Can Paranasal Implants Lift The Alar Bases Upward?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I have a question regarding paranasal implants. Could they be used in a way to bring the alar base upwards? The reason I’m asking is because this would enable a long nose to appear shorten, since if there was a way to bring the alar base forward and up (through means of a well placed implant), one could then shave the collumela and present with a shortened nose (the entire base of the nose would move up, including the alar base). 

Thank you in advance!

A:Thank you for your inquiry. No form of midface augmentation is going to rotate the alar base upwards in any significant way. The effects of paranasal implants are primarily in the horizontal or forward direction…at least by conventional design. I could envision shaping the patronal implant design a certain way to try and create that upward movement but I could not tell you whether that would be effective for that type of nasal base change.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana