[E-DongA] Alar Reduction Surgery That Improves the Effect of Nostril Reduction... Personalized Diagnosis Is Essential

The nose, located at the center of the face, is a key area that determines overall three-dimensionality and impression.

In particular, many East Asians have anatomical characteristics in which the skin around the nostrils is thick and spread outward.

Recently, as aesthetic standards favor slim and sophisticated nose lines, many people are considering alar reduction to improve a blunt-looking nose shape and enhance overall three-dimensionality.

Many people think that a wide nostril base can simply be addressed with non-incisional alar reduction or alar reduction injections.

This is because they want to reduce the burden of an incision.

However, experts point out that if the skin tissue of the alar base itself is thick and the cartilage is spread out, these non-surgical methods are not likely to be a fundamental solution. The effect is often temporary or minimal, so many people eventually consider alar reduction surgery again.

What is even more important is the overall balance of the nose.

Many patients with a wide alar base also have a bulbous nose, in which the tip has thick skin and soft tissue.

At this time, if only the width of the alar base is reduced without considering the overall harmony, an adverse effect may occur in which the narrower alar base makes the nose tip look relatively larger and bulkier. Alar reduction is a procedure that makes the alar base slimmer by reducing its horizontal width, and the principle is that it also produces a nostril reduction effect.

This is because if the volume of the nose tip is left as is while only the alar base is reduced, the nose tip will stand out even more.

Director Seo Chan-eol of AB Plastic Surgery explained, "A bulbous nose in East Asians is not simply a matter of excess flesh; in many cases, the skin and fat layer at the nose tip are thick, and the alar cartilage is spread outward to the left and right. To achieve a successful nostril reduction effect, it is necessary to combine alar width reduction with bulbous nose correction, which removes the thick fat from the nose tip and gathers the spread cartilage, only then can a slim and refined nose line be completed."

In other words, the surgical plan must differ depending on each person's nasal condition.

If the alar spread is severe and the skin is thick, the most reliable method is to make an incision at the lower or inner side of the alar rim and physically remove the tissue.

At this time, the key is to create an ideal proportion from both the front and side views by combining nose-tip surgery.

Excessive desire or the application of an incorrect surgical method should be avoided.

If too much is removed without considering one’s own available skin, it can cause alar reduction side effects such as nostril asymmetry or an unnatural pinched-nose appearance. Since once-removed alar tissue is very difficult to restore, a cautious approach is required during the first surgery.

Director Seo Chan-eol also advised, "For highly satisfying results, the shortcut to preventing alar reduction side effects and improving satisfaction is to establish a personalized surgical plan by accurately understanding your nasal bone and cartilage structure, skin thickness, and other factors through 충분한 consultation with a specialized medical team rich in anatomical knowledge."

Source: https://edu.donga.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=102867