How Can I Reduce Nostril Flare or Size?

This is commonly done, especially in patients of color, to reduce nostril flaring. It is called Alar Base resection. It is an incision on the outside of the nostril base which usually heals very well. One must be very careful when performing an Alar Base resection to prevent excess scarring and nostril asymmetry.

Enlarged flaring nostrils are a relatively common problem. When this situation arises it’s not unusual for patients to request surgical correction. This can be easily accomplished with a procedure known as an alarplasty. This procedure involves resection of the alar base tissue at the junction with the cheek. It decreases the size of the nostril and hopefully minimizes alar flare.
                If you’re considering rhinoplasty surgery to correct enlarged nostrils with alar flare, it’s important to consult a board certified plastic surgeon. This surgeon should be able to formulate a treatment plan that addresses your anatomic findings and achieves your aesthetic goals.

Very good question.  Reducing nostril flare in my opinion is one of the hardest and most commonly incorrectly performed parts of a rhinoplasty.  First of all yes you can reduce your flaring without touching the rest of your nose and I do that often.  Second the pain and downtime is not too bad.  The key is to make sure your surgeon shows you many examples of his or her nostril reductions.  So often the nostrils are left mishapened asymmetric and over reduced. Once this happens it is nearly impossible to correct.  Ask to see what"s called the worms eye view or the base view from underneath.  This shows a lot of these irregularities.  Also make sure you look for the scars as many times it is visible hence defeating the purpose of having the procedure done.  Good luck

In our experience, it is unusual for an isolated alarplasty to be performed without tip work - many with Hispanic flaring nostrils have oily tip skin and sometimes bulbous, droopy nasal tips.Feel free to re-ask your question with photos, or consider consulting with several rhinoplasty specialists so you could see what might be best for you.Hope this helps.Dr Joseph

This is a common correction and can be accomplished with only local anesthesia or mild sedation if you are an anxious type person.  The surgery consists of excising a small amount of the nostril at the lateral base where it meets the cheek.  This is certainly not a major surgery and the downtime is minimal.  You would have sutures in for 1 week.  There are scars in the crease of where the nose meets the cheek.  The most common complication is that the scar is conspicuous after surgery.  This is more common in people with thicker, oilier skin.  Usually the incisions heal well and are difficult to see after a few months.

And it is certainly possible to reduce only the nostril flare and leave the rest of the nose alone. That being said, it is important to make sure the more narrow nasal base continues to be in proportion to the size of the tip. Often nasal flayer surgery (typically called "alar base reduction"), requires incisions placed on the outside of the nose hitting between the nostril and the cheek skin. Perform correctly, it leaves a relatively unnoticeable scar. Furthermore, the nostril size itself can be corrected and reshaped.The limitation to nostril flare size narrowing is that the nostrils wide and upon smiling. The extent to which they wide and is due to the muscle action of the cheeks. This is a variable that cannot be corrected during surgery.