Drooping Nose 

A bulbous or drooping nasal tip can be the product of aging or genetics. As we age, nasal skin becomes thicker and the tip of the nose begins to droop in response to the long-term affects of gravity and the loss of bone volume and cartilage. Sometimes drooping can be the result of a super-strong muscle between the tip of the nose and the upper lip.  This muscle pulls the tip of the nose down when you smile.  Unfortunately, if the muscle is too strong, it may pull the tip of the nose down even when you’re not!  Luckily, a simple surgery to weaken this muscle may do the trick!

In African-Americans and Asians the tip of the is more likely to be fllatter and wider tip, while Mediterraneans, Middle-Easterners and Indians are more likely to have pointed, drooping tips.  The size, shape and strength of the cartilages forming the nasal tip may be the culprits  for the drooping tip, and surgical correction may be quite straightforward.  Many times, the natural cartilage may be simply shaped and supported by sutures.  Occasionally, there is a need for grafts or implants. 

A drooping tip may not only cause aethetic concerns.  It may also interfere with your ability to breathe freely. To test if this is the case for you, push the tip of your nose up with your finger and see if it’s easier to breathe. If it is, nasal tip refinement surgery might benefit you both cosmetically and functionally.

Fortunately, in surgical refinement of the nasal tip, bones are not typically broken.  The recovery is nearly painless.  Tip refinement surgery can be combined with other procedures such as a facelift, neck lift or blepharoplasty (eyelid lift).

Read about Dr. Yagoda's Integrative Post Operative Care Program