A common concern of patients seeking an ethnic or African American nose job in Charlotte is the size and shape of their nostrils. Many times, I have consulted with patients that feel their nostrils do not fit with the size of their face. As a facial plastic surgeon in Charlotte specializing in ethnic and African American rhinoplasties, I first identify the cause of the concern. It commonly occurs for two reasons and it is important to identify both reasons as they have different treatment options.
1) The nostrils width at the base of the nose is wide—It is larger than the distance between the eyes
2) The nostrils width at the base of the nose is normal but the nostrils “flare” out from the sides of the nose—There is excess nostril tissue
How do you fix nostrils that are large for the nose?
If the nostrils are too large for the nose, then they are reduced during an ethnic nose job or rhinoplasty (nostril reduction). This is one of the rare instances during a nose job that an incision is made on the skin of the face. The incision is made at the opening of the nose to bring the base of the nose closer together. A meticulous closure of the incision beautifully hides the scar.
How do you fix nostrils that flare?
Flaring nostrils are a result of excess nostril tissue. If a person stands in front of the mirror and pushes their nose towards their face, it would cause their nostrils to flare. This situation can be corrected during an African American nose job where an incision is made in the crease where the nostril meets the cheek. The incision is made at this location in order to hide them.