How Can I Make My Face Shorter?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I have a long face shape but small forehead. (like Sarah Jessica Parker). I really hate my face shape and would like to make it shorter. My nose is long and I was wondering if it were possible to shorten my nose, raise my mouth and then make my chin a lot smaller so that my face is a lot shorter but still in proportion. I also have a bump on my nose that I would want straightened.

I’m not sure if such thing is possible but if you could let me know if there is anything that could be done. I have attached a picture of what kind of thing I would like done. The picture on the left is what I look like now and the one on the right is kind of how I would like to look like after. The third picture is of the bump on my nose and whether this would be able to be corrected as well. Thanks!

A: Based on your pictures and goals, I would say that two of the three facial changes you would like are achievable with fade shortening surgery. A rhinoplasty can be done to eliminate the bump on your nose and provide some further refinement. A vertical reduction genioplasty can be done and the bone removed behind it back to about the mid-body of the mandible through an intraoral approach. It can achieve the amount of vertical reduction you are showing on our imaged picture but it is the most that can be done. probably about an 8mm reduction in anterior chin/mandibular height. Lastly, it is not possible to surgically raise your mouth (lips).

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana