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Rhinoplasty or Tip Plasty for Thinner Nose?

asked 2 years ago by Kristal Rose in New Jersey
Latest answer by Jeffrey Epstein MD, FACS
Question viewed 11,009 times

I'm considering having a procedure to thin my nose. In the pictures, I always turn to the side because my nose looks nice from a side angle, but you can see in my front view my nose is a bit too wide. The bridge isn't wide though (it's straight, no bumps) and because I like my side profile I'd like to avoid having my nose broken in surgery. Would a tip-plasty help? I would just ask to make the tip thinner and make it a bit more pointed. Could tip-plasty achieve a more pleasing front view or would I need Rhinoplasty?

17 answers to Rhinoplasty or Tip Plasty for Thinner Nose?

Tip-plasty or More?

Based on looking at your photo, I would suggest that tip-plasty alone would probably not do you justice, possibly leaving you dissatisfied with your result. To achieve an optimal result, your surgeon should consider your goals, concerns and integrate that with expertise in facial and nasal balance and proportion. The idea of breaking the nasal bones is intimidating to many patients, but don't sell yourself short by placing restrictions on techniques before a proper analysis... more

Paul C. Zwiebel, MD
Denver Plastic Surgeon

Tip-plasty is a Rhinoplasty

A Rhinoplasty is a complex operative procedure with the goal of creating a harmonious beautiful balanced nose. There are multiple components of the nose that create the overall appearance. An experienced rhinoplasty surgeon makes a series of decisions concerning what part of the nose requires modification and how to accomplish this. There are infinite possibilities that come together to produce a beautiful proportional nose. It is very rare that a nose will appear attractive and... more

Richard L. Dolsky, MD
Philadelphia Plastic Surgeon

Rhinoplasty for Thinner Nose

The decision about whether to limit the surgery to just the tip or to do some minor work to the bridge needs to be made in conjunction with your surgeon and you. However, given what you have described, more than likely limited tip work, which would include refining the tip and conservatively rotating up the nasal tip and reducing its tendency to get pulled down with smiling, would be sufficient. see video

Jeffrey Epstein MD, FACS
Miami Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.plasticsurgeryoftheface.com

Rhinoplasty for a thinner nose

Rhinoplasty is a popular and effective surgery to recontour the shape of your nose. There are many techniques that a surgeon to perform during your rhinoplasty. They can use suture or remove a small portion of cartilage change the shape of your nasal tip and make it more narrow or more defined. If the middle portion of nose is your biggest concern, they can move your nasal bones to change their shape and make your nose more narrow. For best results, you should only work with a... more

B. Pat Pazmino, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

Rhinoplasty is better option

A tip plasty is only performed to reduce the thickness and width of the actual nasal tip itself. A full rhinoplasty is done to improve the entire nose including the tip and the bridge. It appears that your bridge is also wide as well as the tip, and it appears that the entire rhinoplasty should be performed based on the pictures presented.

William Portuese, MD
Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.seattlefacial.com

Tip rhinoplasty will refine nasal tip but the bony vault will look too wide

A tip rhinoplasty can refine your tip. Be sure to discuss with your surgeon the fact that you will likely need a cartilage graft on the tip to give a refined tip appearance-simply removing and remodelling the tip cartilage you have will be disappointing for you.It is very important to add a tip graft and strut graft to achieve a refined nasal tip appearance.The bony portion of your nose will look disproportionally wide after a tip rhinoplasty. You need to have the upper bony part narrowed... more

Brooke R. Seckel, MD
Boston Plastic Surgeon

Nasal Balance

I have on occasion done only a tip-plasty. However, it is impossibe to give you a definitive answer without seeing a full set of nasal pictures. You don't want a narrower tip that is then out of proportion with the rest of the nose. Have a thorough examination with an experienced rhinoplasty surgeon.

Richard W. Fleming, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

Rhinoplasty versus Tip plasty

Hi Kristal Rose, A tip plasty would only provide you with small improvement. Although it would provide you a more refined and elevated nasal tip, it wouldn't address the width of the upper 2/3s over your nose. If you reduced the nasal tip and neglected the upper portion of your nose, it would disrupt the harmony between different nasal subunits. It would make the upper nose look significantly wider and larger in proportion to your nasal tip. You should be prepared to have the upper... more

Sam Jejurikar, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Rhinoplasty or Tiplasty for Narrower Nose?

