Wide Nasal Tip

A wide tip can occur from having a wide nasal base or from having a broad, bulbous tip. Surgeons use several techniques to slim wide, flared or thick nostrils.

What makes up my nostrils?

Often people are surprised to find out that the outer portion of the nostril region (also know as ala) does not have any cartilage in it. The diagram below outlines the anatomy of your nostrils. You can see the white cartilage actually only occupies a small portion of the lower third of the nose.

The outer part and sidewall are actually made up of fibro-fatty tissue. People with wider noses often think they have a thicker outer or ala or have thicker cartilage but they just have more of the fibro-fatty tissue. This extra fibro-fatty tissue often creates a more flared or wide appearance to the nasal base.

How can I slim my wide, flared or thick nostrils?

There are various methods to treating wide nostrils and can vary from patient to patient. Here are some methods listed below.

Wedge Excisions

A wedge excision removes fibrofatty tissue in the area of the nose adjacent to the cheek near to the alar-facial groove. The wedge can be designed in different ways depending on what is required. The first diagram shows a type of wedge excision where the internal nostril size remains the same but the outer tissue is reduced. The second diagram reduces both the internal nostril size and outer tissue.

Alar base (wedge) excision sparing vestibule

Alar base excision extending into vestibul

A wedge excision is often combined with procedures that reduce the size of the remainder of the nose. Once the upper two thirds of the nose are made smaller this often makes alar base look disproportionately large.

The scar for a wedge excision is hidden in the crease between the nostril and the cheek and lip. Two layers of sutures are used – a deep layer which dissolves and a skin layer which is removed one week after surgery.

Nostril sill excision

Nasal Sill Excision

It is also possible to remove skin only from the floor of the nose. treatment tends to assist with narrowing a wide nasal floor or reducing nostril flaring. Great care must be taken to carefully stitch these areas closed as they can become visible.

Combined wedge excision with and nasal sill excision

In patients who have very wide nostrils a combined wedge and nostril sill excision can be used.