Alarplasty for Wide Nose? (photos)

Question

Am I a good candidate for alarplasty alone? I dislike how wide my nose is especially when smiling and I am looking to make it smaller and narrower. My local surgeon said I can simply get a Weir excision. Another surgeon told me I need to add more to my central structure to get effective results. I do not want to have a true rhinoplasty.

David C. Yao, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for sharing. The photos suggest that your nose could need more tip support (consistent with one opinion you have had). If you don't want a tip rhinoplasty, then an alarplasty could improve your noticibly and may be enough to make you happy. The highest level of treatment is to have the tip rhinoplasty but an alarplasty is an option. See a board certified rhinoplasty surgeon to be assessed fully. Best wishes!

Manish H. Shah, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello lazibunni - Thanks for your question. I actually agree with the 2nd surgeon. An alarplasty alone will imbalance your base width relative to your tip width. If you narrow the base than you really should narrow the tip for balance. Get a few recommendations before you commit to surgery. This procedure can easily be done in the office under local anesthesia. Good luck, Dr. Shah

William Portuese, MD · Answer

And a large plastic procedure accomplishes narrowing wide nostrils by placement of an incision at the base of them. The nose will still widen with animation after an alarplasty procedure

Raj P. TerKonda, MD · Answer

An alarplasty decreases the flaring of nostrils, but it will not change the widening when you smile. The nostril size can be made smaller or left the same with alarplasty.  It's difficult to judge what you need without having photos of the entire nose including the bottom.  I hope this helps you make a good decision.

James Fernau, MD, FACS - Account Suspended · Answer

Thank you for your question and photographs.I don’t think you would be happy with the results from just an alarplasty but possibly an alarplasty and some tip refinement would give you more pleasing results. A tip rhinoplasty includes trimming the lower lateral cartilages and placing precision sutures to refine the tip and make it look more pleasing. An alarplasty is the technique that is commonly used for nostril reduction and this procedure consists of making an incision on the inside or outside of the nostrils then removing a specific amount of tissue. I hope this helps. Best of luck in your endeavors!Sincerely,

James Fernau, MD, FACSBoard Certified ENTBoard Certified Plastic SurgeryMember of ASPS, ASAPS, ISAPS, The Rhinoplasty Society, AAFPRS, OTO/HNS, ASLMS, International Federation for Adipose Therapeutics & Science

James Fernau, MD, FACSBoard Certified ENTBoard Certified Plastic SurgeryMember of ASPS, ASAPS, ISAPS, The Rhinoplasty Society, AAFPRS, OTO/HNS, ASLMS, International Federation for Adipose Therapeutics & Science

Alarplasty for Wide Nose? (photos)

Answers (5)