Can a mild bifid nose tip be caused by scratching it too much as a kid? (Photo)

Question

I did not have a dent on my nose for most of my years as a kid or when born. (based off old pics) When I was 9 I scratched it a lot until it bruised and scarred. I finally stopped at one point and waited for the scarring to go away. The bruising was exact same shape of the dent on my nose now. I'm worried that doing this caused the dent on my nose and made my nose grow differently then it should've grown. No one else in my family has this. I'm 20 yrs old F.

Ritchie Younger, MD · Answer

If you have been scratching your nose with a surgical scalpel-you may have aggravated this development.  Otherwise, normal development of your nasal infrastructure (specifically your lower lateral cartilages) may lead to a space between the cartilages-and when your thin skin drapes over this shallow trough between the cartilages-you get a groove-what we call a bifid tip.  If it is driving you crazy-see a talented and experienced board certified Facial Plastic Surgeon with a tremendous amount of rhinoplasty experience-and he or she can readily shift this bifid tip to a distant memory ....with a little bit of skilled surgery !  Good luck to you !!

Johnson C. Lee, MD · Answer

Thank you for your photo. It is very unlikely that the scratching from your childhood caused your the appearance of your tip. This is a very common appearance in people with thinner skin over their nose where you can see the natural space between the cartilages. This can be corrected by surgery to close the space or non-surgically with filler off-label to fill in the area. Hope this helps!Johnson C. Lee, MD
Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
IG: @drjohnsonlee

William Portuese, MD · Answer

The bifid nasal tip is caused by cartilage forms in the embryo phase during the development of the nose. There's a left half in a right half of the nose that come together in the womb,  and this is simply an cleavage plane between the two cartilages which is normal.

Michael Elam, MD (retired) · Answer

Dear Junekayismay, It is highly unlikely that any scratching could cause the dent you are seeing on your nose. This is just the natural outline of the cartilages you can see through the skin. It is not uncommon for  family members to have differences in their nasal anatomy. If it bothers you this can be fixed with rhinoplasty surgery.  Best regards, Michael V. Elam, M.D.

Can a mild bifid nose tip be caused by scratching it too much as a kid? (Photo)

Answers (4)

Answer: Could Scratching Nose Cause a Bifid Tip

Answer: Could Scratching Nose Cause a Bifid Tip

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Can a mild bifid nose tip be caused by scratching it too much as a kid? (Photo)

Answers (4)

Answer: Could Scratching Nose Cause a Bifid Tip

Answer: Could Scratching Nose Cause a Bifid Tip

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Rhinoplasty

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