How to correct a small, short, upturned nose

Hello.

I am Dr. Peter C. Kang, medical director.

Today, I will discuss surgery to transform a small, short, upturned nose into a well-proportioned, appealing shape.

Today's patient had a short, upturned nose. It was also a small nose, which I always consider one of the most challenging types to operate on. The patient visited NOSELAB after seeing someone who had surgery here, and wanted a higher, more aesthetic result within a safe and realistic limit.

Using autologous rib cartilage, I sufficiently lowered the upturned nose and carefully mobilized the surrounding skin toward the nasal tip in increments so that the tip skin could withstand the tension as safely as possible. A silicone implant was inserted into the nasal bridge to create a natural, smooth transition between the nasal tip and the forehead line.

Let us compare the before-and-after photos.

In the profile view, you can see that the nasal tip has been lowered considerably and elevated naturally. You can also observe that the nasal dorsum, which previously appeared quite low, has been smoothly and naturally heightened.

In the oblique view, the nasal tip has gained sufficient projection, and you can also see that the appearance of a protruding mouth has improved.

From the front, the nasal bridge, which had looked broad and slightly deviated, has also been corrected.

Looking at the basal view of the nostrils, you can observe that as the nasal tip was raised, the nostrils, which previously appeared wide and spread out, naturally took on a longer, more refined shape.

Whenever I near the end of a surgery for a short, small nose, I always find myself debating: "Should I raise it just a little bit more, or finish here?" I contemplate this every time. There is an old saying that too much is as bad as too little, yet the urge to achieve more is always there. However, for this type of nose, I created the highest possible contour while prioritizing safety and remaining within what the patient's anatomical conditions could comfortably support.

Correcting a small nose is essentially a battle against limited skin. Because the baseline skin envelope is small and deficient, I believe the most important step is mobilizing surrounding skin as much as safely possible toward the nasal tip to reduce tension on the tip skin.

Today, I shared a case on correcting a small, short, upturned nose. I hope this helps those who are considering correction for a similar nasal shape.

This was Dr. Peter C. Kang. Thank you.