Is Tip Rhinoplasty Right for You? By on February 25, 2017

The nose is an important feature. A well-proportioned nose provides balance to the face and can enhance a person's attractiveness. For some people, the tip of the nose may be bulbous, making the nose and face look less refined. Fortunately, rhinoplasty offers a solution to those who wish to enhance the shape and definition of the nose for an overall improved appearance. Tip rhinoplasty can specifically address issues with the tip of the nose, such as a bulbous or round tip. To find out if tip rhinoplasty is right for you, schedule a consultation with Minneapolis, MN plastic surgeon Gregory T. Mesna.

What Is Tip Rhinoplasty?

Tip rhinoplasty is a cosmetic procedure used to alter and enhance the tip of the nose, which is made up of skin, cartilage, and subcutaneous tissue. Tip rhinoplasty specifically addresses noses with tips that are bulbous, round, or otherwise lacking definition.

The Tip Rhinoplasty Procedure

With rhinoplasty, the tip of the nose can be altered to have more or less projection. The angle of the tip of the nose may also be adjusted, along with its rotation, width, and height. There are different techniques in which the tip rhinoplasty procedure is performed to achieve the desired appearance.

Tip rhinoplasty may be performed through an open approach in which incisions are made inside and outside of the nostrils; or a closed approach in which incisions are made inside the nostrils. In addition to the different approaches, the various methods of the tip rhinoplasty procedure include:

Cephalic trim: This technique reduces the roundness of the tip of the nose through the removal of key areas of cartilage.
Dome binding suturing: Dome binding suturing involves placing a suture below the tip of the nose to create a more defined, sharper nasal tip.
Lower lateral crural strut graft: This method of tip rhinoplasty involves the placement of grafts to the lower nasal cartilage to enhance and refine the tip of the nose.
Lower lateral crural overlay: With the lower lateral crural overlay, the lower nasal cartilage is cut and overlapped to help improve the rotation of the nasal tip.
Tip defatting: This technique may be paired with other rhinoplasty procedures to reduce the fatty tissue from the tip of the nose; this tissue can contribute to an overly round or bulbous tip.

Candidates for Tip Rhinoplasty

Those who are unhappy with the appearance of the tip of the nose often make good candidates for tip rhinoplasty. Those who wish to improve specific issues like the projection, angle, width, height, or rotation of the nasal tip may benefit from tip rhinoplasty.

In addition to wishing to improve such issues, ideal candidates for tip rhinoplasty should be in good general health and free of such issues as uncontrolled diabetes or heart disease. Candidates should also have a healthy understanding of what plastic surgery can achieve.