Which would you recommend; Alarplasty or Tip plasty? (photos)

Don't compartmentalize your nose. To have beautiful, harmonious proportions you need to address the nose completely, although the degree of change can be individualized based on your goals.Your pictures suggest that you may benefit from tip refinement and alar reduction. Tip refinement would include narrowing the tip and likely increasing rotation (upward tilt) slightly. Nostril (alar) reduction would be designed to decrease the width of the "sill" (the bottom of the nostril at the lip), which would narrow the width of the base of the nose. Your bridge would likely benefit from narrowing as well, although your pictures do not show the bridge fully. Good luck. Good question.

The nose appears to be wide in the nostrils and that can be corrected with alarplasty very well.  The nasal tip also lacks definition with prominent lower lateral cartilages which can be defined with the tip-plasty.This is different than a full rhinoplasty as no nasal dorsal work will be needed and there would be no osteotomies.RegardsDr. J

Based on your limited photos, you appear to have both flaring nostrils and a bulbous tip on front view. During rhinoplasty surgery, your tip cartilages may be reconstructed to reveal a narrower appearance, and your nostrils may be narrowed to decrease your nostril flaring. Hope this helps you.Thank you.Dr Joseph

An alar plasty accomplishes narrowing wide nostrils. A tip plasty accomplishes narrowing wide nasal tip cartilages, also known as the lower lateral cartilages of the tip. Both procedures accomplish different goals.

If you are satisfied with the profile of the bridge of your nose and the narrowness of the upper part of your nose, then a carefully performed tip plasty to narrow and shape the tip cartilages may do just fine.I tend to be very conservative about alarplasty because it can potentially narrow the nostrils and make breathing through the nostrils more difficult.  Also, a tip plasty may alter the perceived flare so that it is not as noticeable.Oftentimes, subtle refinement of the nose may be all that is needed -- and even your best friends will never know.Elliot W. Jacobs, MD, FACSNew York City