What Type Of Rhinoplasty Do I Need For A Small Bump And A Large Nasal Tip?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I have a small bump on my nose from when i was kicked in the nose when i was younger. I want a more curved shape nose like I used to have. Also I think my nose looks too big towards the end. Here are some pictures for you to see. What type of rhinoplasty do I need?

A: Your nose shows a great disproportion between the tip and the bridge. The tip of your nose is incredibly wide and thick. The lower alar cartilages can be seen to be very large and your nasal skin is quite thick. This is in contrast to the bridge or upper area of your nose which is much smaller in size and lower in height, albeit wide at the base. While there may be a small bump on the bridge of your nose, the key in your rhinoplasty approach is to not take down the bump. Rather in an effort to create better balance on your nose, the upper bridge needs to be built up while the tip needs to be narrowed. This will make for a more pleasing nasal appearance by creating better proportions between the upper and lower nose. This is of particular importance in your nose given your thick nasal skin which will limit how much reduction can be done in the tip of your nose. By building up the bridge this will help improve the appearance of the lower nose narrowing. I have attached some images which shows how these rhinoplasty changes would look.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana