage grafts continues. A national [USA] study was developed to determine the efficacy of autologous vs. the various techniques of cartilage preservation based on the criteria of graft extrusion, infection and absorption. Autologous grafts were most commonly used. The most popular preservation methods used alcohol or merthiolate. Autologous grafts had less absorption than preserved grafts but both groups had approximately equivalent infection and extrusion rates. Irradiated cartilage showed the least absorption of all preservation methods.