Alarplasty & tip plasty? Or full rhinoplasty? (Photos)

A conservative rhinoplasty including just the tip and alar reeducation would be okay.  I don't think a full rhinoplasty is necessary since you don't have a nasal hump and your bridge is not in need of narrowing. I'd keep it pretty basic and simple.

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. You may also benefit from alar base reduction.  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

I need to see a full set of photos as described on my website and others. Since we want to make all the parts of the nose balance with each other a full rhinoplasty is usually needed. See a very experienced surgeon for this. 

Dear Nosejobsummer2017,without a photo or in-person examination it is impossible to tell what would be the best option for you. I would recommend you to consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon experienced in rhinoplasty.Daniel Barrett, MD, MHA, MS 
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery 
Member, Am. Society of Plastic Surgery

Leave your dorsum (bridge/upper nose) alone.Straightforward and CONSERVATIVE tip /alar refinement is in order. You have delicate facial features and your nose is already pretty aesthetic, so less is more here.I am not a huge fan of alar base reduction/Weir excisions for reshaping the nostrils - I think they can be obvious, the scars are not always well hidden, and the shape of the nasal scroll can look a bit unnatural. We use surgical simulation in our office to help sort out which techniques make sense for a given patient, where she can see the potential changes for herself and compare different steps in the procedure.

do both alar and tip plasty at the same time.  If your happy with the profile and the dorsum of your nose then don't touch it.  Review the before/after photos of plastic surgeons your interested in and make sure you like their after results.  Andre Aboolian, Plastic Surgeon, Beverly Hills, andreaboolian.com

Improving the nostril width and refining a flaring  tip to achieve an improved natural appearing cosmetic result are frequent requests of patients wanting nasal refinement. It is possible to improve the cosmetic appearance of the tip alone without altering the rest of the nose in some patients. Whether the optimal option in your particular situation would be a tip rhinoplasty alone or a full rhinoplasty would best be determined at a consultation. Either procedure can be performed with a closed or open approach.


Following the advice from a surgeon on this or any other website who proposes to tell you exactly what to do without examining you, physically feeling the tissue, assessing your desired outcome, taking a full medical history, and discussing the pros and cons of the operative procedure would not be in your best interest. I would suggest you find a plastic surgeon with extensive nasal surgery experience who is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and ideally a member of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) or a facial plastic surgeon (ENT) that you trust and are comfortable with. You should discuss your concerns with that surgeon in person. 


Robert Singer, MD FACS


La Jolla,California

  A full set of facial photographs are required to make a determination about the appropriate surgical procedure.  The nose is a 3-dimensional structure, therefore a full rhinoplasty is usually required  to make sure all the components of the nose balance with themselves, and the entire new nose balances with the patient's facial features.

Thank you for the question and I would go on complimentary consultations with experts who use digital photography to show you what can be accomplished with your nose and how it might lookDr Corbin

One always receives the best advice based on a face to face examination, however it appears that you are an excellent candidate for alarplasty and conservative tip-plasty.  I agree with you that your bridge should be left alone.Best wishes,Jon A Perlman MD FACS 

Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery 

Member, ASAPS, ASPS

Extreme Makeover Surgeon, ABC TV

Best of Los Angeles Award 2015, 2016 

Beverly Hills, Ca