I feel like my nose gets really big when smiling or laughing, is their a way to fix it? (photo)

Question

Ross A. Clevens, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question. I suggest that you move forward and consult with a board certified facial plastic surgeon.
Best wishes,

Richard G. Reish, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello and thank you for your question. Based on your
photograph, you may benefit from a tip refining rhinoplasty. Your surgeon can
accomplish this by trimming, suturing, and reshaping the cartilage in your
lower nose.   Make sure you specifically look at before and after
pictures of real patients who have had this surgery performed by your surgeon
and not just a computer animation system. The most important
aspect is to find a surgeon you are comfortable with. I recommend that you seek
consultation with a qualified board-certified plastic surgeon who can evaluate
you in person.
Best wishes and good luck.
Richard G. Reish, M.D.
Harvard-trained plastic surgeon

Karthik Ram, MRCS, DNB · Answer

Hi thanks for your concern,well  additional views will help to comment further,however as you desire the broad ala and nasal base can be addressed by alarplasty and cephalic trim can also be done.Do consult a board certified plastic surgeon have a detailed discussions and then go ahead with the procedure.Good luck

William Portuese, MD · Answer

Thick skin is an impediment to seeing refinement the tip of the nose when performing a rhinoplasty.  There are some  maneuvers that can help narrow the nose both statically and dynamically.  This should best be addressed at the time the consultation and examination.

Ziyad Hammoudeh, MD · Answer

Thank you for sharing your photo.  On front view, it appears as though you do have some widening of your nostrils with smiling.  The nostril width is wider than the medial canthus (middle corner of the eye) bilaterally.  This can be corrected by an excision around the base of the nostril, which can make a big difference for many patients.  Some patients also have plunging of the nasal tip with smiling down toward the lip; it is difficult to tell if that is the case for you without a side photograph.  A plunging tip can be corrected with a columellar strut graft using your own cartilage.  With a rhinoplasty, the overall tip shape would be able to be refined, including cartilage trimming and suture shaping to achieve the best overall aesthetic result.
Ziyad Hammoudeh, MD

I feel like my nose gets really big when smiling or laughing, is their a way to fix it? (photo)

Answers (5)