Alar base augmentation — also known as “noble surgery” or paranasal augmentation — is a procedure that fills in hollows beside the nose by inserting autologous tissue or an implant into the alar base (the base of the wings of the nose). It softens the prominence of nasolabial folds and the protrusion of the mouth, leading to an elegant and refined impression.
Recommended for those with these concerns:
- Nasolabial folds
- Low nose
- Hollows around the nose
- Protruding mouth
At our clinic, we recommend either an implant or cartilage.
Only an implant or cartilage has enough strength to push the nasal base forward. Since fat and hyaluronic acid are soft, they are effective at making nasolabial folds slightly less noticeable, but they do not have the strength to push the entire nasal base forward.
We recommend choosing based on your goal, whether you want to bring the alar base forward or simply make the nasolabial folds slightly less noticeable. If your goal is just to fill in the depression slightly, hyaluronic acid injection is also considered an option.
Procedure Details
Alar base augmentation can be performed through an intraoral or intranasal approach. The intraoral approach involves making an incision of approximately 1 cm in the upper gums and inserting an implant or diced cartilage into the alar base. The gum incision is then sutured. In the intranasal approach, dissection is performed down to the alar base during septal extension, and after inserting an implant or diced cartilage, the standard septal extension is completed.
Recovery and Aftercare
Swelling and Bruising
Swelling and bruising are most noticeable for the first 1–2 weeks after surgery. The nose continues to settle for about 3 months, after which the final shape is visible.
Daily Life
Please sleep on your back so that no strong external force is applied to the nose.
Please also avoid touching or wetting the surgical site for the first week, or until your doctor tells you it is safe to do so.
Risks and Side Effects
Risks and side effects include swelling, bruising, pain, edema, redness, scarring, infection, and asymmetry.
