If you look at your reflection in a mirror, you may notice that your nose is the most prominent feature on your face. Numerous studies on facial recognition and aesthetics have shown that if the face is divided into thirds, both horizontally and vertically (similar to a tic-tac-toe game), a perfectly positioned nose should sit right in the center box, both horizontally and vertically.

Of course, most people don't naturally have that perfectly proportioned and positioned nose, which explains the ongoing popularity of the rhinoplasty procedure to improve the shape and size of the nose. Each year, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (the leading professional organization for plastic surgeons) conducts a survey of its member surgeons to determine which procedures were most popular. In 2015, ASPS members performed almost 218,000 rhinoplasties, making it the third most popular procedure for that year. Dr. Paul Pin's practice reflects this ongoing trend.

However, he has also seen another trend in terms of the amount of work patients want done for their rhinoplasty procedures. More patients are opting for what are known as tip rhinoplasties, in which any correction is only focused on the nasal tip, rather than on the entire structure of the nose.

Reasons for Tip Rhinoplasty

Patients may have a number of reasons for only wishing to have a tip rhinoplasty, but the most common reason is that they are satisfied with the rest of the shape and size of their nose. Some examples may include a droopy, flat, wide or bulbous nasal tip, but with the rest of the nose being in proper proportions and having no structural defects. In other cases, the patient may be concerned about excessive scarring or have a medical concern that would make it difficult to undergo a full rhinoplasty procedure.

Tip Rhinoplasty Procedure

The key to a successful tip rhinoplasty procedure is to minimize the amount of work to be done. In a full rhinoplasty, Dr. Pin might use grafts of cartilage harvested from other areas to help shore up the entire nasal structure. This will not be the case if only the nasal tip is improved.

Instead, a tip rhinoplasty will use one of two techniques, depending on the amount of work to be done and the patient's goals from the procedure. A closed rhinoplasty will only use internal sutures to reshape the nasal tip. In comparison, Dr. Pin will use an incision across the collumella (the section of skin between the left and right nostril) to perform an open rhinoplasty. This method allows direct access to the nasal tip structure.

Because the nose is the most prominent feature on the face, any change to its shape or size will be more noticeable than changes to other facial features. Too much of a change to the nose can throw off the symmetry of the entire face. Fortunately, a tip rhinoplasty might be a good solution if you only want a subtle change to your nose, so as to keep it in proper proportion to the rest of your face.