Can you perform successful rhinoplasty on a nose tip with no bone in it?

Question

My nose tip is very squishy. There's hardly any bone in it, and I can press it quite far before I reach the bone. I can also pinch it and drag it around all over the place. I was told (by a doctor which didn't really do anything but confuse me more) that this was difficult to do anything about, as my nose doesn't really have a shape. But he also said that it could be done. He said something about using bone from the ear (?) to build on the bone in the nose. Is this possible, and could that solve this problem? I would also like to point out that I have thick skin, which is another problem. Does this mean I'm not suitable for rhinoplasty?

Toby Mayer, MD · Answer

The tip of the nose can be crafted with cartilage from your septum which is normally present in abundance. If there is not enough one can go to the ear. There is no bone in the nasal tip. See a very experienced surgeon and you should be able to obtain good results from a rhinoplasty.

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

Poor tip support can be improved as well as tip definition using septal or ear cartilage in most cases. Find a plastic surgeon with ELITE credentials who performs hundreds of rhinoplasties each year. Then look at the plastic surgeon's website before and after photo galleries to get a sense of who can deliver the results. Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

William Portuese, MD · Answer

The rhinoplasty procedure involves sculpting and shaping the nasal bones, upper lateral cartilages, and the lower lateral cartilages. The lower lateral cartilages are what make up the tip of the nose. Thick skin does limit what can be accomplished during a rhinoplasty. Sometimes ear cartilage is also necessary for grafting purposes in the nose, but only once the cartilage from the nose has been depleted. Digital computer imaging would be helpful at time of the consultation to understand what can be accomplished with your nose. Please see our rhinoplasty photo gallery below for examples of what can be accomplished with a closed rhinoplasty in our practice.

Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD · Answer

The nasal tip has no bone, only soft cartilages. Your rhinoplasty needs cartilage support to the tip which can come from your septum. There is no reason you can not have a successful rhinoplasty if your expectations are realistic.

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

There is no bone in the nasal tip. It is made of cartilage and pushing down on it may run into the septum which is cartilage.

Can you perform successful rhinoplasty on a nose tip with no bone in it?

Answers (5)