Is there a way to make the sides of your nose smaller? Could the bone be shaved down?

Hello and thank you for your question. Surgery would best address your issue- you have what a classic "A frame deformity" which is increased visibility of the inferior edges of the nasal bones, and can happen after a prior rhinoplasty. It is unclear from the pictures and information given if you have had a prior rhinoplasty. The best way to address and correct your issue is surgery, during which osteotomies would need to be performed to break and narrow the nasal bones at the base. Addressing the shape of the nose is actually one of the most common reasons people seek out and undergo a rhinoplasty or revision rhinoplasty procedure- during the surgery any other areas of concern can be addressed at the same time.

In addition to addressing your aesthetic concerns, your septal cartilage (or an off-the-shelf alternative) would be harvested (removed) and turned into multiple cartilage grafts, which would then be secured into different areas of your nose for structural support, including in the columella (middle bottom portion of your nose between your nostrils) to really reinforce the tip and prevent long term alterations/distortions to nose shape.

The open approach is very effective in facilitating complex, precise maneuvers to refine the nasal shape and size to a particular aesthetic and look. Rhinoplasty is arguably the most difficult procedure to perform in all of plastic surgery. I would only recommend going to see a surgeon who feels very comfortable with both primary and revision rhinoplasty procedures, and who has significant training and experience in these types of surgeries. This is a surgery of millimeters, so if the surgeon you're going to only does 1-2 per month, you are not going to get the best result possible.

Of course it is always difficult to provide tentative surgical recommendations, as there is only so much information to be gained from the photos and description provided.

Dr. Donald Groves, our expert facial plastic surgeon, has extensive training and experience with complex rhinoplasty surgeries, so I’d recommend for you to come see him (or another plastic surgeon who is extremely comfortable with rhinoplasties) for a formal consultation to thoroughly discuss your surgical goals, undergo a formal examination, evaluate all your options (surgical and nonsurgical), and decide on the best procedure(s) and type of anesthesia for your specific case. I hope this helps!

Dr. Emer

The area circled in your photograph indicates the place where your nasal bones connect to your cheeks. This area is typically not shaved down. It is typically in-fractured and narrowed utilizing osteotomies. I hope this helps! Sincerely, Dr. Joseph

Treatment for white based nasal bones: narrowing the base of the nasal bones is commonly performed during rhinoplasty. A dorsal hump can be reduced by shaving or “Rasping“, but narrowing the width of the bones is done by cutting the bones where they attach to the face and moving them in closer to each other.