Rhinoplasty and Fat Grafting for a Long Midface

The face is broadly classified into the upper face, midface, and lower face, and the ideal proportion is considered to be 1:1:1.

However, in Korea recently, because people prefer faces that look a little younger, the proportion of 1:1:0.8 is more preferred.

The proportions of the upper face, midface, and lower face (Source: SBS Running Man)

In cases where the upper face is long, the face can be shortened through methods such as forehead reduction surgery or hairline hair transplantation.

When the lower face is long, the lower part of the face can be reduced through chin length reduction in facial contouring surgery or through orthognathic surgery.

In the case of a long midface, there is a surgery that slightly reduces the maxillary portion of orthognathic surgery, but it is not an operation that can be decided on easily.

'What to check if the midface is long'

If the midface is long, you should look into whether there are factors that make the midface look longer.

The supraorbital ridge and long nose that make the midface look longer

When looking at the face, the length of the midface is perceived from the eyebrows to the tip of the nose, so if there is a pronounced supraorbital ridge above the brow bone or the tip of the nose looks long, the midface will appear longer.

A midface that looks longer due to a supraorbital ridge and a long nose

Because of the supraorbital ridge above the brow bone, the starting point of the midface moves upward, and if the tip of the nose is long like a hooked nose, the ending point of the midface moves downward, making the overall midface look longer.

'Rhinoplasty that makes the midface look shorter'

The general principles of rhinoplasty are the same, but when the midface is long, there are a few items that require more careful attention.

A diagram of long-nose rhinoplasty

First, to make the tip of the nose look shorter, it is necessary to graft a stronger septal extension as the support for the nasal tip.

And the muscle called the depressor septi nasi should be well separated from the muscles of the mouth so that the long nose does not recur.

It is also important to ensure that the implant on the nasal bridge is not inserted too high and that the height of the bridge is made naturally.

'Fat grafting that makes the midface look shorter'

To make the midface look shorter through fat grafting, fat grafting to the forehead and the front cheek is important.

A view of the supraorbital ridge corrected through forehead fat grafting

If the supraorbital ridge of the forehead is corrected through fat grafting, the supraorbital ridge will not stand out, creating the effect of making the starting point of the midface appear lower, at the eyebrow level.

Front cheek fat grafting for facial contour and femininity

And if the front cheek is too flat, it can also give the impression of a long midface, so it is important to add an appropriate amount of volume through front cheek fat grafting.

'Rhinoplasty and fat grafting that make the midface look shorter'

Before and after long-nose and hooked-nose correction, supraorbital ridge correction, and facial fat grafting

Review of facial fat grafting after long-nose and hooked-nose correction

Review of rhinoplasty with fat grafting for a long face

If the midface is long, it is important to check whether there are any features that stand out in the T-zone of the face, such as the forehead and nose.

In a woman's face, a pronounced supraorbital ridge can create a more masculine impression and make the midface look longer.

A long nose with a tip that droops downward, or a hooked nose, can also create a more masculine impression, make the face look older, and make the midface look longer, so it is better to correct it.