What is a Bulbous Nose Tip?

January 04, 2019

Did you know? Dr. Ahmad is recognized worldwide as a leading expert in rhinoplasty, which is one of the most difficult and technically complex procedures performed by aesthetic plastic surgeons. Dr. Ahmad has co-edited two comprehensive rhinoplasty textbooks to provide surgeons with an indispensable surgical resource detailing everything from basic fundamentals to the latest refinements and advances in technique. He’s also one of the only Canadian members of The Rhinoplasty Society, an international organization that requires an extensive vetting process for advanced nasal surgeons.

All of this is to say, Dr. Ahmad truly understands what makes nasal surgery successful. We caught up with him to talk about a frequently asked rhinoplasty question.

How popular is rhinoplasty at The Plastic Surgery Clinic?

It’s not as popular as a procedure like breast augmentation, but we do see a lot of patients interested in rhinoplasty. They might be interested in a first-time procedure or they might be looking for as to a prior surgery.

Each year we perform between 75 and 100 rhinoplasty procedures, which is a high volume in comparison to a lot of other practices. For context, the Rhinoplasty Society requires that a surgeon perform at least 30 nasal surgeries per year to be eligible for membership.

What are common concerns for a rhinoplasty patient?

There is a wide range of potential issues a patient might want to correct with nose surgery. A lot of those concerns can be functional and are related to breathing issues. A deviated septum is one of the most common causes. The septum is the part made up of bone and cartilage that divides your nose in half and when it’s off-centre or imbalanced it can obstruct breathing on one or both sides.

There are also a lot of cosmetic concerns a patient might want to address. This can include a straightening a crooked nose, reducing or increasing the size of the nose, narrowing the nostril span, adjusting the angle between the nose and the upper lip, or changing the shape of the bridge or the tip.

Speaking of which—what is a bulbous nose tip?

It’s a common reason rhinoplasty patients want to reshape the nose. A bulbous tip is a round, wide nasal tip that lacks shape and definition. Some of these patients might describe their nose as being too wide, too big, or too round. In some cases the nose might also be upturned, drooping or hooked as well. Imagine something like a ball positioned at the end of the nose as opposed to a more proportionate, subtly triangular shape with more definition.

Poorly defined hypertrophic lower lateral cartilages (try saying that three times fast) can cause a bulbous tip, as well as poor cartilage strength, a round dome shape, or excess soft tissue coverage.

How do you correct a bulbous nose tip?

It all depends on what the underlying cause is. Typically I would perform a careful examination of the patient to determine the exact structural causes that contribute to the nose’s bulb shape and from there I would decide which approach is best to improve and refine the tip. Most often this requires reconfiguring and refining small cartilage edges to address the tip without compromising nasal structure, but sometimes it may also require special suturing techniques or cartilage grafting or a combination of all of the above.

These approaches can get very specific very quickly, so it’s best to come in for a free consultation with us to learn more details about the approach that will best address your particular concerns.

Overall, the result can look completely proportionate to the rest of the nose and face, which helps achieve a natural look. As with all rhinoplasty procedures, swelling in the nose will take some time to resolve. The most noticeable swelling will typically be reduced within a few weeks. Some subtle swelling that will only be noticeable to you and I will remain for several months, which unfortunately affects the tip in particular. But it really is not perceptible to others.

Within a year, all swelling will typically have resolved and your final result will be apparent.

Finally, is it safe to say no one knows a nose like you do?

Now there’s another good tongue twister.