Revision Rhinoplasty to Shorten a Long Nose?

A long nose is often the result of a droopy tip, so elevating the tip will make the nose look shorter.  This is best accomplished under general anesthesia so that the tip can be properly fixated to the septum or a cartilage graft.  A properly fixated tip will not change position over time.

There are several methods that could be used to shorten the appearance of a long nose based upon your particular anatomy. Find a plastic surgeon with ELITE credentials who performs hundreds of rhinoplasties and rhinoplasty revisions 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

Dear July1990

Thanks for your questions. In my revision practice, this is a common issue.  In all cases the solution is individualized based upon your specific anatomy.  Namely, what is the status of your septum.  Contrary to popular belief, shortening the caudal septum does not guarantee shortening of the nose.  In some cases, all that happens is the tip drops and the nose may actually look longer!  On the other hand, the technique can work if combined with other methods to support the nasal tip.  The septum may not need to be shortened at all.  A number of other possibilities exist, and would be impossible to determine for you (even with photos) without a good exam by an experienced revision rhinoplasty specialist.

With regards to the anesthetic to be used, I would say that few revision surgeries are truly minor, and this may not be.  A local anesthetic may limit the number of maneuvers your surgeon can use, but maybe h/she has experience with doing this. 

At 14 months, most of what is left is scar tissue, but we know that even this can change over time. 

I hope this helps you and good luck!

Dr. Most