Can The Split Down The Middle of My Nasal Tip Be Fixed?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am interested in getting my nose. I am a 22 year-old female who has a nose in which the tip does not match the rest of my face. My nose tip is too fat and there is like a line running down the middle of it. The rest of my face and nose is actually small and well proportioned. The tip of my nose does not match the cuteness of the rest of my face. Can this be fixed? I have attached a few pictures for you to see what I mean.

A: Thank you for your inquiry and sending your pictures. What I see is that the tip of your nose has the classic bifid tip deformity. This means that the lower alar cartilages do not come together or meet in the middle of the tip of your nose. As a result, this leaves a central groove down the tip of your nose the whole way down to the base of the columella. This also creates a wider or fatter tip due to the lateral cartilage displacements. Outside of tip the pictures show only one angle so I can not comment on the shape of the rest of your nose. The bifid tip deformity can be corrected by bringing the lower alar cartilages together by sutures as well as thinning their size. This will make your tip more refined, narrow and get rid of the groove  or cleft down the middle of it. I have attached some rhinoplasty imaging based on these potential changes.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana