What to Check Before Upturned Nose Surgery — Why Lowering the Tip Alone Is Not Enough, and When Autologous Rib Cartilage Is Used

01

What exactly is an upturned nose?

What people call an upturned nose refers to a tip that is raised too much. With the tip lifted, the nostrils naturally show even from the front, which can make the nose feel visually prominent. It also makes the nose look shorter than it actually is.

A short midface is often associated with a youthful look — but only when the proportions stay balanced. When the nostrils are overly exposed on top of a short-looking length, the impression can turn dull instead.

Even after deciding on surgery, it is hard to know what exactly should be corrected and how. Without a sense of the outcome, the decision feels abstract. That is why during consultation we take photos directly and show a simulated result, so you can confirm in advance what the postoperative look will be and whether it matches what you want.

02

Can't we just press the tip down?

One common misconception about upturned nose surgery is that "correcting the tip alone is enough." Since the tip is lifted, it seems natural to simply bring it down — but two problems follow.

• Risk of relapse — if the tip is only pressed down without support, there is a real chance it returns to its original position over time.
• A bent line — the line running from the bridge to the tip can break, leaving an unnatural impression.

That is why careful design begins with the support structure — the tip is only one of the factors to check.

In particular, finely adjusting the nasolabial angle — the angle between the tip, lips, and philtrum — lets us expect a slimmer, cleaner line even while lowering the tip.

03

What if the skin cannot stretch enough?

Creating a natural line also requires considering the skin. If the existing tip angle is very high, pressing the end down may not give the skin enough room to stretch.

In these cases, upturned nose surgery proceeds with a cartilage graft. Using autologous rib cartilage — the patient's own costal cartilage — the tip is brought down. Because the cartilage comes from your own body, it is accepted without rejection.

For the bridge, we grind the autologous rib cartilage to build a custom implant instead of silicone. A diced autologous-rib custom implant is placed on the bridge to refine the overall angle and line. Using autologous tissue instead of silicone allows a more natural look, with less foreign-body sensation as an added benefit.

04

Summary — design that sees balance comes first

Upturned nose surgery lowers a lifted tip, but focusing on the tip alone can cause relapse or a bent line. The design should follow checks of the support structure, the facial shape and bridge-line angle, nostril exposure, the nasolabial angle, and any accompanying rhinitis or septal issues — and when the skin cannot stretch easily, autologous rib cartilage with a diced-rib custom implant becomes the alternative.

If visiting in person is difficult, a 1:1 video consultation can provide a preliminary assessment and a direction for improvement. Real correction cases can be seen in before & after photos.