Nasal tip plasty is a surgery to reduce the roundness of the nasal tip and refine it to create a cleaner, sharper impression. It is effective for a rounded tip (“dango-bana” or bulbous nasal tip), a feature that is common in East Asian noses, including Japanese noses, and for an upturned nose (“buta-bana”) where the nostrils are prominent.
Recommended for those with these concerns:
- Bulbous nasal tip
- Upturned nose
- Roundness of the nasal tip
- Large nose
- Low nose
- Appearance of the nostrils
Procedure Details of Nasal Tip Plasty (Closed Approach)
2. The left and right lower lateral (alar) cartilages are sutured together toward the midline.
3. Cartilage grafting is performed as needed.
4. The incisions inside the nostrils are sutured.
No — a cartilage graft is not always needed. In some cases, the procedure may only involve suturing the lower lateral cartilages to reshape them for a sharper tip, partially resecting the lower lateral cartilages to make them smaller, or simply drawing the left and right lower lateral cartilages together to the center with sutures. When grafting, the appearance can be altered by raising or lowering the nasal tip, depending on the graft placement site.
Procedure Details
For nasal tip plasty, there are two approaches depending on the location of the skin incision: the “open approach” and the “closed approach.” Based on factors such as the condition of the nasal tip, the desired degree of change, and whether it is combined with cartilage grafting or other procedures, the doctor will propose the method best suited for each individual.
Open approach
In this method, the procedure is performed by making an incision inside the nasal cavity as well as across the columella (the skin between the left and right nostrils) and lifting the skin of the nasal tip.
Because the structure of the cartilage can be operated on under direct visualization, this approach makes it easier to fine-tune asymmetries and to carry out complex plans that combine cartilage grafting, septal extension, and other procedures.
However, an incision scar remains on the columella (in many cases, it becomes less noticeable over time). Compared to the closed approach, the incision area is wider, and swelling and recovery time tend to be somewhat longer.
Closed approach
In this method, the procedure is performed by making incisions only inside the nostrils (intranasally) without creating scars in visible locations from the outside.
Because no incision is made to the columella, scars are less likely to remain on the surface, and recovery tends to be shorter than with the open approach. This method is suitable when the main goal is to refine a rounded nasal tip.
However, because the operation is performed through a limited range inside the nasal cavity, there are limits to how finely the structures can be adjusted, and it may not be suitable for large changes or complex designs.
Recovery and Aftercare
Swelling and Bruising
Swelling and bruising are most noticeable for 1–2 weeks after the surgery, but they will gradually settle down and can be concealed with makeup.
Thereafter, residual swelling will gradually subside, and the tip will settle into its final, more refined shape over about 3 months.
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 until your doctor tells you it is safe to do so. Please do not blow your nose for about 1 month after the surgery.
Risks and Side Effects
Risks and side effects include swelling, bruising, pain, edema, redness, infection, scarring, and asymmetry.
