Hanging Columella: What does recovery look like for surgery just on the tip/columella? (photos)

Question

I have hated the "hook" on my nose and now, at 43, I am considering rhinoplasty. However, I'd like a conservative approach and worry about downtime. Can this be fixed with natural results? What does recovery look like if we isolate the procedure to the tip/ columella?

Robert Ciardullo, MD · Answer

Tip plasty versus full rhinoplasty: theoretically a tip plasty can be performed in lieu of a full rhinoplasty. The bruising and swelling is less and the recovery quicker. However I have found over the years that very few people , perhaps 1% or less, are good candidates for a tip plasty only. In most people a tip plasty reducing the width and projection of the tip without changing the rest of the nose creates a disharmony among the components. With all of the modalities we currently have to minimize bruising and swelling, and speed up the recovery process very few people have bruising that lasts beyond 10 days. So recovery is not as big issue as it used to be in the past when most people got much more bruised and swollen and it lasted much longer.

Poyraz Sahin, MD · Answer

It can be done with only tipplasty with closed approach if you want natural result. I agree with you about hanging columella is the most problem of your nose

William Portuese, MD · Answer

From the limited photos, it appears you're going to need to perform an entire rhinoplasty to ensure all components of the nose are balanced with themselves, and the entire new nose balances with your facial features three-dimensionally. With a closed rhinoplasty It is possible to reduce the hanging columella, narrow the bridge line, refine the nasal tip, and add a spreader graft on the right side where there's a concavity in the midportion of the nose. All the incisions replaced on the inside of the nose.

Hanging Columella: What does recovery look like for surgery just on the tip/columella? (photos)

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Hanging Columella: What does recovery look like for surgery just on the tip/columella? (photos)

Answers (3)

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Everything you need to know about Rhinoplasty

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.