How to fix wide, upturned nose with prominent nostrils? Surgery vs. fillers?

Question

I’m Asian, and my nose is wide and upturned. How can I narrow it down, and make it less wide? As well as make it tilt more downwards and my nostrils less prominent? Do I need surgery, or would fillers be enough? Since South Korea usually has more experience with Asian noses, should I travel there for the surgery?

Edwin Kwon, MD, FACS · Answer

You have very common characteristics of Asian noses which includes a very flat nasal bridge, bulbous tip, and likely lack of tip projection.  Defining the dorsal aesthetic lines by augmenting your bridge either with filler or surgery will definitely make your nose appear narrower.  However, there are more limitations on what you can achieve with filler on the nasal tip.  The nasal tip will only accommodate so much augmentation with filler and although it can increase your tip projection, it is unlikely to make your tip appear narrower or more refined.  Surgery is the only option to achieve that.
  
It is also difficult to determine whether your nose is short or rotated given the lack of profile photo.  However, you can derotate or lengthen the nose if needed surgically.

Jonathan Kulbersh, MD · Answer

Hello and thank you for your question. I recommend finding a board-certified plastic surgeon here in the U.S. who has experience in ethnic rhinoplasty for your procedure. This way, you can do all your followup with the surgeon after your procedure and you have a local doctor to call if any complications arise. There are many surgeons in the U.S. who have performed numerous ethnic rhinoplasties and can produce the results you want. I also would advise against fillers for your treatment, since this treatment typically adds to the size of the nose. Surgical rhinoplasty can be tailored to your precise needs and facial proportions and the results will be long-lasting.

Donald B. Yoo, MD, FACS · Answer

Nonsurgical rhinoplasty can be used to reshape the nose by adding volume to the nose.  With regards to the tip of the nose, some degree of refinement is possible to reduce the appearance of bulbosity or width of the tip of the nose, but this is limited by the thickness and extensibility of the tip skin.  Often the tip skin will only allow for a certain amount of projection and refinement with fillers.   Strategic placement will often allow for rotation of the tip of the nose, but counter-rotation, or lengthening the nose, is often not possible to any significant degree with nonsurgical rhinoplasty. 
For reducing the flare or width of the nostrils, alar base reduction/alar base modification is the most effective, permanent option.

David Kahng, MD · Answer

Hi,
Your picture is limited but it appears you have an Asian nose anatomy with low to no bridge and upturned tip with no support and no tip shape.  you can do some reshaping of the nose with filler but it will be difficult to obtain a good shape.  your nose is more suited for surgery than non surgical treatments.  surgery for you will consist of augmenting the dorsum and lengthening your nose and giving more support to your tip and reshaping the tip.  I would recommend you see a plastic surgeon who does a lot of Asian rhinoplasty.  you can consider going oversees but you need to consider other cost than just the surgery and possible complications.  hope this helps.
dr david kahng

How to fix wide, upturned nose with prominent nostrils? Surgery vs. fillers?

Answers (4)

Answer: Nose reshaping

Answer: Nose reshaping

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Everything you need to know about Asian Rhinoplasty

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How to fix wide, upturned nose with prominent nostrils? Surgery vs. fillers?

Answers (4)

Answer: Nose reshaping

Answer: Nose reshaping

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Asian Rhinoplasty

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