Can a Hanging Columella Make a Nose Look Longer? (photo)

Dear David, You have a significant hanging columella and this certainly adds to the length of your nose.  To shorten your nose, I would recommend dorsal rotation of our lower lateral cartilages as well as a tip graft from your septum or from your ear.  Your nose is very long and thin, and the columella is crowding the dimple in the middle of your upper lip (the philtrum).  By elevating your hanging columella, your will not only shorten your nose but shorten your mid face as well giving more balance to your overall appearance.  

This is the point at which you need to make a consultation with one or more Board Certified plastic surgeons who have experience in the complex rhinoplasty. 

Yes you could benefit from nasal shortening and nasal  tip rotation.  Typically this will increase the length of your upper lip.  Computer imaging would be helpful to give you an  idea of what  can  be achieved with surgery. 

There are multiple issues that can be improved upon!  We need a full set of photos and a discussion with you to be able to give you more detailed plan.  An in-person evaluation is a must.  Good luck!

Looking at the photo, I think you are a good candidate to have rhinoplasty surgery to address the hanging columella issue. In some cases, like yours, the nose can indeed look longer than it should or could. In the hands of a good rhinoplasty surgeon, your tip and columella can be reshaped to provide you with a nice, natural looking result. I have included a link below to a recent patient post that highlights ethnic (Middle Eastern) rhinoplasty surgery to correct a hanging columella issue. Good luck with your search.

Treating your hanging columella and droopy tip can make your nose look less long. Preoperative computer morphing of your nose can allow you to better see what changes can be made and how that will look on your face.

Check out my web reference link below to learn more about hanging columella repair.

Overall length of the nose can definately be influenced by a hanging columella and under-rotated nasal tip. Reducing the columellar show by removing the caudal or end portion of the nasal septum and perhaps some of the membranous portion along with tip rotation can shorten the nose. Tip rotation in a male, however, should be done more conservatively to avoid a feminized appearance. Consultation with a qualified surgeon including computer imaging can help you visualize the type of results that can be achieved to bring your nasal appearance in harmony with the rest of your facial features.

Yes have an operation to correct this issue. Best to seek ONLY in person evaluations. 

It is difficult to say if you have a true hanging columella, a droopy tip, or alar retraction without seeing other views and examining you in person. All three have different treatments.

you have a long nose with significant alar columella disproportion. A rhinoplasty can address your concerns in a variety of ways. A consult with computer imaging will help you best communicate with your surgeon and visualize your "new nose". 

The answer is yes to all your questions.

The hanging columella is caused by a long septum and larger lower lateral cartilages.

The septum can be shortened and the lower and upper lateral cartilages trimmed and repositioned to shorten your nose.

This will make your nose appear to be wider as it changes the balance of the tip to the whole nose.