Hi Kristal, Rhinoplasty is all about balance and harmony. Your nasal lines should flow from your medial eyebrow smoothly to your tip defining point (the tip of your nose that light reflection is seen). Your entire nose should be evaluated carefully prior to surgery. In some cases the tip is narrowed, the middle third is slightly widened with spreader grafts, and the upper third (bones) are not "broken", especially if there is not a dorsal hump to be reduced. All patients are... more

Michael A. Persky, MD
Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

It is a rhinoplasty

The nose is a complex 3D structure. Changes in one area will affect the appearance of another area. If you only thin and narrow the tip, it may create an unnatural look. This is because narrowing the tip may make the upper nose look wider then it already is. If the nasal bones are also narrowed, it will probably create a more natural and beautiful looking result. This can be done without significantly changing the appearance of your profile.

John Diaz, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

A Rose by any other name...

Kristal, From the limited view photo that you have posted it appears that your bone structure is very wide. It is most likely that if you thin your tip, you will also have to thin your nasal bones to match in order to maintain smooth nasal lines. Good luck!

Kenneth R. Francis, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

The different parts of the nose have to fit together.

Dear Krystal Rose, It's hard to be absolutely sure without examining you, but you probably need a full rhinoplasty. Most people do. This can certainly be done without changing your profile. You see, the top, middle, and tip of the nose must fit together smoothly. If you only narrow the tip with a tip-plasty (which can be done), the upper part of your nose which looked fine before can suddenly look too wide next to the new narrow tip. Having the nose "broken" sounds scary, but it... more

George J. Beraka, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Tip plasty for thinner nose

You have to be prepared to have the nasal bones broken even when you go for a tipplasty. After doing a tip plasty the upper half of the nose (bony part) might look wider and not in balance. That necessitates breaking the bones and making the upper half narrow as well. Its all about balance. I don't see your front view, so I cannot tell if a tip plasty alone will work for you. You might also need alar wedge excisions if the base is wide. Regards

Tanveer Janjua, MD
Bedminster Facial Plastic Surgeon

Tip-plasty to "thin" nose

Yes a tip-plasty can be done, but In my experience in over 30 yrs.,to achieve a thin look I would reccomend a full rhinoplasty to achieve your goals. This would allow for three dimensional reconcilliation of the bridge to the new tip. The bridge can be narrowed without changing your profile as it relates to your tip.

Barry H. Dolich, MD
Bronx Plastic Surgeon

Rhinoplasty vs. Tiplasty

Tiplasty is a form of rhinoplasty whereby only the nasal tip is operated on. If you are not concerned with the width of your nose or any humps that may be present then tiplasty would suffice but I would caution you to listen to what your plastic surgeon says during your consultation. You may go into the consultation thinking you need a certain procedure but once you explain your concerns to your surgeon you might need a different operation. Thus, be open to various procedures. The way you... more

Elan B. Singer, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Dont Let The Terminology Fool You, Tip-Plasty is A Rhinoplasty

A wide tip is one of the most frequent reasons that patients consider undergoing nose reshaping surgery. It is possible to narrow the width of the tip and/or the width of the nostril walls without changing the bridge and (potentially) without breaking the nasal bones. There are alot of confusing terms related to nose surgery -- rhinoplasty, tip-plasty, finesse rhinoplasty, etc, etc, etc -- Dont let gimicky terminology fool you. Any surgery that changes the shape of the nose is a... more

C. Spencer Cochran, MD
Dallas Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.rhinoplasty-usa.com

Tip Plasty

Dear Ms. Rose, Not to be picky but Rhinoplasty surgeons usually base their recommendations on at least 6 standardized views of the nose (sometimes 3 more with you smiling to check upper lip and down pointing of the nasal tip when you smile). The nice picture you submitted is a slightly turned / oblique viewwith a hint of upper gum exposure when smiling - not a frontal AP view. Nonetheless, if all that bothers you is the tip - then only have a tip rhinoplasty. There is no law that would force... more