What Are the Signs of a Large Nasal Spine and What Can Be Done About It?

A  prominent nasal spine  is composed of the bone of the maxilla which supports the floor of the nose.  In some patients, its quite large and  can tether  the upper lip. A prominent and hanging columella can also be present in addition to a large nasal spine. Conservative cartilage trimming along with skin membranes on this area  can reduce the signs of prominence of the nasal spine and tuck in the columella. Trimming back a prominent spine and columella will also shorten the nose in the vertical dimension.  All this can be performed with the closed rhinoplasty approach with all incisions placed on the inside of the nose itself. For examples similar to this problem, please see the  link below

  If the caudal septum is prominent and creates a less than favorable nasolabial angle, the caudal septum and the spine can be reduced.  Find the plastic surgeon with ELITE credentials who performs hundreds of rhinoplasties each year.  Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

The nasal spine lies below the skin at the junction of the nose and the lip. How it feels to touch is not as important as how it looks. If it is prominant it can blunt the nasolabial angle and this may not be ideal for your facial features. In my practice I modify the nasal spine to sharpen the nasolabial angle when needed but it has no bearing on the overall length.