Female low nose correction case — a nose that looks low only from the front, confirmed via septal extension and osteotomy
2025. 1. 17.
A female low nose case where the bridge exists from the side but looks low from the front. Organized the process of lengthening the nose via septal extension and narrowing width via bridge osteotomy, and what was confirmed in before/after changes by angle.
Key points
- There are noses that have a bridge from the side but look particularly low from the front. When the bridge near the glabella is low and the tip droops downward, this impression can appear.
- In this case, surgery was planned in the direction of lengthening the nose via septal extension and narrowing the bridge width via bridge osteotomy.
- Silicone and septal cartilage were used together for shaping, and after surgery changes were confirmed from multiple angles — front, side, 45 degrees, and base view.
"In side photos the bridge looks present, but from the front the nose looks low and pressed down."
It's a comment heard not infrequently in low nose consultations. The woman introduced today was such a case too. The bridge near the glabella was low and the tip dropped downward, so while the bridge existed from the side, the concern was that it looked like a low nose from the front.
This article organizes what was checked in this case, what method was used for correction, and what changed before and after surgery.
01
Why does it look fine from the side but low from the front?
Nasal height is hard to judge from a single angle. For this woman, the bridge existed when viewed from the side, but the bridge near the glabella was low and the tip dropped downward — so from the front it looked like a low-nose shape.
Looking at photos taken from various angles before surgery, the nose felt pressed down, and because of that the whole face looked flat, as if pressed, without dimension. In other words, this case's core wasn't simply "the nose is low" — it was the frontal impression created together by glabella-side height, tip direction, and bridge width.
02
What method was used to correct it in this case?
The short, drooping tip's length and direction were adjusted via septal extension, the frontal width was narrowed via bridge osteotomy, and the needed height was supplemented with silicone and septal cartilage.
- Septal extension — considering the downward-dropping tip, the nose's length was increased through septal extension.
- Bridge osteotomy — osteotomy was performed to narrow the bridge so it can look defined from the front.
- Silicone + septal cartilage — silicone and septal cartilage were used together to shape the nose.
Since a bridge-raising material alone struggles to address frontal width and tip direction, methods each responsible for length, width, and shape were combined. The types and features of materials used in surgery can be seen in more detail in the rhinoplasty materials guide.
03
What changed after surgery?
From the front, bridge and alar width; from the side and 45 degrees, the connection from glabella to tip; from the base view, nostril shape change were confirmed.
| Angle checked | Change confirmed after surgery |
|---|---|
| Side | The bridge became higher and the tip more defined — a sleeker shape |
| Front | Alar width confirmed clearly reduced |
| 45 degrees | The line continues naturally from between the brows to the tip |
| Base | The nostril shape settled stably |
From the side the nose already felt less low than the front even before surgery, but after surgery the bridge became higher and the tip direction got organized — the side line itself changed. From the front, as the alar width decreased, the low and spread-looking impression was organized together. Actual per-case before/after changes can be confirmed in the before & after photos.
04
Summary — a low nose that must be seen including the frontal impression
It's easy to think only of bridge height when hearing "low nose." But for cases like this one where side and front impressions differ, glabella-side height, tip direction, and bridge width all have to be checked together to decide where to correct. The combination of septal extension, bridge osteotomy, and material choice was also the result of that checking.
If you're curious how your nose looks different between front and side, it can be checked directly in a 1:1 video consultation.
Frequently asked questions
Answers to common questions patients ask before a consultation.
Can nose height look different between side and front?
Why is bridge osteotomy done?
What role does septal extension play?
Responses to treatment and recovery progress vary by individual. Outcomes and side effects vary from person to person. Bleeding, infection, swelling and asymmetry may occur. Please consult our medical team before making a decision.