Nose ptosis refers to a nasal tip that has begun to droop or is too long. This drooping or ptotic tip can have a dramatic influence on facial appearance. It often makes the nose appear longer than it truly is, or make people appear angry or older. Many female patients find that their ptotic nose makes them appear more masculine.
There are many causes of a ptotic nose. Nose ptosis often occurs following nasal trauma. Many patients seeking revision rhinoplasty do so because their initial nose job destabilized the tip, leading to drooping. Nasal ptosis is also common as part of the aging process. In some cases, it is simply hereditary and present from birth.
In most cases, it is fairly straightforward to detect a drooping nose from a visual examination. There are also guidelines used by surgeons to judge the degree of ptosis. The degree to which the nose is drooping is measured by the angle between the bottom of the nose and the upper lip. This is known as the nasolabial angle. In men, the preferred angle is 90 to 100 degree, while in women it should be 95 to 115 degrees. In those with a ptotic nose, this angle is much smaller, as the nose tip droops downwards.
Thankfully, in most cases ptosis of the nasal tip is easily corrected during surgery. During rhinoplasty, the surgeon can change the shape of the underlying tissues that cause the drooping appearance. This may include repositioning cartilage or shortening an elongated septum.
