How can I get my nose bridge to look less prominent? What are the risks? (Photo)

     The bridge can be narrowed through a closed rhinoplasty approach.  This will balance the nasal shape.Kenneth Hughes, MDLos Angeles, CA

A careful history and physical examination would need to be performed to develop a surgical plan.  A rhinoplasty surgery can be performed to help refine the bridge.  The procedure would typically entail osteotomies to help reset the bones. 

The bridge can be narrowed to give your nose a better balance overall. This can be accomplished with osteotomies and possibly a tiny removal of some of the widened bone so the nasal bones can come in some. The risks are minimal as long as an experienced rhinoplasty surgeon performs the procedure, but can include bleeding, scarring, and a small chance of bony asymmetry afterwards.

It appears from the photos that you have a wide bridge (wide nasal bones) that can be narrowed by osteotomies.  This will enhance the appearance of your nose from a front view - the side view gives a pleasant profile.  Additional tip and bridge refinement can be done if you so desire.  All of the above can be done by closed rhinoplasty.  The risks are low in good hands.  Seek a board certified rhinoplasty specialist with a lot of experience.  He should be able to explain the risks in his own experience.

It appears that you have a broad nasal dorsum that primarily involves the bony portion of the nasal bridge.  In order to narrow and shape this area you will require osteotomies to the nasal bones.  These are carefully performed cuts within the bone to move them to the new desired location.  Rhinoplasty has several risks and potential complications that anyone who is going to operate on you will undoubtedly cover with you.  In your particular situation, asymmetry of the bridge, not being able to narrow the bridge as much as you had anticipated, and overly narrowing the bridge are potential risks, but not likely to occur in the hands of a skilled rhinoplasty surgeon.

I see that your nasal bones are broad, flat, and asymmetrical. This could be congenital or a result of previous nasal trauma. Well-performed rhinoplasty surgery may be considered, and you may benefit from consulting several rhinoplasty specialists so you could see what might be best for you.Hope this helps you.Dr. Joseph

There are a number of ways to narrow the bridge of the nose. These all involve cutting the bones to narrow them with what are called osteotomies. A personal exam, with computer imaging helps in determining how much we can narrow your nose since it's important to actually feel you nose and nasal bones to determine how much it can be narrowed. 

There exists a very delicate maneouver to reduce the dorsum in width but not in depth (this would lead to a saddle nose in your case of non-prominent bridge), it consists in inserting a Joseph's manual saw and cut away few mm of doral bone and also the same mm from dorsal cartilage (in this case by knife, obviously, and not by saw), and then apply the tradional internal in-fractures.You'll be very happy with this rhinoplasty, however few surgeons know how to do it, even regular rhinoplasty practitioners, so do reassure with the doctor in charge he knows EXACTLY how to do the above described technique.

Reshaping the nasal bones is a critical step in rhinoplasty. In fact, hump deformities or wideness in this area is certainly among the most common requests in rhinoplasty. Most of the time removal of bone is minimal, but the bones can be relocated or reshaped by using osteotomies (cuts in the bone). Each case is different, and a detailed consultation is required to find out exactly what would serve your goals.

The width of the nose is controlled by the nose bones and cartilages. We gently move the bones in and delicately adjust the width of the cartilages, making every effort to minimize any ill effects on the breathing. When there are preexisting breathing problems we eliminate those at the same time. You have a wide nose involving all of these structures and it  can be narrowed in harmonious fashion. You nose will require a wedge removal of the bones between the side walls and the septum to allow the side walls to be moved in. Otherwise the surgery may not succeed. You can consult a surgeon who is experienced in rhinoplasty since your rhinoplasty is going to require more finesse than average. Good Luck.