Droopy Nose Tip Surgery

Some people notice a droopy nose tip when smiling, laughing or talking. When the tip droops to an extreme degree, people dislike the ‘witches’ nose appearance it creates and often want droopy nose tip surgery to correct it. The degree of drooping is important as almost everyone’s nose will descend at least a little when they smile broadly.

Muscles of the Nose

The cause is the two nose muscles called the Depressor Alae Nasi and the Levator Labii Superioris Alaeque Nasi. They are both long names for small muscles! The former muscle is found between the bottom of the nose and the upper lip and can pull the nasal tip down. The latter muscle originates from the outer cheek and inserts diagonally into the side wall of the nose. It pulls the sides of the nose up. The combination of the two actions makes the nose tip appear to tilt down. The Levator Labii Superioris Alaeque Nasi muscle can’t be modified, as this could cause nasal blockage. When we breath in, the Levator automatically contracts to help prevent the sides of the nose to collapse from the Bernouilli’s principle. Furthermore facial expressions could be altered.

Botox Solution

However by strategically placing a few units of Botox into the Depressor Alae Nasi, the downward pointing of the nose during animation can be reduced, sometimes eliminated. The degree of improvement depends on the size and strength of the Depressor Alae Nasi muscle. This should only be performed by experience injectors so the lip muscles aren’t inadvertently paralyzed.

Surgery to Correct the Droop

Another way to correct this is during droopy nose tip surgery. This muscle can be cut away to achieve the same effect as Botox, but the results are permanent. In the rare case where no rhinoplasty or nose job surgery is performed at the same time, the Depressor Alae Nasi muscle can still be cut though a small incision in the inside of the mouth and above the front teeth. Droopy nose tip surgery without rhinoplasty is an uncommon procedure for an uncommon problem, but annoying to those who have it.