[Eton TV] Why Nose Width Matters

The width of the nose

has a greater effect on the overall impression of the face

than you might expect.

After nose surgery, there are cases where the alar base looks too wide,

or conversely becomes too narrow and looks awkward.

Let’s talk about how nose width affects your impression,

what the ideal nose width is,

and how to improve nose width.

Nose width can be broadly divided into two parts.

The first is

the width of the alar base.

This refers to the base area where the alar wings begin.

And the second is

the width of the nasal tip or the bridge.

These two

are the main criteria for judging nose width.

Generally,

assuming the face width is normal,

the base of the alar wings

is considered ideal when it sits

between the eyes.

The nasal tip

is ideally about 75–80% of the width of the alar base,

meaning it should be slightly smaller.

It is also ideal for the width of the bridge and the nasal tip

to be similar.

However, these standards

are not absolute rules that apply equally to everyone.

For example, for men,

a nose that is slightly wider than this standard may suit them better.

For those who prefer a more feminine and refined image,

a nose that is a little narrower than this ratio may be better.

In the end, it depends on the individual’s facial shape

and the image they want to present.

Depending on facial shape,

the direction for adjusting nose width also changes.

For example,

for people whose nose looks relatively wide

compared to the length of their face,

reducing the nose width too much

can make the face look smaller and less balanced.

In such cases,

it is better to adjust it in a way that does not reduce the width too much.

On the other hand, for people with longer faces,

a wide nose can make the nose seem overly emphasized or dull,

so reducing the width can be actively considered.

A round face shape

can go in either direction.

However, if the nose becomes too narrow,

it may not suit a round face well,

so it is better to maintain an overall rounded feel.

In my opinion, when the nose is narrower,

it can give a refined or intelligent impression.

On the other hand, if the nose feels a bit wider,

it can be seen as more masculine or warm.

The width of the nose can largely be adjusted

in both the bridge and the alar base.

First, for the bridge,

if the nasal bone is spread wide and low,

an osteotomy can be used

to bring the nasal bones inward.

This is not as dangerous of a surgery as people might think.

The nasal bones are among the thinner bones in the face.

However,

it is important to cut them into the correct shape

and create a clean line,

while avoiding dangerous structures,

so the procedure must be performed with great focus.

Depending on how enlarged the alar base is,

there are several methods,

but the most common is alar base reduction.

This is a procedure that removes excess tissue to bring the alar base inward.

If the alar wings themselves spread outward and look wide,

their roundedness can be adjusted

to make them flatter and appear narrower.

Conversely,

it is actually more difficult to make a narrow nose wider.

If the bones are crooked

and only one side is asymmetrically narrow,

the bones can be moved outward through osteotomy.

However, if the bridge itself is small and narrow,

the bridge can be widened using an implant.

As far as I know,

surgery to widen the base of the alar base is difficult.

That said, if the alar wings are too flat and collapsed,

there are procedures to reinforce them and provide stability to the nostrils.

Changes in nasal tip height

also affect nose width.

If the nasal tip is raised significantly,

the surrounding tissues move together,

which can reduce the impression that it is spreading outward.

And even if the actual width does not decrease,

increasing the height

can create an optical illusion that makes it look thinner or narrower.

So

changes in nasal tip height

greatly affect the overall sense of nose width.

Just nasal tip surgery alone

can produce an improvement in nose width.

In fact, the nose is often not extremely wide,

and in such cases,

even changes to the nasal tip alone can greatly alter the appearance of the alar wings.

That is why, from the start,

we do not always recommend alar wing reduction or alar base reduction together;

instead, we sometimes recommend observing the result after surgery

and, if additional correction is needed,

proceeding later.

Bulbous nose is also closely related to nose width.

People who come in saying they have a bulbous nose

can be divided into cases where the nasal tip is blunt

and cases where the alar base is wide.

A simple way to figure out which one you are closer to

is:

when you lift the nose and look at it,

if the width of the area where the lips and nose meet is wide,

it is closer to a wide alar base.

On the other hand, if the alar base itself is thick,

the nasal tip feels round,

and the nostrils are small,

it is closer to a typical bulbous nose.

For such cases,

you can often see enough improvement with nasal tip surgery alone.

It is important to distinguish clearly between a wide alar base

and a bulbous nose

and approach them appropriately.

Nose width has such a wide range of standards

and methods for improvement.

The key to increasing satisfaction after nose surgery

is “proportion” and “harmony.”

After nose surgery, you need to consider not only the nasal tip and bridge,

but also the nose width,

in order to create a truly natural result.