Alarplasty or full nose job? (Photo)

Question

Am I a good candidate for alarplasty or should I get a full rhinoplasty? I don't have a problem with my bridge but the tip and nostrils bother me so bad. I've heard of awake alarplasty am I a good candidate for this and if so does that fix the tip or no?

John Michael Thomassen, MD · Answer

I would recommend a tip rhinoplasty to both reduce alar width and narrow the tip as well.  If you do one without the other the different areas would not be proportional to one another.

Andrew Miller, MD · Answer

While you don't really need a full rhinoplasty, I would at least do a tip plasty because the tip needs to be a bit more triangular. Currently, it is more trapezoidal, and if you only perform alarplasty at this point, it won't look any better. But if the tip is refined at the same time, it will be much more balanced. Be sure to see a rhinoplasty specialist for consultation.

Eric M. Joseph, MD · Answer

Based on your photos, you appear to have thin nasal skin, with narrow internal nasal valves (your mid-bridge), and a bulbous tip with flaring nostrils. In our experience, rhinoplasty to address your entire nose and airway may be better than isolated alarplasty. Hope this helps! Dr Joseph

David M. Kowalczyk, MD, MBA, FACS · Answer

Good Afternoon! An alarplasty can be very effective for improving nostril width. The important thing is to not be overly aggressive with the reduction. In most cases, I'm doing around 3 mm per side. Too much narrowing without balancing the tip can make the tip and lower third look pinched. You have a very nice profile. You can elect for a tiplasty with alar base reduction which would leave the upper two-thirds of your nose alone. Hope this helps!

Robert Ciardullo, MD · Answer

Alarplasty versus Rhinoplasty: an alerplasty by definition is a tuck of the nostrils. It narrows the base of the nostrils where the nostrils attached to the face. It does not affect the tip. a nasal tip plasty is a procedure designed to refine the tip of the nose . A rhinoplasty is a general term which includes procedures done on all parts of the nose. You can have an alar plasty alone, an alar plasty combined with a nasal tip plasty, or a full rhinoplasty including the nostrils nasal tip nasal dorsum, etc. It does appear that you have a slightly bulbous nasal tip, so you might want to consider nasal tip plasty along with alarplasty. Alarplasty can easily be done under local and usually is. Nasal tip plasty can also be done under local but requires a couple more shots of local in the tip of the nose which is somewhat sensitive.

William Portuese, MD · Answer

An alar plasty simply accomplishes narrowing wide nostrils with a small incision placed at the base of the nostrils and excising a few millimeters of skin and then sewing up that incision. The procedure can very easily be performed under local anesthesia as an outpatient procedure. General anesthesia is not required.

Darryl J. Blinski, MD · Answer

I would offer tip rhinoplasty with alar wedge resection + file of bony nasal bones on their sides, almost a full rhinoplasty. Fee $8,500.

Alarplasty or full nose job? (Photo)

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