Can an alarplasty make my nose sharper? (photos)

Question

My nostrils are large and my nose wings are wide. Can just do alarplasty make my nose more exquisite? How much does it cost? I'm Chinese. I'm 27 years old.thank you

Donald B. Yoo, MD, FACS · Answer

An alarplasty will improve the width and flare of the nostrils, but your tip and bridge can also be addressed during rhinoplasty surgery to maintain an attractive balance. Projecting the tip of your nose and making it slightly taller will make it appear smaller and more refined from the frontal view.  A rhinoplasty specialist will be able to comprehensively address the issues you have with your nose. While there are a variety of approaches and techniques employed by various surgeons, it is up to you to do your due diligence to find a rhinoplasty specialist in order to achieve the best results possible. Looking at computer-morphed images with your surgeon during consultation will give you a good idea of what is possible, and also give you a great chance to convey to your surgeon what you envision. @drdonyoo @asianrhinoplasty

Stephen J. Pincus, MD · Answer

Every time you bring the nostrils in to reduce flaring, you make the tip appear slightly more prominent! So it has to be done with that in mind. In your particular case, you would be best served with a tip graft to increase the tip projection and produce tip narrowing. That would allow for alar reduction and keep the proportions in proper alignment. There are numerous ways of reducing wide ala nasi, In your case, I would first consider detaching the soft tissue of the lower one half of your nose from its bony attachment. This produces a generalized slight contraction of the lower one half. I might then use a cinching suture. The final step would be a slight excision of nasal floor, if necessary at that point.

Robert Ciardullo, MD · Answer

Can alar plasty make your nose sharper? an alar plasty is performed to narrow the width of the nostril base. It will make the nostril base more narrow but it will not change the tip of the nose. If you want a sharper tip you must also have a nasal tip plasty. An alar plasty can be done as a separate procedure without performing any other aspects of a rhinoplasty or can be done in conjunction with a nasal tip plasty, or in conjunction with a full rhinoplasty.

David M. Kowalczyk, MD, MBA, FACS · Answer

Hello! Yes, an alarplasty can be very effective for creating narrowness of the nose. The procedure is often performed in office under local anesthesia. Small incisions are made underneath the insertion of the nostrils to the lip and roughly 3-4 mm of skin is removed on each side. Too much, and the nose will appear operated and pinched. The results can be quite nice. The procedure costs around $2500-3500 depending obviously on surgeon and region of the country. Seek consultation with a Facial Plastic Surgeon who performs rhinoplasty and base reductions often. Hope this helps!

Can an alarplasty make my nose sharper? (photos)

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