Rhinoplasty: Cost, Pics, Reviews, Q&A

Limitations in Size of Nose With Rhinoplasty Surgery

Assuming the nose you are envisioning for your face is proportional and balanced, one major reason limiting how small you can go is skin thickness.

If you happen to have thick skin and you reduce the skeletal structure of the nose significantly, there is a risk your skin will not shrink down to the new, smaller size.

If this occurs, the definition and contour you desire will not be seen. Thicker skin does not shrink wrap down as easily as thinner skin.

This is commonly the rate limiting step in reducing the size of someone’s nose in rhinoplasty. (John M. Hilinski, MD, San Diego Facial Plastic Surgeon)

Any nasal reduction surgery has certain limitations. The goal of surgery should be to create an aesthetically pleasing nose which still has good function (i.e. you can breathe out of it).

To do this, a certain size of the nose must be maintained. In addition, the basic structure of the nose must be maintained.

It is impossible to completely reduce the size of bone and other supporting structures of the nose and still maintain nasal shape and function. (D.J. Verret, MD, Dallas Facial Plastic Surgeon)

There are anatomical structures of the nose which limit the extent of modification; nasal bones, upper lateral cartilage and lower lateral cartilage.

The nose must balance between these three structures. Thus, an extremely large nose cannot be made to be a short little flat nose.

To achieve a well balanced and natural looking nose, all three structures must come together in a three-dimensional fashion to look great.

Sometimes the amount of reduction permitted to establish this balance is less than what a patient may envision. (William Portuese, MD, Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon)