Can my wide ethnic nose be made smaller. What changes would you suggest?

Hi there,

 

I think you can gain significant improvement in your large,
ethnic nose.  But I want to caution you
that the goal would be improvement, not perfection.  Given the thickness of your skin (a common
issue with Ethnic Rhinoplasty), I don’t think a dramatically smaller nose will
be achievable, nor do I think it would be desirable in your case.  I would worry that making your nose too small
would not be harmonious with the rest of your face, and this would leave you
with an unnatural appearance.

 

To improve your nose, I would perform the following: tip
refinement with cartilage grafting for increased tip definition and support;
wide lateral osteotomies for narrowing of the width of the nose; dorsal
augmentation (either using your own cartilage or a Gortex graft) in order to
build up the dorsum, which will also give the nose a more narrowed result; alar
base (nostril) narrowing; and, conservative thinning of the overlying nasal
skin and soft tissue to further enhance tip refinement.  I would likely perform this through an open
approach, though an endonasal rhinoplasty could achieve the same result.

 

Good luck!

 

 

Dr. Alexander

It is possible to narrow the bride of your nose and reduce your bulbous tip. The only area that cannot be altered is the thickness of your normal nasal skin. For that reason, the skin must conform to the new shape if you undergo a rhinoplasty. Specific techniques might include harvesting some of your septum to strengthen and narrow the tip almost like a tent pole. Also, the bones would need to be pushed closer together. Finally, it is likely you would need your nostrils narrowed some at the base to bring them in some as well. Good luck in your area. I would see a facial plastic surgeon with rhinoplasty experience. I saw that you were in Mississippi. There is a very good surgeon in Jackson, Mississippi, Dr. Randall Jordan. Good luck in lyou area.

It is certainly possible to make your bulbous tip and bridge slimmer, and narrower, but the degree of change will be limited by the thickness of your skin.  Meaning, a "dramatic small" nose may not be possible, while a dramatically smaller nose is possible.  Dorsal augmentation, tip refinement and alar base modification would help to slim and refine your nose overall.