Is this a tension nose? (Photo)

Yes you do have a tension nose. This is not a typical question from a patient. When I see a patient like yourself, I would indicate to them that they have a tension nose because this diagnosis has some clinical significance. In a tension nose, the dorsal hump is maintaining the tip projection and if the hump is reduce the tip would loose its projection and would remain under projected with a supratip fullness and deformity. A columella strut would need to be done to maintain the tip projection, especially if the medial crurae of the lower lateral cartilages are week. We test for that by pushing on the tip and feeling the resistance with the finger tip. I am sure any good rhinoplasty expert would be aware of the need to protect tip projection, if you were to decide to have a rhinoplasty. If they don’t mention this to you, you should seek another opinion.

A tension nose occurs when there is a prominent nasal dorsal hump and an under-rotated nasal tip. This leads to an overly prominent nose with a droopy appearance. Treating the tension nose can be tricky, because removing the hump can lead to loss of tip support leading to drooping of the tip. This is not a difficult issue to treat, but the nasal tip must be supported. As always, be sure to see an experienced rhinoplasty surgeon for evaluation and treatment.