How to Treat Alar Retraction?

This is one of the trickier problems to fix in rhinoplasty. With alar retraction, there is a deficiency of soft tissue which cause the nostril margins to be too high. To create a small degree of lowering of the ala (1-2mm), small cartilage grafts can be inserted within the soft tissue of the ala. These alar rim grafts also provide benefit by strengthening the nostril margin.

For more than 2mm of reduction, some additional skin needs to be added to further push the alar margin down. Just a skin graft is too flimsy to accomplish this. So a graft in which skin and cartilage is incorporated together taken from the ear (a composite graft) is inserted into an incision on the inner aspect of the nostril margin. This allows for significant (up to 3-4 mm) lowering of the ala.

Alar retraction can be due to weak or vertically angled cartilages of the tip. It can also be an illusion caused by drooping of the columella (the skin separating the 2 nostrils at the base of the nose). Columellar 'show' or drooping can be from weak tip cartilages or an overgrown septum.
Obviously, the issue can be quite complex. The correct solution to your problem depends on your anatomy. It can involve any combination of shaving the septum, adding cartilage grafts (alar rim grafts) to the nostril edge, or grafting to the columella to provide strength and tip elevation.
This is an issue that requires an examination by an experienced nasal surgeon.
Best of luck

That question is hard to answer without seeing photos of you and knowing your medical history. If you have had a prior rhinoplasty most likely you will need revision work and treatment of the underlying problem with cartilage grafts and correction of tip projection issues.
If you have never had surgery before then you will probably need some form of grafting to bring down the sidewalls. It could be done under local but that would be challenging. If you post photos of your nose and give us some additional information we could answer your question more accurately. Hope this helps.