Can Rhinoplasty Make my Long Nose Shorter? (photo)

It is possible to decrease the projection of the nose with rhinoplasty. During a consultation, computer imaging software may be used, which gives the patient an idea of how the final result of surgery may appear. The overall goal is to create a nose that is in harmony with one's other facial features and complements the face. I hope this helps, and I wish you the best of luck. 

I think what you want is your nose set closer to your face, which is known as decreased projection. A long nose is one where the tip droops down too much which is not the situation i see in the photo. You may simply be confusing the terminology and the difference between nasal length and nasal projection. projection refers to how far your nose sticks out from your face. If an overall reduction in the size and projection is what you seek, I think you are a very good candidate. Go on a few consults with plastic surgeons in your area.

Yes it is possible to shorten the nose. Are you looking to decrease the length from the top to bottom or decrease the amount the tip projects away from the face?  Have a computer imaging session with a Rhinoplasty surgeon and explore those options to see what looks good.   Best of luck!

I certainly think your nose could be made shorter.  I agree that computer imaging is an important tool that would help demonstrate changes that could be made with rhinoplasty.  My bias is that it should always be performed by the surgeon, not the office staff so that the doctor is showing you what is actually achievable with surgery based on your particular anatomy, skin thickness, etc.
 

Dear XTeeheeX,

It is difficult to give precise advice because of the small size of the picture. Certainly, your nose can be made smaller, but what jumps out at me is not so much that you have a large nose but that you have a recessive chin. Because of that disproportion of a weak and recessive chin, the rest of the facial features look enlarged, but that is not the main issue.

Computer imaging would be very helpful to you to see the change that a chin implant would make, and then you are going to find that your nose is actually not far out of proportion to the rest of your face by any means.

Best of luck to you.

Robert D. Wilcox, M.D.

Dear Teehee.

Thank you for your question and photo.  Certainly rhinoplasty can shorten a nose.  However, in your case, I don't think the problem is a 'long' nose persay.  You seem to have a slight over projection, but this is exagerated by a chin that is a bit deficient.  From the front view, I suspect that you also have a wide tip that can be sculpted.  It is common to do a chin augmenation at the same time as a rhinoplasty if it is needed.  Schedule a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon that has the capability to show your photograph and alter it to give you an idea of how your face would look with the above recomendations.  It is sometimes hard for a patient to visualize themselves with changes to multiple areas of the face, and this gives them a better idea of what to expect.

Best Wishes,

Pablo Prichard, MD

  A closed Rhinoplasty can shorten a long nose when the vertical length of the entire nose is too long or the tip is droopy. If the tip is already in an excellent position relative to the upper lip, is pretty difficult to shorten the nose without over rotation of the tip. Chin implants are also performed  when a weak chin profile is present  which makes the nose look less projecting. Virtual rhinoplasty software is available our website for you to try out. Digital computer imaging can also be performed performed at the office setting at the time of the consultation and examination.  For more information and many examples of rhinoplasty performed with and without a chin implant, please see the link and the video below

When we are evaluating your nose prior to doing a rhinoplasty, we look at a variety of features that guide what we will be doing specifically  during the surgery. One of the things we evaluate is the length of your nose. Length (in rhinoplasty terms), is how long your nose looks from the side. On the picture you submitted, the length of your nose looks to be about right. Projection, on the other hand, is the term we use for how far your nose sticks out from your face (another term that is meaningless without an explanation). Your picture does show that your nose does look to be a bit over-projected. If this is what you are referring to in your question, the answer is that an experienced rhinoplasty surgeon can bring your nose closer to your face, so that it doesn't look as big. How much closer it should be depends on a variety of things. The best first step would be to consult with an experienced rhinoplasty suregon who offers computer imaging as a part of the consultation. This way, you can see what you would look like when your nose is de-projected (another of our terms), and help choose how much should actually be done during the surgery. Good luck. 

The best way to see how much your nose could be shortened is with some realistic computer imaging done by a plastic surgeon. You should also consider a chin augmentation, which in and of itself, will make your nose look shorter/smaller.

Shortening as well as lengthening the nose are feasible rhinoplasty maneuvers.  Select a surgeon whom you feel comfortable with, one who can show you multiple before and after photos of patients with similar concerns.  I hope this is helpful.  Regards, Andy Shah MD