In my last post I discussed the process of using rhinoplasty to downsize a large, over-projected nose. Today I will discuss the related issue of treating a pointy tip.
 

What makes a nose pointy?

When a patient tells me that they don't like their pointy nose, it is important to determine what features are creating the appearance they want changed. Very often the main issue is that the nasal tip is overly narrow or pinched. Pinching can occur naturally, but is more commonly the result of prior over-aggressive rhinoplasty surgery. In other cases pointiness is related to an over-projected, or long, tip. Lastly, the combination of having thin skin and sharp bends (also called a bossa) in the tip cartilages can also create a pointed appearance. Of course, a combination of all these features can also occur.

Pointy Tip and Bridge Bump Before and After Rhinoplasty Case Study

This patient is a great example of what a rhinoplasty can do to improve a long, pointy tip.



The before photo on the left illustrates the patient's over-projected nasal tip. Additionally, she has a bump on her bridge and slightly droopy tip. The after photo shown on the right shows how I was able to bring the tip cartilages in toward the face to decrease the overall projection. I also refined the bridge creating a more elegant profile and conservatively rotated the tip as well.

Deprojecting the tip and improving nostril symmetry

The base view of our patient shown below is an even better way of seeing how rhinoplasty can be used to soften a pointy nose.



Not only does deprojecting the tip improve the pointiness, but the way in which I was able to arrange the tip cartilages allows for a less narrow tip. At the same time you can also see how I was able to make her nostrils more symmetric, improving the longer left nostril opening.

You can learn more about this patient's surgery and see more before and after rhinoplasty photos of this patient here. You check out my rhinoplasty information page to read more about what goes into rhinoplasty surgery.

Related Rhinoplasty Blog posts:

The Over-Projected, Long Nose Rhinoplasty
Do you have a polly-beak deformity?
The combined septo-rhinoplasty