Can a Plastic Surgeon Remove Skin During Rhinoplasty?

Question

Can a plastic surgeon remove skin during rhinoplasty to make it narrow? If yes, does it look abnormal? Are there are any risks?

Toby Mayer, MD · Answer

If you mean can skin be removed from the bridge of the nose--No. It will leave a scar. The base can be narrowed with skin removal.

Thomas A. Lamperti, MD · Answer

Skin can be removed during rhinoplasty using alar base reductions to remove wedges of skin from the nostril area. This would help narrow the base of the nose. This can be done safely and where the nose looks natural afterward.

	Other than that it isn't typical to remove skin from the nose. Even in cases where the nose is made smaller, the skin will shrink wrap down to the new size. There are limits to how much shrink wrapping can be done; this is where we must assess the nasal anatomy to make sure we don't overdo making the nasal reduction.

William Portuese, MD · Answer

The rhinoplasty procedure is not a skin procedure, but a sculpting of cartilage and bone, the skin just re-drapes over the new cartilaginous and bony framework.  Any excision of skin would make a visible scar along the dorsal aesthetic lines of the nose and would be cosmetically unacceptable.

Peter E. Johnson, MD · Answer

The skin removed during rhinoplasty is limited to the base of the nose and if needed columella for open rhinoplasty. The skin over the bridge of the nose will shrink to fit the new nasal shape and form and need not be removed.
	Best of luck, peterejohnsonmd.com

Jason Litner, MD · Answer

Hi Sono,

	You've asked a good question. Skin excision is not typically done in the majority of rhinoplasties. However, when significant deprojection is desired and accomplished, it is possible to remove some excess skin from the open rhinoplasty incision. In fact, this is another specific advantage of the open technique.

	Skin is also removed as part of an alar base reduction procedure to narrow the nostrils.

	All the best,

Can a Plastic Surgeon Remove Skin During Rhinoplasty?

Answers (7)

Answer: Skin removed during rhinoplasty

Answer: Skin removed during rhinoplasty

Answer: Skin excision is possible during rhinoplasty

Answer: Skin excision is possible during rhinoplasty

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Everything you need to know about Rhinoplasty

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Can a Plastic Surgeon Remove Skin During Rhinoplasty?

Answers (7)

Answer: Skin removed during rhinoplasty

Answer: Skin removed during rhinoplasty

Answer: Skin excision is possible during rhinoplasty

Answer: Skin excision is possible during rhinoplasty

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Rhinoplasty

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